AML Template Tutorial
 

 

Avatar Attack

So you want to have a super hero character?! No problem! In this lesson, you will be able to learn how to add performs to your characters as well as learn the difference between locking and unlocking performs- basically if you want to allow interruptions within your animation sequences or not. We will also learn more about setting hotkeys and about sample transform.

In this lesson we will focus on how we can create perform commands and assign motion clips to the character. Once an animation clip is assigned to the selected perform command. You can then set "lock perform" to the command in selection to deny any other perform commands from interrupting. How will this affect our performance in Director Mode? When you use the hot key in Director Mode it ignores any hot keys you pressed and continues the performance until its last frame. Only after the animation is complete will it allow another hot key animation to be performed. When it comes to unlock, the character's motion would be allow other animations to interrupt the sequence by pressing other hot keys.

Perform: Unlock Perform: Lock

In Director Mode, press the hot key while it's in progress. The original animation is interrupted immediately by the new perform event.

For situation requires immediate motion switch, keep the Lock Perform OFF.

In Director Mode, press the hot key while it's in progress. The character ignores any hot keys you pressed before the animation is completed.

For situation requires complete motion playback, keep the Lock Perform ON.
  1. Select "Perform Command" from the Command drop down list.

         

  1. Click "Add".

         

  1. Double-click on "NewPerformCMD" to change the name of the perform command to "Punch".

         

  1. Command Type and command name shows here when in selection.

         

  1. When you have the Punch command in selection you can decide whether you want to lock other channels (Lock Move, Operate, Perform). When one of the "lock" has been checked, it will deny other channels from interruption.

         

  1. Check "Right Menu" when you want to see the command in the right-click menu.

         

         

  1. Select one of the Hotkeys to use it in Director Mode. Please visit iCloneWiki.com for the corresponding hot key definition.

         

  1. Now that we created the Perform command, we need to assign the actual animation that goes with the �Punch�. Select the Animation Clip from the ClipSeq section.

         

  1. Click "Add Clip" .
  1. The Open window pops up, browse to the motion file for your character. The default iClone3 folder is in "C:\Program Files\Reallusion\iClone 3\Template\iClone Template\Motion".

         

  1. Select Punch in Kane's folder. Click "Open".

         

  1. Change the name of "NewAnimation" to Punch.
  1. Now the clip type and the clip name show in the Attribute panel.

         

  1. Define the Target Type as "Character". This does not mean the target that will be punched is another character, but that the avatar himself will perform the animation. Target Type will be discussed more in other lessons.

         

  1. If you want to change to another motion clip. Click Browse in the Clip Location section.

         

  1. Add another perform command and rename it "Kick".

         

  1. When you have Perform Command -- Kick in selection. Check Lock Perform to deny any other commands from interrupting the animation of that kick. Sometimes interruptions are good; sometimes you want an animation to be completed before the next animation. It is up to you which you prefer while designing AML, you can see the difference between punch (which allows interruption) and kick (which does not allow, because we have locked perform).

                   

  1. Check Right Menu to display your command in right-click menu. Select one of the hotkeys for the selected command.

         

  1. Create another animation clip for kick command. Rename it to Kick.

         

  1. Set this clip's Sample Transform to "Snap". Snap, lock actors at its last translation and Z axis (height) to prevent from being dragged back to the original root location after transformation caused by perform commands.

         

  1. Browse to a new motion file for the Kick animation clip.

         

  1. After you have completed your AML Script. Go to File > Save As to save the script.

         

  1. In iClone3, right-click on the character to import persona.