Gryphon, err.. griffon :), Animated gryphon model Options

[joshpurple]

A pretty simple animation on a gryphon mesh.
It got my attention again, since I've been looking
at flight mechanics recently .



It was first done as a request by some gryphon players.
With ToA, the player having the choice of being a
gryphon was pretty popular... -flying addicts .

(note: I posted this in General, as it is not a PW Dev work)

[Maxwell]

Wow that is very good Josh.

[joshpurple]

Thanks Maxwell, when I go for the walk cycle, or the run cycle, the front claws make it a little tough. I might have to adjust the claws, maybe make them more like dragon feet?

[Maxwell]

An eagles foot looks more like a big chicken's foot. Check out the attachement or google it. Still think it is a great job by the way.

[Pandra]

I don't think I'd got for one of your standard walk cycles on that one Josh. I know how much you love to make the walk look like a swagger or something stalking it's prey, but with the Gryph I think a more prancing, somewhat skiddish walk would be better. Or a kind of hoppy walk, I cant really think of any big prey birds that are willing to walk any great distance at all. They usually take a few steps, give a hop and wing flap then take a few more steps.

[joshpurple]

Thank You Maxwell! And excellent reference on the foot, Thanks!

Yup Pandra! I agree with your description of how the big birds of prey move (I don't know why, but I've always thought birds walking look silly. That's why I always walk like a bird ).

How 'bout this, -when the gryphon is running really fast, the front claws will be lifted and tucked under, while the rear legs are doing the big cat sprint & the wings are flapping along? ..can gryphons run backward?

Good thoughts Pandra, now you have me wanting to do a walk/run cycle for it.

[Maxwell]

I can't wait to see it. Have fun with it!!!

[Drizzit]

Hmm - I when I read about the walk, I was instantly thinking of a hopping kind. But thinking of the cat heritage of the Griffon that won't be right all together.

Maybe it's something in between. Showing the not quite cat and not quite bird:


The cat feet walk like a cat and the front claws hop. This would look for the front to be on the move only, to avoid toppling over.

When the griffon goes into cat run (and I figure it should be able to run rather fast) the rear runs like a cat and the front claws just touches the ground for a little upward bump. In that way the griffon can run in tight spots. keeping the front up by small bumps.

When there is place, the front bumps will be supported by swings of half tugged wings so the front stays up for a longer time.

[joshpurple]

Thank You Drizzit! Excellent ideas on movement! I'll use that, and hopefully have something out today .

[Zerotacg]

*edit*
reminds me, the wings are in the center of the bird cause of the center of mass has to be between the wings
if you put em that much to the front the back of the creature will pull it down making it look like the back hangs on it.
Imagine a helicopter or airplane where the "ass" is heavy as hell or where the wings are to much on the front
*/edit*

remember to put the wings somewhere
if it RUNS really fast the have to be put somewhere "safe" to not cause aerodynamic resistance

if it wants some kind of mixure it has to slay the wings to even speed up, but therefor the force of the wings has to be directed forward

for the wings
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Adlerflug_019_sekunden.jpg

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlagflug
describes the wing's movement when going up/down

if needed and nothing similar is aviable in english I could translate it.

PS: In one of the harry potter movies there is a creature like this, maybe you could take a peek

This post has been edited by Zerotacg: Jan 10 2007, 06:19 AM

[Zerotacg]

another find

http://www.creativecow.net/show.php?page=/...rial/index.html

[Maxwell]

Very cool find Zero!

[joshpurple]

Thank You! Wow! Excellent find Zero ( I hope it's o.k. if I use 'Zero' for your name? ) ! I was looking for that big pic of the eagle (I think it's an eagle) wing action, nice! I'll certainly use that . Thanks again! I'm DIGGING the feedback!

[joshpurple]

I updated the gryphon (rigging and skinning, etc.), giving him a better wing skeleton (so he doesn't have bolt stiff wings ), and a new color job. Feel free to laugh , this is just a 'default' walk cycle. Next I'll attempt the modifications, -for the hop style walks .



And I'll try the flying animations too! (Thanks again for the references!)

[Maxwell]

You probally know what you are doing more than I do josh, but I have a suggestion. I went to the zoo yesterday and they had an eagle there( didn't know they could hold an eagle in captivity).

The foot is flat on the ground. With claws curving up. A better visual is to put your hand flat on a desk. Spread your fingers and arch them, but keep you palm as flat as you can on the desk. (Your fingers are now the talons). That's how an eagles talons rest on the ground.

I love the animation and the wings. It all looks so wonderful. I love how in every animation you make the tail moves. Keep up the good work!

[joshpurple]

Thank You Maxwell! I always welcome your feedback, and you're right on the money! I agree, those eagle feet MUST get fixed ! Right now it's like he's doing ballet on full toe, or something, lol. His tongue seems kinda' big too, and when I look at the back left foot (both feet, but you can see it better on the back left foot), the foot is lifting it's claws up too much, odd bending action there ( I think ). And, I think eagles fold their wings in differently, more tucked into the side of their body.

But, I'm no eagle expert, or lion expert, so I DIG your feedback (feedback is welcomed from everyone)! I haven't been to the zoo for over a year (Minnesota New Zoo). I always go see the gorillas, luv 'em .

What do you think of the eyes? Those are 'glowing blue,' -but I could easily use natural eagle eyes?

[RicoSuave]

JoshP, this might sound silly, but watch Disney's The Lion King. Fast forward to the part where Simba is running back to his Pride (after seeing the funky cloud-thing vision). The slow motion there might be very helpful.

The reason I bring up Disney is because they sent their animation team out to a reserve to study lions for (I think they said) 4 months, just to watch and see how they moved. If any of that is reflected in their work, and I believe it is, you should be able to get a good idea of even attack behavior of the lower half of the body.

As you said about the hind feet (below the ankles), the toes should curl slightly (contract), right before it lifts off the ground, and the toes should point partially backward. The hip is also doing a weird snapping-into-place thing, so maybe he's like a Geriatrics Gryphon that needs a magical hip or something.

Like Maxwell said, the Head, Tail, and Wings are nearly flawless!!! I love it. And I figured that you had the wings lifted up just so that we could see the under belly of the beast.

I hope this didn't sound like I was critiquing your work; I can't hold a candle to it. I was just trying to throw out a few hints that I thought might help even more.

If there is a breeze, perhaps have a few feathers on the wings lift due to Bernoulli's Principle.

For eagle attacks, you might want to Google Video or YouTube some dive bombs for fish that eagles do. I'll see if I can find a few and post them in here later on.

This post has been edited by RicoSuave: Jan 11 2007, 03:49 PM

[joshpurple]

Excellent Rico! Sounds like a great idea! That would be an excellent reference, -just like your description is too .

so maybe he's like a Geriatrics Gryphon that needs a magical hip or something.

LOL!

Totally! And now he's all flustered that you found him out. He was trying to play that off, but you busted him! lol!

Great call on the wings, indeed, I did raise them up so the chest, belly, legs, etc. could be seen .

Bernoulli's Principle! Cool, very good idea.

Please feel free to crit my work anytime! I appreciate it, and enjoy the job you do!

Thanks!

[ni1s]

Reminds me of the Griffin. Great stuff!

[echorev]

i don't know how hard this would be to do, or how relevant for the overall look, but maybe you could make his mouth close and open or something, just to give it motion so it doesn't seem like he is just holding his mouth open. (im trying to nitpick for comments ;p) anyway it looks very cool and i cant wait to see it in game, great job !