Walk Cycles

[Skeletogne]

I've been experimenting with SFM recently, trying to make my animation style a bit more fluent, but there's still one thing I've yet to tackle in SFM - Walk Cycles.
Does anyone happen to know any reliable guides or tricks in order to start creating walk cycles?

[Zappy]

Move/Animate the model's rootTransform before you start animating the feet/legs, and make sure to use locks on the feet if you use rigs.

[Rempart]

Originally posted by Zappy:

Move/Animate the model's rootTransform before you start animating the feet/legs, and make sure to use locks on the feet if you use rigs.

I have to disagree totally with you there, i've learnt that you have to make the animation before touching the root transform.

*EDIT*
Also use this for guide, later you might want to modify it to give it a more realistic look but for now just try to reproduce it ( each 0.25 sec ) https://martinsammut.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/279edf1209640830c82a7139ce067c.jpg

[Zappy]

Originally posted by Rempart:

i've learnt that you have to make the animation before touching the root transform.

Then how do you make the feet go backwards at the same speed, and how do you make the rootTransform move at the exact speed to have the feet not slide forwards nor backwards over the ground?

[Detonatress]

Originally posted by Zappy:

Originally posted by Rempart:

i've learnt that you have to make the animation before touching the root transform.

Then how do you make the feet go backwards at the same speed, and how do you make the rootTransform move at the exact speed to have the feet not slide forwards nor backwards over the ground?

By taking note of the last position of the leg that says behind until the leg is lifted off the ground. Also by using references for the keyframes at set intervals.
At least that's how i do it when I do walk cycles for anything.

[Rempart]

Originally posted by Detonatress:

Originally posted by Zappy:

Then how do you make the feet go backwards at the same speed, and how do you make the rootTransform move at the exact speed to have the feet not slide forwards nor backwards over the ground?

By taking note of the last position of the leg that says behind until the leg is lifted off the ground. Also by using references for the keyframes at set intervals.
At least that's how i do it when I do walk cycles for anything.

Well i use the Graph editor to make the foot go on the X axis, the trick is you have to make a straight line so the speed doesn't change ;)

[Zappy]

A-ha. And how do you make sure both feet move at the same speed as each other, and then also make sure the rootTransform will be moved at the correct speed? And what about bumps on the ground and stuff like that?

[surfer171]

According to winglet, he does most of his movement moving the pelvis bone. The reason for the pelvis bone is that most of our movement, naturally relies on our pelvis to push ourselves forward. Anyways, back to animation, according to Richard Williams animator's survival kit book, drawings of the steps to create the walk depends highly to the position of the pelvis when making contact with the ground where the pelvis bone lowers before contact and pelvis bone moves higher and forward after contact.

It's complicated to explain but try it out, feel the walking feeling cause you're the reference and only you can tell how you feel as you walk.

Now to the timing, walking has a 1 frame delay from one foot to another, meaning, if I start the left foot, the right foot will need to move one frame later. Once your foot made contact to the ground, make an empty key frame to show that your foot wouldn't slip as you move. Then repeat your cycle.

Edited: do remember that your pelvis bone moves at the same rate as your starting foot. Say, you start with left so your pelvis bone's timing is to that of your left foot and vice versa.

As for the concern of bumps or hills, then you have a lot of timings to play around as you need to create that weight like feel of climbing a hill. It's different than the average walk as gravity pulls you down as you climb so my hypothesis is that, pelvis bone's timing would be 5 frames when the foot gains contact and 2-3 frames to create that power and don't forget your spine too in order to add that weight like expression of pushing up with power.

[Zappy]

I animate walking by animating the rootTransform forwards, putting the pelvis a bit down, locking the feet, and posing them to the floor and such and into the air as necessary, then animating the pelvis moving a bit up and down. As such bumps are not much of a concern for me. But I was wondering how people will make sure that...
A: A foot moves backwards along the ground at the same speed as the other foot.
B: The model moves forwards at the exact speed required to make the feet not slide forwards nor backwards on the ground.
C: Feet act accordingly to bumps on the ground.
...when they animate the walking before they put the model into forwards motion.

[surfer171]

Originally posted by Zappy:

I animate walking by animating the rootTransform forwards, putting the pelvis a bit down, locking the feet, and posing them to the floor and such and into the air as necessary, then animating the pelvis moving a bit up and down. As such bumps are not much of a concern for me. But I was wondering how people will make sure that...
A: A foot moves backwards along the ground at the same speed as the other foot.
B: The model moves forwards at the exact speed required to make the feet not slide forwards nor backwards on the ground.
C: Feet act accordingly to bumps on the ground.
...when they animate the walking before they put the model into forwards motion.

If one is familiar to the application of locks in a walk cycle, then how does one smooth up the animation? You will have to face counter animation on said locked foot nonetheless. Let me try and resolve the given situation

A: it's all about timing. the pelvis will go down for sure but what to catch it? The foot will catch the fall and that's why, I mentioned that the pelvis and the corresponding foot has to be in synced.

B: delays of the foot movements. Try this, can you simulate yourself where both foot moves together at the same time. It's impossible without something like skates or the cartoon rendition of slipping on marbles and such. So, again, timings is key

C: I don't think that's the most effective way as you will mess up the timings of the foot as they contact the ground. It's like animating the moonwalk where contact is disregarded

[Rempart]

I like how Surfer171 explain it. Everything is about timing.

Also Zappy, my way is just one way to do it, i find it easier for me but if you are good with the other one i am not telling you it's wrong, just i did not learn that way.
For the eventuality of a climbing animation you do not use a walk animation, it's custome. ( unless it's a stair then you use a walking animation modified )

[papi gustavo]

I've never ever touched the root bone during walking or running animation cycles. It makes it look clunky, and it's difficult to work with. But here's my method:

Lock both hands to the pelvis, then I work on the feet first, pelvis simultaneously, and hands at the end.

[Detonatress]

Originally posted by Species:

I've never ever touched the root bone during walking or running animation cycles. It makes it look clunky, and it's difficult to work with. But here's my method:

Lock both hands to the pelvis, then I work on the feet first, pelvis simultaneously, and hands at the end.

I usually lock the hands to the collar bones since anatomically those are the bones that move everything related to the arms.

[surfer171]

You know, if only I can help out more. I could take a picture from the book of all the walk cycles explained and post a link so you can view them. How's that?

[Skeletogne]

Okay, thankyou for all of your helpful advice!

[Rempart]

Originally posted by surfer171:

You know, if only I can help out more. I could take a picture from the book of all the walk cycles explained and post a link so you can view them. How's that?

That would be very apreciated !