Skeletal Animation

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Skeletal Animation

Skeletal Animation | skeletal animation
For the first time, this technology has been used in the game Half-Life and later received a large spread in computer games.
Instead of storing the key frames (as in the case of The ���������� animations) for each of the poses of the character, the use of skeletal animation implies one model in the neutral position and a large set of matrices that transform the various parts of the model. These matrices conditionally called bones.
In comparison with the more simple, ���������� animation, skeletal has the following advantages:
- Reducing the amount of data stored for the animation, because it does not need to keep all options geometry for each frame of animation, it is enough to store only the position of the bones of the skeleton. This becomes more relevant in connection with the increase in the number of polygons in the models.
- The ability to use one set of animation for different models.
- So you can manage your bones directly, which allows to realize the ��������� kinematics and the technology of ragdoll.
- Allows more flexibility in mixing different animations and interpolate frames that, as a result gives a smooth and realistic animation.
- The animation requires less computing resources of the processor and RAM.
- On the skeleton, you can construct a dwelling was composite. For example, on the skeleton, you can "hang" at the same time, and the body of the character, and his clothing, weapons and various objects, then all of this change in dynamics. Disadvantages are that using skeletal animation can be done high-quality animations of flexible material such as cloth or hair, as well as the inability to complex geometry morphing objects (for example, transformation in the cube), but for such purposes, you can just use the ���������� animation.