14 replies to this topic

[yertari]

HI,

WE have just released an animated horse pack, which utilises real motion captured animations for perfect realism. The horse also uses phot realistic textures and can be purchased for $19.



You can also watch this video of the horse:
http://www.arteria-g...seanimation.wmv

To purchase please visit:

http://www.arteria-g.../horsepack.html

[Reedbeta]

It looks like there's something funny going on with the animation loop - the ends don't quite match up...

[eddie]

That or it's sliding a bit.

[Frank Skilton]

Quote

which utilises real motion captured animations

I'm not a modeler so forgive the question. Is that just a fancy way of saying you obtained some video footage of a horse galloping, played it in the background of your modeling application and animated the mesh using the video as a guide?

I agree with above comments, the animation does not loop seamlessly. Also the horse is galloping at quite a steady pace but not much ground is being covered.

Great looking model though. It's nice to see some variety. What was it created in?

[Reedbeta]

Frank Skilton said:

I'm not a modeler so forgive the question. Is that just a fancy way of saying you obtained some video footage of a horse galloping, played it in the background of your modeling application and animated the mesh using the video as a guide?

LOL. Normally the term motion capture refers to putting someone in a black suit with white balls attached to the limbs and body, and using special cameras and software that can recover the 3D location of the balls as the actor performs a motion. I do find it a little hard to believe that they did this with a horse, though.

[dave_]

IIRC I think people call that rotoscoping, because its similar to how you would use a rotoscope

The wikipedia article has a realistic animation of a horse too ;) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotoscope

[Frank Skilton]

Quote

Normally the term motion capture refers to putting someone in a black suit with white balls attached to the limbs and body, and using special cameras and software that can recover the 3D location of the balls as the actor performs a motion. I do find it a little hard to believe that they did this with a horse, though.

Exactly what I thought.

I've seen footage from the making of certain film animations / PC games where they explain some of the ways animations are created. In the footage I've seen they depict a man in a tight blue body suit with yellow balls attached to key areas. When the "actor" moves, his movements are recorded into some form of modeling software (looked like a character studio skeleton) and I assume this is used as the basis for the animated mesh.

So yeah, a horse fitted into a snug body suit with balls attached instructed to gallop on a treadmill whilst being video taped seems unlikely to me.

My earlier suggestion of a video played in the background of a modeling app, used as a guide, seems more likely.

However I'm no expert so what do I know?

[Mojave]

Just a quick warning to anyone considering this content pack - it didn't include FBX files, even though I asked Arteria on their own forum if FBX was included, to which the proprietor replied:

Quote

FBX format is provided for the horse, which is great for anyone using max, or maya.

Well, that simply wasn't true, so, this model pack is useless for 3ds Max or Maya users until they make good on that claim.

After I pointed out that the horse pack didn't include the FBX version he had just promised was included, he claimed he would upload an FBX version later on today. I will update this post if he makes good on that promise.

[Mojave]

Steve never followed up, so I have started to gather documentation to file a case with PayPal, since I'm sure they would like to hear about how Arteria Gaming has not delivered the goods for which I paid. I understand that they have a low tolerance for that type of thing.

[Mojave]

I received a refund, so I consider this matter closed. Thanks, Arteria Gaming!

[auld]

It may be hard to believe, but horses in spandex is not unheard of:

"The big problem was how to attach the markers to the horses," Williams explains. "We talked about using spirit gum and glue and shaving the horse's hair, but the trainers weren't keen on that idea because these were expensive Arabian trick horses. We finally decided to sew together spandex capture suits for the horses, essentially the same as what a human would wear but fitted for a horse. The horses were used to wearing outfits for shows, so they got used to it quickly."

http://digitalconten...optical_motion/

So who knows, maybe the whole thing is motion captured after all...

Auld

[Frank Skilton]

Do you realize how expensive it would be to motion capture a horse? I very much doubt the animations were mo-capped, especially with a $19 price tag. Aside from that, I've seen the animations and they look hand crafted to me.

[auld]

Frank Skilton said:

Do you realize how expensive it would be to motion capture a horse?

No idea...how much?

[Frank Skilton]

Lol I don't know either, never had to mo-cap an animal - but common sense tells me it would be quite expensive. Hiring out a mo-cap studio is expensive enough, let alone obtaining a horse and rigging it for mo-cap.

[KIman]

That is precisely what we have done.
www.mocaphorse.com & www.horselocomotion.com

We captured a horses on a treadmill performing walk, trot, canter, gallop and all the transitions up and down throughout the gaits, and then later in a sand school bucking and kicking, rearing up, foot scratching etc...

This IS real horse motion capture data.

We license the 3d model and skeletal data on a project by project basis. We also have developed rotoscope movies and image strips for those for which the data is out of their price range, or for educational use.

Best,

Richard Widgery
Performance Capture Supervisor
Kinetic Impulse
www.kinetic-impulse.com