Shevaar body.amn file discussed

[krilain]

Hi there, sorry for commiting a new topic on a really little point of detail. But it would have been useful for me, so.

The background is the following, my goal was to look into the .amn file (animation descripting file) of Shevaar unit as it is currently implemented, in order to know what is the rule to follow if I want to add some animation to an incomplete model. But I discovered a file that I found a little messy because sorted by *suffixe* (stand3-walk3-cstand3-move_rpg-shoot_rpg-cmove_rpg-cshoot_rpg.....) so I resorted it by animation sequence order --> see the screenshot joined below.

Doing that I saw more evidently the way all of that was designed. First, it follows the requirements that are listed in the wiki : http://ufoai.org/wiki/Modelling/Character_Animation#Example. But until resorted it was not easy to check for me.

Then I saw that in one hand the file was describing the animation sequences by group of 2 for move_*/shoot_* (where * is a given item - see the wiki) and cmove_*/cshoot_* (where c is for crouched actions). When in the other hand, for stand/death/dead/panic it was grouped a more arbitrary maneer - except for the last frame of a death sequence which is taken logically for a dead state single frame.

Another thing is there are duplicates sequences. In red in the table below. For instance Stand0 and Stand2 referes to the same 189-190 animation sequence (2 frames sequence here). That's good to know that such a thing is lawful.

Last thing, for clarity certainly there are lost frames in the md2. For instance frame 113, 134, 142. They are used as separators.

And very last thing. I find useful to have at least one coloured table for observation purpose, because it makes easier to watch the fps settings and the sequences lengthes. Such things are difficult to set up when you start a model from scratches. A clear example is really useful for it. Of course, it is also possible that making a model from scratches is not the method. But here was not my purpose anyway.

[krilain]

Now I've started this talk, I would like to add an illustration that would help to see concretely what is under .amn file (for beginers like me). I join 2 screenshots that show what 3D objects are drawn in the md2 file for the 2 (of 57) following sequences of animation : cmove_pistol and cshoot_pistol (frame 271 to 277).

Notice that they begin by *c* so they are about crouched animation of the model. And they are about the model when he uses a simple pistol gun.