In Plain Sight - Sprint 3

 

Sprint 3 Contributions

1. Interfacing with a 3D artist on model likeness

For this sprint contribution, I spoke with the 3D character artist about the model's likeness and design to better match the concept sheet. We discussed how the character should look to better fit the concept, as well as the topology for each character for rigging.

2. Updating Luna's rig

Per the animator's feedback, I implemented all requested changes to the current rig for Luna. In particular, adding helper bones for arm twists and giving the option to animate the upper body controls together with the hips, or separately. Because the model proxy has not been updated, the facial and hair rig have not been added.

Shown is the character's hand proxy, sliced off and replaced with a new hand model in which the thumb is not curved inwards. The base joints are then changed to fit this hand model. 

3. Yarn character rig and tool creation

Created a first pass rig of the yarn character with the 3D proxy given. I made two tools to quickly create ribbon-rig systems for the character's string and a bone-driven squash-and-stretch tool for the ball. This is so I can quickly iterate on changes to the rig based on animator feedback later on, as well as additional changes to the mesh.

Currently trying to figure out how to create a tool that will easily snap the controls for the strings in place for complicated shapes the yarn might make, such as the heart loop. The concept is to allow the animators to draw the shape they want freely with a curve, then turn every point of that curve into points they can snap the controls to. 

Perforce submission