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What's a good software to model and animate?

Discussion in 'Animation' started by ApolloPM_legacy, Feb 18, 2014.

  1. ApolloPM_legacy

    ApolloPM_legacy

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2014
    Posts:
    24
    Hello,

    I wanted to make a 3rd person game that you can melee and shoot.
    I am good at modeling, been modelling since I was in primary school. But animation? No so much, never done it before.

    People say don't use Unity for animation, so I used Blender.
    But Blender is a bit too complicated to me, I only been using Blender for a month and I don't understand the so many tools and icons, it shows you so many icons at once that it overwhelms me. Whats worse if I misclicked a wrong button it will be hard to undo especially when you are not supposed to (Object/Edit modes).

    Their manual may be fantastic but there are too much to cover and even then the animation guide are pages long and it only outlines what the tools does but not how to use them together.
    I did watched an awesome video tutorial (http://youtu.be/GYZkwbg2T2s) but because I am new to Blender I do not know how to model human figures accurately. However I use Sketchup (and I have been using it when I was 11 years old) and I can do characters such as Bart and Lisa Simpson, here are some of my models that I made when i was 14: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=fa3318e254ebc0c8ee70b58b9896b025

    Now lets say for some reason I cannot use that model in Blender because I have done a bit of animating in Blender just then and when I try move the head the hair will not move and it will either stretch or just hovers. I have done this to various other 3D models such as a girl with a backpack. I tried making her walk and jump but her backpack stays static.
    If thats the case then maybe removing the backpack and after I am finish with the animation I put it back on?

    I tried downloading Fuse Basic from Mixamo but for some reason it is corrupted does not matter how many times I downloaded it. Plus it is only a pick and drop style of modelling, not really good if you want to make your own character.

    Ok enough rambling, maybe I should ask this instead.
    If I create a model in Sketchup, should I make every individual part (head, arms, legs) as seperate components (not attached to one another, so moving an arm will not stretch the body) then import them into Blender/Unity? Or should I just leave my model as a whole with every part attached to one another (so that when I move the arm, the body will stretch because it is attached to the arm)?

    I know what I am saying is quite messy but simply I could make models but not good with animation. Tutorials and guide in the manual does not help me and if you know a good software that I can import my models (from Sketchup) into and start animating?
     
  2. ApolloPM_legacy

    ApolloPM_legacy

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2014
    Posts:
    24
    Also I want to ask can I do a walk, run and jump animation in Unity?

    I tried this using block characters (like Minecraft) but not organic characters.
    Does Unity allow you to bend arms, legs and such? Because it wouldn't let me bend cubes head and prism limbs of my block character.
     
  3. Alf203

    Alf203

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2012
    Posts:
    461
    There are plenty of good video tutorials that explain the whole process of making a character. I'd start there if I were you. Also don't use Sketchup for characters. Learn to use a program that was made for that instead (like Blender). Its more work and will take more time at first but then you get to become faster and better. That is how everyone learns, there is no secret.

    It will pay off in the end if you take the correct path!

    If you stick with Sketchup, a year later you will find yourself in the same spot, and you will not really learn anything.
     
  4. SeanHoward3D

    SeanHoward3D

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2013
    Posts:
    20
    Iv been animating in blender for 3 years now. Id honestly stick with it and seek out assistance in learning it. Its UI is scary but its honestly not a big deal seeing how you wont use any of them for animation. 3D cookie has some nice videos that you can check out for learning animation.Feel free to contact me on Skype if you're serious about animating. - Sean

    Skype-SeanHoward3D