New Blog!
Welcome to my new Mando UE4 project blog. A redditor suggested that I create a blog sharing my progress. Blogs take a lot of work so at first I was reluctant, but I think it would be good for me to help reflect on what I've learned and to share knowledge and inspire. The title is a nerdy pun on Child Blueprint Classes and The Child (har har). Somebody will appreciate it!
This project was never meant to be anything big, and still isn't really. It all began with me wanting to learn about character animation and controls in UE4, which lead to me of course doing what I do when I learn any new fun technique, making a Star Wars Tribute. It just so happened that the Mandalorian had come out when I was learning this, and of course each week I was pumped and inspired by the latest episodes. The show is perfect for a video game. Each episode feels like a quest, and Mando even gets new items after each quest, and as gamers we love unlocking new content.
It reminded me of that amazing feeling of getting a new item in Zelda. Each item has weight and will dramatically change the gameplay. Another great example of this was the game Ico (which admittedly and regretfully I never finished). I had played for days and days using a stick as my weapon. At some point I unlocked a sword, and my god a sword had never felt so badass. Most games you'd get the sword right away, or just start with it, but that feeling of contrast between a stick and a sword was such a badass feeling.
Each new episode seems to add a cool new item that I can't wait to add! If they don't slow down I'm never going to finish... I still haven't added the dagger, grappling hook, pistol.... Don't get me wrong though, keep 'em coming!!!
Okay at any rate... Let me show you how this project began:
A long time ago in a computer chair far away.....
Here's the first incarnation. I had no goals or plans beyond just seeing if I could do this. I'd taken a Boba fett model from SWBF and slapped a found Mando helmet on him.
I started with the third person character template and watched loads of tutorials off Youtube and added some animations off Mixamo. This is essentially exactly what I'm still doing, but I've just layered more complexity now and learned more. I still actually like this. There's something about the camera position that makes him feel important and big, less of an avatar and more of a hero that you are embodying. I think I can try to capture this feeling more in the current version even.
I use Maya as my tool of choice. I am learning Blender on the side, but have many years of experience in Maya, so it's still my most comfortable DCC. I'd love to learn Blender so as not to rely on such an expensive piece of software, but it will take years to get to where I am in Maya.
In order to get the animations I use Human IK (HIK), a tool for retargeting in Maya. Of course, I could just upload my mesh to Mixamo and have Mixamo auto-create the animations for me, but there's two big reasons I don't do this:
- You have to use their skeleton and skin weights, so if you have an existing rig (like I do), you will lose it and have to do any corrections. The weight painting was already quite good on this model, so I wanted to keep it how it was.
- Mixamo rigs don't come with a control rig, just skin and bones. Since I started this project I learned about the f$%ing amazing tool that is Advanced Skeleton, which I will now be using in every project from now until I die. Using this, I could have very easily created a control rig to go overtop of the Mixamo rigs, but you live and learn! Next time.
Human IK is basically a watered down version of Motion Builder, a tool that has been used for many years in the MoCap industry to retarget and re-animate Motion Capture. I would love to use Motion Builder, because I know it has more features, but sticking to one program saves time, and with all that I am constantly trying to learn, it just hasn't left room for such a niche program. Anyway, HIK does a good job with this and is meeting my needs. It's very easy to set up a character and transfer animation, and I've got a good workflow for adjusting the animations to minor issues, like hands going through legs. If anyone wants, I can go into more description on this at some point.
In my next post I'd like to do a catchup of where I'm at on the project and what I would like to improve or add next. Thanks for reading! Would love to hear ideas for what you think I should add!
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