Motion Controller

Get it on the Asset Store!

I'm getting ready to release a beta version of the motion-based character controller. I'd like this thread to be the feedback/wish-list thread for it.

So what is it?
The Motion Controller is a character controller that’s built to be a framework upon which any type of motion (jumping, climbing, sneaking, etc.) can be built. The challenge is that every game is different. You may not need climbing and I may not care about swimming. However, we both need an efficient way to manage the motions our PCs and NPCs have.

This character controller not only provides the framework, but includes core features most character controllers neglect. Things like support for moving and rotating platforms, applying physics based forces, and cleaning up animation data.

As it is, the Motion Controller isn't meant to be the end-all-be-all for every game. It’s meant to be a foundation from which you, me, and others can build motions and plug them in to our unique creation.

You can check out some of the recent in-development videos here:

Motion Controller Setup:

Motion Controller + motion packs:

My goal is to release the beta version next week, but that depends on how clean-up goes.

Note that this will work with the Adventure Camera (that's what I use in the videos). However, the Adventure Camera is sold separately and not required. Instead, the Motion Controller will come with a basic third-person camera.

 

Sweet...

edit: 1st!

 

Finally! Can't wait for release!

Any chance of a webplayer?
One critique though, it does look like he is flying rather then naturally moving at times, and he almost seems to float towards an object when about to climb. And there is no reaction when he slides down an object, I'd say just turn sliding off completely or add an animation for it. Other then that, looks amazing!

Is there a different animation for climbing waist high objects? I feel like this would help a lot. Also, rather then playing the falling animation every time he falls down a 2 ft-high object, a walking up/down stairs animation would be nice,
Feet IK would make it look more natural.
Also, will the player be able to shimmy along edges when climbing?

EDIT: I looked through the videos a bit, for the jumping problem, where it looks as though he is flying, it just needs a transition between the walking/running/idle animation to the jump animation. And to not happen immediately. Sliding and more Parkour stuff should also be added.

 

Hey 3,

Remember that the first goal is to create a framework for an unlimited number of motions. This way we can have different styles of walking, climbing, jumping, etc.

So the answer to most of your questions is 'Yes'. My plan is to extend all of the motions and keep adding onto it. Eventually, I hope other people follow the 'Builder's Guide' (that I have yet to write) and create motions as well.

The biggest challenge I have is time and animation skills. I'm a programmer working on my own game, so finding and making animations is a bit of a challenge.

If you're interested in seeing the first read-me doc that explains more, go here:
http://www.ootii.com/Unity/MotionController/MCReadMe.pdf

Just remember it's a rough draft.

 

Hi
i made an account just for this, i cant wait to buy this!!
one question though, will u fix all the bugs before release, like what @3 said, it slides a lot and the falling animations plays even on small drops. and will u be able climb over small objects too and will u be able to jump from one object to another in climbing, like uncharted? i think the sliding bug and being able to climb over small objects instead of just jumping over them? and like @3 said i think it needs to look less like the player is flying towards objects and floating when jumping.
@negitivecap ikr!

 

Hey Cass,

So this is exactly my point.

You called the falling animation on smaller drops a "bug". However, that's exactly what I want. It matches the Unity Character Controller's step height and I like the look.

So this fall motion should have a property (which it does) or maybe you want a completely different type of falling.


Same with the sliding. I do plan on having a sliding animation, but it may not be exactly what you want. If that's the case, a new one can easily be built and plugged in.

That all said, there are plenty of other things I want to add...over time.

 

ok, thanks!

ill buy it day one if u fix the sliding and it looking like its flying and add a table-height climb. (like in uncharted or the last of us, they just climb over small objects like a table quickly), a roll would be cool to for long falls.

those three and i promise a day one purchase from me!

 

You don't exactly make much sense grammatically, but I agree. I think what would sway me most to buy this is more parkour elements, give it more of a Uncharted or Tomb Raider feel.

Jumping from object to object while climbing, sliding over "table-high" objects, rolls, all would help sell the asset. Right now, it is just a slightly improved version of the default Third Person Controller. With a few more features, I would be first in line.

A webplayer would also be nice, if that is an option. I am glad to see you finally decided to release this though, looks interesting.

 

Just wanted to share some documentation (and pictures) that will go along with the controller.

It explains how it works and shows some images of assigned motions:
http://www.ootii.com/UnityMotionController



This is the final list of launch motions (with videos):
http://www.ootii.com/UnityMotionControllerMotions


You'll be happy know that I listened and cleaned up the slide. I also added a table climb (Climb Med).

I took it as a challenge to see if I could implement new motions as easily as I say we can. Both of them took a day. Most of the time was the animations themselves.

Going through final testing now.

 

Very Cool, I want this, me and my team could use something like this!

I will buy this too first day! I hope you add new features with time too!

 

Hey Tim!

I guess I'm your new biggest fan, this all looks amazing.

Couple of requests I have before release though,
1. If you could make the player able to shimmy along ledges while on crouch climb, that would perfect the asset. I just think it's pointless to just be stationary while on a cat-climb. Something like this (18 seconds in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwWK2GdmtPs
2. Also something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfQUosJh2DU for pro users would make this even more AAA. It would really make it feel like a AAA Character Controller.

I'll buy it no matter what haha, but I think this would really help move it from something amazing, to something absolutely amazing. A simple shimmy/moving on edges would add a whole new layer to gameplay.

I would love to see both of these happen, knowing how finding the motions is the hardest part for you, if you want I can send you a couple of Mo-Capped animations free of charge. (arm sliding against wall, and a simple moving hands animation to make the shimmying look natural), I could never accomplish this myself and I would love to see these easy additions added before release.

Either way, looks awesome! Still super excited for release!

 

Thanks Wolf and 3!

I do plan on having shimmy (and more). I need it for the game I'm building as well. My only concern is that I keep adding on vs. getting it out.

IK is something I have created hooks for. I have the pro version as well. However, I wasn't sure how the Asset Store handled pro features. I don't want to get the "Requires Pro" flag and limit revenue (since it's what's keeping me alive right now ). If you've got any experience with that, I'd appreciate the advice.

If you want to shoot over some anims, I won't turn them down. Feel free to contact me at tim@ootii.com.

BTW, that is exactly one of the videos I study. That and Tomb Raider.


And Wolf... definitely. I plan on releasing motions over time and hopefully others will build them too.

Thanks again for the support!

 

Good point,

If you are going to wait until after release though, I think the Shimmy should be the first thing you add after release though, It's a pretty key feature and I don't think it would take more then a day to add. So if you were to do it before release, I think it wouldn't hurt you at all.

And as far as I know, you won't get the "Requires Pro" flag unless the system is dependent on Unity Pro, I would just add a little note that says "Works in both Unity Free and Pro (with extra features for pro users)" In the description. So Pro Features shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks Tim!
And P.S., considering it works as planned (and you add the shimmy), I promise I'll get you a few extra sales, I'd love to see you keep coming out with awesome stuff like this.

P.S.S
Any word on release date? If you add the shimmy, I mean.

 

hi again!

i hate to keep bothering you to add stuff, lol, but i think a shimmy or moving while hanging on or whatever would make it completed enough to put it on the asset store. i think the shimmy should come first, but thats it ! i dont think the hand sliding on wall thing is helpful, the shimmy however, is something we can all use and i think would be awesome to add before release.

 

Hey guys,

Just a quick update. I'm finishing up testing today (with some help) and should be submitting the package tonight. I found it usually takes Unity about a week to post.

The shimmy isn't part of the initial release. After 18 years of programming I've learned that if you try to crack the code and squeak something in at the end it never turns out well. Not to mention feature creep never ends. You just have to draw a line and deliver.

After the release, I figured I'd give it a week or two for things to settle. This will help me address bugs, setup issues, documentation issues, etc. Based on feedback from buyers, I'll work on the next motion...which will probably be shimmy.

Thanks again for all the awesome support!

Any suggestions on a good place that would allow for people to vote on motions they want? Maybe Survey Monkey? Feel free to create a wish list here (for now).

 

Great!

 

Awesome!
As long as you do eventually add on a shimmy and other motions, I won't be upset, haha.

I think a survey monkey would be easiest, just list out all the motions you are thinking of eventually adding and maybe use a checkbox.

 

this system will work with mobile ?

 

Hey DragonStar,

To be honest, I haven't tried it.

That said, I'm not doing anything that would force PC only and I have a web demo working and going up soon.

Processing of the motion controller and motions is taking about 0.07 milliseconds on my 4 year old PC, but I'm not sure how that would translate to iOS or Android.

I know others have used the Adventure Camera on mobile devices without a problem (if that helps).

Unfortunately, I don't have a system setup to load and test mobile. I made sure to mention in the documentation that it was developed and tested on Windows 8 PC.

If there's any other way I can help, please let me know.

 

I just wanted to let you know that this looks really really awesome!

Now it's time for me to ask some stupid noob questions:

1) I'm really looking for a controller that can be adapted for that "true first person" or the "full-body awareness" first person view, and a lot of the tutorials I've found say to start with a 3rd person controller and essentially parent the camera to the head bone (obviously more to it than that, I'm sure). Just wondering if you think this would even be possible with this setup. I realize it isn't intended for first person, but with all the features you're putting in (climbing, sneaking, sliding, etc.) I can't help but think how awesome it would look in that Mirror's Edge style of first person.

2) Will there be an option to use alternate and/or randomized animations for each action? For example, if I wanted to have 3 run cycles play randomly with minor variations in each one. Not expecting you to create all those variations of course, but as an animator I feel compelled to ask if it'll be an option. I love putting in all that variation and it definitely makes it feel less repetitive.

3) Future plans to include weapon equipping?

4) In what language in this coded?

5) Also what's your intended release price?

Thanks!

 

Thanks!

1. While I haven't tried it with a first person view, I don't think it will be an issue.

One of the things I've been doing as I research is looking at other games. Skyrim and even Mirror's Edge for example use a setup that's similar to third-person, but they don't use a head (while in first-person). Instead they just push the camera forward and remove geometry that shouldn't be visible. Arm animations and such are still visible.

The controller won't really care what parts are invisible or not.

2. Yes. And, I agree. I plan on doing that with the idle.

The way the Motion Controller triggers animations is with a 'motion phase' flag. Basically an int that triggers specific animations to start. So there's nothing stopping you from saying "100" is the basic idle, "101" is an alternate idle, and "102" is a third idle. You'd determine the randomness in code.

3. Funny you should ask. I'm actually working on attachments now. I haven't thought about how it all fits yet, but it's something I need for my game.

4. C# of course... is there any other?

5. $65. I submitted the package today.

I hope that helps. Feel free to ask what ever you want.

 

I just wanted you guys to know that the Motion Controller has been released!

Wow! Typically it takes a week, but I got a nice personal note from Unity and it went up in less than 24 hours.
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/#/content/15672

Thanks again for the AWESOME support and I'll do my best to keep up with requests. Just be patient.

As always, if there is a problem let me know and we'll work through it.

(One note... it actually got up before my update to the Adventure Camera that makes integrating them easier. If you get this and own the Adventure Camera, email the AdventureCamera.cs to tim@ootii.com and I'll send you the new camera right away.)

 

Just bought it,

Lots of bugs, Player keeps running despite facing a wall, No Shimmy Animation, and the character won't move while zoomed in using the Adventure Camera, and no Roll for big drops. It's also harder then it should be to put your own character in there, and it would be nice if you could just replace the demo character's mesh, textures, and avatar to get it working.

That being said, in my 20 minutes with it, those are all the things I could find wrong with it. Hopefully the dev gets those fixed, it still feels like a beta,
But it is awesome, not regretting buying it at all.

Awesome Work!

 

Hey 3,

Shimmy, auto-stopping, and rolling weren't planned for this release, but I've got them on the new features list. Just remember from my previous posts that they will come after I resolve true bugs.

I actually meant to disable the zoom, but I'll see about getting walks in for that. Good catch.

Getting a new mesh shouldn't be that bad. It really should be just a couple of steps:
1. Add a camera (as you normally would)
2. Drop in your humanoid character (as you normally would)
3. Add Unity's Character Controller
4. Add the Motion Controller
5. Add motions

I'll admit that I've done it a 1,000 times and maybe I'm over-simplifying something. If it's more complex than that, would you shoot me a private email and we can work through it? If you help me understand where you got stuck, maybe there is a step or two I can detail or automate.

Thanks again for the feedback,
Tim

tim@ootii.com

 

Just purchased! Looks awesome. Great job! Feature request would be a surface swim and diving swim. I'll be able to give more feed back after diving into the package. Thanks!

 

Thank you. Added to the list.

 

Been testing the character out. Wanted to give you feed back since this is beta.

The controller works smoothly on simple surfaces. But he's having problems on more complex geometry. I made the terrain bumpy to test it out. He sometimes shakes when in between two normals. Also he has a tendency of freezing when jumping head long into an uneven slope. The image below he is frozen. I can push forward but nothing happens. Not even a run animation.

 

Thanks DL! I did test with uneven terrain, but I didn't go quite as extreme.

It looks like the "motion" in the info at the top is saying "null" and that he's not grounded. I think it's having a hard time figuring out if it's grounded given the "V" he's over... so the idle isn't kicking in. Good find. I'll jump on this.

Thanks for the report and the image. That always helps a ton.

Tim

 

Between the two packages(Adventure Cam and Motion Controller) I get a lot of naming conflicts. I don't want to just start deleting files in case one of them trumps the other. Or are they all identical? Either way it would be nice to have a simple way of remedying this other than hunt through the files because every time I update the package I'll get the same errors again, which will make updating a pain.

Thank you for taking a look at this



BTW thank you for sending the updated Adventure Camera scripts.

 

Hey DL, Sorry for the confusion.

Check out the section 'Adventure Camera Rig' at the end of the documentation:
http://www.ootii.com/Unity/MotionController/MCReadMe.pdf

I just added another step to delete the AdventureCamera folder.

You don't need the Adventure Camera package at all. The only thing you need is the AdventureRig.cs. If you want, you can put this in the 'Cameras' folder of the "Framework_v1". You can toss out the rest of the Adventure Camera package.

Background: There are shared classes I started putting in the Framework_v1 folders. I really wasn't sure the best way to reuse classes across multiple packages. I'm thinking that using a shared framework is a way to go. This is a challenge I'll have to figure out if I do more assets.

Hope that helps,
Tim

 

Sorry for all the posts, but I got some great feedback today and wanted to let you know that I updated the online documentation based on it.

A lot of the feedback was simply about things I didn't describe very well in the 'Setup' portion of the document (Page 6+). Please check it out and let me know if there is anything else that you think I need to clarify. This will be in the next update as well.

http://www.ootii.com/Unity/MotionController/MCReadMe.pdf

Thanks!
Tim

 

looks good your package, I was thinking it would be great to introduce a system of ropes, you think? best regards

 

Thanks MagicFrame. Ropes would definitely be cool...tricky, but cool. I'll add it to the wish list.

Please remember the "wish list" isn't a commitment. It just allows me to track what people want. If lots of people want it (like the shimmy), it may be something I spend time on. I'm also working on a "Motion Builder" document so others can build motions too.

 

I'm finishing up some testing on the first update. This was to address some things that were reported and that I felt like they were really important to resolve immediately:

1. Documentation updates
2. Stop running when hitting a wall
3. Extreme terrain

You can check out the video here:
http://youtu.be/eqah6tFGYwg


Some notes on each:

Stop running when hitting a wall
I've made it so the avatar detects walls using a 'Forward Bumper' that is defined in the Motion Controller inspector. This way you can define how far out and how far up you want the test to be. The 'Simple Forward' and 'Adventure Forward' motions now have a property called 'Min Wall Slide Angle'.

The idea being that if you run straight into a wall, you'll stop because of the bumper. If you start turning, you'll still slide along the wall when the controller exceeds the 'Min Wall Slide Angle' compared to the forward direction of the character.

In the video, when you see the character run into a wall and stop... I'm still holding the controller forward.

Extreme terrain
I did some work to help the 'grounding' of the character.

You'll notice in the video that there are a couple of points where the character jitters. It's something we have to deal with as level designers. The reason is simply that if the character is caught between a super tight "V", it wants to slide on either side of the "V". It also thinks it's not on the ground because of the deep valley of the "V". Essentially the collider gets wedged in.

This is why games don't have super jaggedy terrain like what you see in the video. Level designers either go out of their way to avoid them or put blocking geometry over the tight "V" to keep the character from getting wedged. That said, I think the controller handles the terrain pretty well. If you get stuck, just reload the camera.


I'll test more tomorrow and then submit. Updates typically take 3 - 5 days.

 

im glad you are keeping to your work and updating it lol!

i was really hoping for the shimmy on this first update tho,

we are doing complete wishlists now? here is mine, in order of what id like to see,

1. shimmy (duh, everyone wants this)
2. swimming with a cool dive animation
3. bug fixes
4. a zipline would be amazing and look super professional and cinematic
5. parkour roll like @3 said for big drops
6. anything else to make it more like tomb raider and other big budget stuff
-aka. more climbing stuff, works flawlessly, vibrating controllers after a big fall,
idk what id do with a tightrope, but it would still be cool to have,

thanks for keeping your promise, i really wanted the shimmy though haha

 

Just added email notifications for the forum, I really can't wait to see this develop.

Actually, I completely agree with Cass, pretty much in that order. I hadn't thought of a zipline and while I may not use it, it would be a neat thing to have.
One other thing though, some IK stuff would add a nice touch. For example, when facing the wall (and not moving) he may put his arms out to touch the wall, as if he notices there is an object in front of him. Or glide his arms across a wall when running sometimes, something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfQUosJh2DU

Looks great Tim

 

Thanks guys! Remember... bugs first.

The last thing that 3 reported as a bug (and rightfully so) was that the walking didn't work in the targeting mode. This was a carry-over from the Adventure Camera that I wasn't planning on implementing just yet, but I goofed and now I agree that it should be here.

So I've added it as a motion. However, since the Follow Camera and Adventure Camera (if you have it) work differently, the results are slightly different. However, both are good.

Walk 360 Motion - Follow Camera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTccoDfjE2w
Walk 360 Motion - Adventure Camera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5DfHuBUi6U

In both cases, hold the Left Trigger or Middle Mouse Button to go into this walk motion.

I've also put up a development demo you can play with before I actually push the update. Please report any issues you see and remember my notes from the previous post...
http://www.ootii.com/Unity/MotionController/Development/Web.html


Assuming no more bugs are reported, shimmy will be next. However, I have to work on my game and build the shimmy animations, so expect a week or two. But I promise it will come!

 

Hey Tim,
here are some considerations:
1) the jump left and right should not be possible, at least with this type of animations and with the same height of the front jump. The same for the back jump
2) This is feature that can be set by the buyer of the plugin. But if you fix it i think it's better:
I think that there should be a button that let the character run, because it's not user friendly. I think there should be wlak and jog with the analg and run with analog + button.

Byee
Rocco

 

Hey Rocco,

Thanks for the feedback. This is exactly why I think the Motion Controller is a good idea.

I totally get that the jump isn't perfect for you, but for my game I like it because it mirror's Tomb Raider's jump.

So there are a couple of options:

Option 1. You could change the settings in the 'Jump' motion. There are two settings:

Momentum Enabled - Determines if the velocity from the jump's launch will help determine the velocity while in the air.
Control Enabled - Determines if the player can control the avatar while in air.

So if you enable 'Momentum' and disable 'Control', the player can't jump left, right or back. They will only jump in the direction they were facing and be carried forward by momentum.

Note: While writing this I found a bug that prevented the 'Control Enabled' flag from working. That will be fixed in this upcoming update.




Option 2: If the jump is just totally wrong for you, you could create a totally new motion "Rocco's Jump" that plugs right into the controller. This could use the animation and velocity exactly as you want it.

I'm not done with the Motion Builder's Guide, but if you want to go this route, I'm happy to help you. Just email tim@ootii.com.



For your second point, I think that makes sense. Essentially the character is in a jog and the button is for sprinting. I need to think about how I allow others to have different control schemes for their games. Remember, everyone's game is different and I'm trying to make something that can satisfy them all (that's a goal, not a promise).


Thanks again for the feedback! Always good stuff for me to test and think about.

 

I actually would love a sprint button, especially if you could simply turn it off or on with a checkbox.

 

I am going to wait until the asset is completed (or at least with a few more motions) until I get it, but I promise I will within a couple of months. I have been eyeing it for a long time, long time lurker here, I just made an account to give my input on this.

-There were tons of issues in the webplayer, these need to be addressed first,
-Shimmy, a wall run, a roll, and other freerunning related motions
-Swimming, as well as the ability to dive underwater. This should work with a tag, so a third party water system could be used. A dive would be great.
-Shooting mechanics, firing projectiles with the right trigger, and left trigger aiming, though this isn't crucial.
-I want a zipline and a tightrope, but they are not a priority.

 

Hey Unity3DForums,

Can you clarify the 'tons of issues in the webplayer' comment? Knowing what you think is a bug will help me to address/fix them.

Thanks!

 

I've had a couple of people ask about building motions...which is awesome!

So, I've updated the read me file to include some sections on user input, input actions, and motion building. To be honest, they are a bit thin and just scratch the surface. However, it should point people in the right direction.

Please look here:
http://www.ootii.com/Unity/MotionController/MCReadMe.pdf

I'm working on the Motion Builder's Guide now, but I expect it to take several days. I'll get it out as soon as I can. Until then, feel free to email me any questions and I'll get back with you as soon as I can (usually within 24 hours).

tim@ootii.com

 

Been eying this asset for a few weeks, also going to wait until more motions are added to buy it, maybe wait for a sale haha

I pretty much agree with what everyone has been saying. I really would love to see more climbing mechanics implamented, I want swimming, a zipline, and more.

More then anything though, I would love to see this asset have a cover system,

Basically this would do, not too advanced, but still very handy.

 

Totally understand on waiting to purchase. If it doesn't fit your need and you don't have an interest in making your own motions, I get it. Unfortunately if everyone waits for me to add more and more and more... I'll have to raise the price or move on to something that people are interested in.

That's probably not the 'correct' thing to say on a forum, but it's just the reality of life for us indie developers and no sense beating around the bush.


I know there are people on the forum that have bought the Motion Controller and I am totally committed to helping them and to working on some of their requests. What I really hope is that people work on the motions they need and start to share with others. I won't be able to animate and code everything every one wants myself.

The list so far (not in any order):
Stairs - feet IK
Climb crouch shimmy - #1 on the list
Climb hang
Climb hang shimmy
Climb hang pull-up
Wall scaling
Land and roll
Ladder climb
Zip lining
Rail sliding
Rope climb
Rope swing
Tight-rope walking
Flight (super hero)
Sprint
Swimming - The interest in this one really surprises me
Diving
Cover System - The video was cool. That helps us understand it.
Fist fighting
Sword fighting
Shooting
Walk - Done

My priority will be bug fixes and building my game, but I'm also prioritizing the requests to determine which ones I can do. Climbs are top of the list.

 

If it has half of those motions I think everyone will be happy, it would be cool if you put them in order of what you are going to add, just so we could see what's coming up next.

 

I'm thinking the top of the list would be:

1. Motion Builder's Guide
2. Climb crouch shimmy
3. Stairs - feet IK
4. Sword swings
5. Climb hang
6. Climb hang shimmy
7. Climb hang pull-up

Hoping to finish the top two late next week.

User Input configuration is nagging at me too.

 

For those of you interested in building motions (or if you simply can't sleep at 3 am ), I put out a rough draft of the Motion Builder's Guide:
www.ootii.com/unity/motioncontroller/MCMotionBuilder.pdf

I still want to add more walk-throughs of the existing motions and some tutorials on building your own, but the meat is there.

Feel free to email tim@ootii.com with any comments or suggestions.

 

Thanks for this Tim. I have to go to sleep now but I will work through it later. Oh, for anyone interested Substance Painter from allegorithmic was released today.

 

If all the motions you mentioned were implemented within 4 months, I would call this the best development of an asset I've ever seen.

I actually think swimming is the most important one, besides the cover system.
1. Cover System
2. Swimming + Diving Under Water
2.5 IK and Stairs (like the hand sliding across the wall video I saw in the thread)
3. Climbing/Parkour
4. Sprinting
5. Shooting
6. Zipline and Rope Swing
7. Melee (like the last of us, if possible)
7. All The Rest, I don't know why most people would need swords over shooting, but okay