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Question Can I make character animation refer to other game's animation?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ununion, Mar 26, 2023.

  1. ununion

    ununion

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2018
    Posts:
    275
    for example ,i like the hades attack animation,can i record it with 60fps,and create the bone animation frame to frame refer to hades record?
    it that legal?
     
  2. neginfinity

    neginfinity

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    Jan 27, 2013
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    13,553
    You need a lawyer.

    However, as far as I know, if the devs of hades notice what you're doing and start a lawsuit they're likely going to win. See Rogers vs Koons lawsuit. As rotoscoping is a form of tracing, meaning you're copying the source material without permission.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_v._Koons
     
  3. CodeSmile

    CodeSmile

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    Apr 10, 2014
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    5,515
    If it's a 1:1 copy it's a clear no, regardless of which way it was achieved. Just because you photographed (insert car manufacturer and model) car yourself from all angles to turn it into a 3d model, the design of the car still belongs to another company and have all rights to sue unauthorized copiers.
     
  4. DragonCoder

    DragonCoder

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2015
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    1,677
    Having recently animated bones based on a RL video I can tell you the result will hardly ever be as close as the original that it will be recognizable... Hence why pricy cameras and those ball-covered suits are normally used to digitalize an animation.

    Technically you are piggybacking on resources that are not for public use. So the strict answer is indeed No.
     
  5. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    Jun 1, 2017
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    5,181
    The most difficult part I think in animation is timing. But if you copy an existing animation, the hard part is figured out for you. You can copy the timing but change the positioning such that it is a perfectly unique animation, however you still had help for the hardest part.
     
  6. neginfinity

    neginfinity

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    This honestly depends on how much effort you put into it, plus there are helper libraries which provide limited mocap without tools these days.

    Also google "disney rotoscopy" on youtube.

    There was a half-decent book about manga drawing, and it explained the situation like this:
    It is fine to use someone else's drawing as a reference. Meaning having similar poses.
    It is not fine to trace it, as that would be plagiarism.

    I believe that the same should apply to animation. When you try to replicate the animation down to every frame, you're essentially trying to make the animation yours, without permission. However, you can "pay homage" so some recognizable move from someone's animation set, by making your own move from scratch, that is similar, but not identical to it.
     
  7. ajduiks

    ajduiks

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    Apr 7, 2023
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    2
    Imagine walking into an animation office and people are constantly acting out random motions and then suddenly stop and sit down.
     
  8. Amon

    Amon

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2009
    Posts:
    1,384
    Have a trigger by the door. An invisible cube or something and when you collide with it switch the animations of the people to sitting down.