Props animation
It took me a week to get the main movement of the house ready. There was a lot of tweaking and playing with curves to make it look right and smooth. I still see an issue when the animation loops. There is a bit of a jump when it reaches the end however, I will smooth it out in the engine.
Now I will have a look into animating the props. All of the hanging objects have to swing while the house moves. There was an idea to make the sway animation in the engine with a rope physics, however I would have to keep all of the props separate and I would also have to create separate rigs for each object. In this case, while I had my rig already created, I choose to make the animation in 3Ds Max manually.
I started with windows. Since the house is bent forward, I want to keep the front window shutters open and sway from one side to another. At the back window, shutters are closed because the house doesn't bend to the back. However, whenever the leg touches the ground, each shutter will jump slightly, to make it look that the hinges are a bit loose. To make the whole animation I basically just used a rotation tool to rotate each bone.
I am pleased with the effect of the shutters bumping the windows as well as reaching the maximum rotation point when it shakes a little.
Next, I started to work on the talismans. It was way more tricky than the windows since each of them has three bones, and each bone has to move in a different time. Talismans, as well as herbs, can not move to the sides at the same time as a house moves. When the house reaches the lowest point, then just about 3 or 4 frames after all swinging objects have to move forward quickly and then stay for a short time before they will start moving backward. However, most of the objects have more than one bone, so the top bone moves forward then a few frames after the middle one and the bottom one at the end. The same applies when the prop is moving forward and backward. This way, I am able to create this illusion of momentum and gravity. At the same time, I also had to remember to rotate them to the sides as well. Each talisman has a similar curve line with 2 top frames and 2 bottom frames, however, some of them are offset slightly, so they move in a different time. There is this jump again by the end of the animation, which I am not able to fix in Max, but I will cut few frames at the end in the engine and this should smooth it out.
I am pleased with the effect of the shutters bumping the windows as well as reaching the maximum rotation point when it shakes a little.
Herbs are hanging on the ropes and herb's bones are attached to the rope bone, so they move simultaneously. So the rope goes first, but when it reaches the top point, herbs can still move forward a bit, since they have their momentum. When it goes back, the rope should go first, puling the herbs with it.
I animated roots the same way. The ropes and garlic move as well, but it was the easiest part to do since each one of them has only one bone to rotate. I also animated the skulls on sticks, so they shake slightly.
I am happy with this animation, however, I will have to work in the engine to make it smooth completely. Since the roof and smaller roots are made with planes, I can apply cloth physics in the engine to make them move.
Now I will have a look into animating the props. All of the hanging objects have to swing while the house moves. There was an idea to make the sway animation in the engine with a rope physics, however I would have to keep all of the props separate and I would also have to create separate rigs for each object. In this case, while I had my rig already created, I choose to make the animation in 3Ds Max manually.
I started with windows. Since the house is bent forward, I want to keep the front window shutters open and sway from one side to another. At the back window, shutters are closed because the house doesn't bend to the back. However, whenever the leg touches the ground, each shutter will jump slightly, to make it look that the hinges are a bit loose. To make the whole animation I basically just used a rotation tool to rotate each bone.
Front window shutters
Back widow shutters
Next, I started to work on the talismans. It was way more tricky than the windows since each of them has three bones, and each bone has to move in a different time. Talismans, as well as herbs, can not move to the sides at the same time as a house moves. When the house reaches the lowest point, then just about 3 or 4 frames after all swinging objects have to move forward quickly and then stay for a short time before they will start moving backward. However, most of the objects have more than one bone, so the top bone moves forward then a few frames after the middle one and the bottom one at the end. The same applies when the prop is moving forward and backward. This way, I am able to create this illusion of momentum and gravity. At the same time, I also had to remember to rotate them to the sides as well. Each talisman has a similar curve line with 2 top frames and 2 bottom frames, however, some of them are offset slightly, so they move in a different time. There is this jump again by the end of the animation, which I am not able to fix in Max, but I will cut few frames at the end in the engine and this should smooth it out.
Talismans
animation curve
Herbs are hanging on the ropes and herb's bones are attached to the rope bone, so they move simultaneously. So the rope goes first, but when it reaches the top point, herbs can still move forward a bit, since they have their momentum. When it goes back, the rope should go first, puling the herbs with it.
Herb and rope bones. Each bone has its top and bottom in a slightly different time, so the movement doesn't look rigid.
I am happy with this animation, however, I will have to work in the engine to make it smooth completely. Since the roof and smaller roots are made with planes, I can apply cloth physics in the engine to make them move.
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