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Character Animation for Video Games
CSCI 499 (3 Units) [ Click Here to Download Syllabus ] |
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| Objective | This course presents an approach to the aesthetic development and technical implementation necessary to achieving unique, compelling, and intuitive character animation in video games. The course works in tandem with the advanced games classes in GamePipe to create animations for games that can compete in the next-generation marketplace. | ||||||||||||
| Concepts |
Regardless of artistic background, students will have an opportunity to exercise design skill, emphasizing clear visual communication and quick revision, with an awareness of the collaborative processes in real-world game development. Through lectures, guided exercises, group critiques and workshops, participants will reinforce solid design fundamentals while attempting to push the creative possibilities of visual game animation.
Each student will work on a group visual game design portfolio with the advanced games classes in GamePipe, creating animations for characters that they will rig and weight. Subsequently, they will workshop and improve the cinematics and in-engine animations for each approved game design. |
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| Prerequisite | Open to all students | ||||||||||||
| Lecture | 3 hours total (3 Units) | ||||||||||||
| Grading |
The following point structure will be used in determining the grade for the course. Final grade will be based upon the total points received.
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| Policies |
Late Midterms: Rules for late midterm will be established by the instructor.
Attendance: Must attend every class. If absence is not sufficiently excusable, then student will lose a percentage grade. |
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| Academic Integrity |
The use of unauthorized material, communication with fellow students during an examination, attempting to benefit from the work of another student, and similar behavior that defeats the intent of an examination or other class work is unacceptable to the University. It is often difficult to distinguish between a culpable act and inadvertent behavior resulting from the nervous tension accompanying examinations. When the instructor determines a violation has occurred, appropriate action, as determined by the instructor, will be taken. Though working together is encouraged, the projects must be your own effort. .Duplicate. projects will all receive zero points and possible referral to the Office for Student Conduct.
All students should read, understand and abide by the University Student Conduct Code in SCAMPUS |
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| Students with Disabilities | Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to your TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776. | ||||||||||||
| Course Schedule/Outline | |
| Week 1 | Introduction and course overview/Animation Design Overview |
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- Introduction to course expectations and methodologies. Components, concepts, and deliverables for the course will be discussed.
- Proficiency Survey: Forms and interviews will take place to acquire student artistic skill sets and interests. - Visual Design Overview - Homework: Test animation using Muybridge photographs |
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| Week 2 | Fundamentals of 2D visual design |
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- Designing for Side-scrollers
- Arial design - Puzzle design - Skill Quiz #1 |
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| Week 3 | Pre-design |
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- Working from concept to screen
- Visual articulation and lexicon for animation - Design Workshop begins |
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| Week 4 | Weight and gravity in the Game world |
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- Fundamentals of weight
- Fundamentals of gravity and speed in character - Creating Movement - Workshop cont. - Skill Quiz #2 |
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| Week 5 | Animating in 3D worlds |
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- Character weighting Fundamentals
- Weighting overview - Textures/Bump maps in characters - Workshop cont. |
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| Week 6 | Character Design and Animation |
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- Receive final character sketches and design
- Receive final character models - Begin final weighting - Cinematic storyboard prototypes - Body Posing (Key poses) - Face Posing (If possible in game engine) - Team Workshop cont. - Skill Quiz #3 |
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| Week 7 | Terrain design and animation (underwater, Earth, Pluto?) |
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- Building design
- Highlighting and refinement (Closed-quarters/outdoors action) - Team Workshop cont. |
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| Week 8 | From Models to the Engine/Designing for models for game constraints |
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- Motion manipulated as function curves
- The polygon count - Graph Editor/Animation exporter - Team Workshop cont. - Skill Quiz #4 |
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| Week 9 | Designing in Engine |
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- Exporting animations across engines
- Creating functional and dynamic hierarchies - Survey of possible motion in engine design capabilities - Particle effects - Team Workshop cont. |
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| Week 10 | Interface Design |
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- Interface Placement and character movement (Intuitive or Linear)
- Basic concepts in developing your interface for player motion - Team Workshop cont. |
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| Week 11 | Interface Design cont. |
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- Iconography
- Advanced concepts in character UI design - Team Workshop cont. - Skill Quiz #5 |
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| Week 12 | Advanced Motion |
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- Blending two motions
- Blending between biped/triped/quadruped - Faking motion - Dynamic motion (ragdolling) - Team Workshop cont. |
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| Week 13 | Design Workshop |
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- Team Design is due
- Continue to work in design teams with Advanced Game Projects Work on individual projects |
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| Week 14 | Design Workshop cont |
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- Work on individual project
- Skill Quiz #6 |
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| Week 15 | Designs are Due |
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- Individual Design is due
- Review - Group Design Evaluations and Post mortem |
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| Week 16 | Evaluations |
| - Individual Design Evaluations and Post mortum |
