🔵 🔴 🟡 Course description

The course Digital Technology and Character Animation II is a continuation of the course Digital Technology and Character Animation I. In this context, more emphasis is placed on practice and the artistic creation of small drawings and works through modern digital 3D tools. The purpose of the course is for students to deepen the knowledge gained in the prerequisite course and to familiarize them with tools and software, in order to understand the basic principles and concepts of movement, facial expression, character development and their placement within the context of the narrative (e.g. in a digital game). The course focuses on creating expressive animated characters found in a game environment, modeling characters, and developing storytelling through visual features, movement, proper placement in the appropriate background, and the use of sound and lighting. Particular emphasis is placed on modern workflows (Hybrid Workflows) and the use of Artificial Intelligence tools (AI-assisted animation). Students are trained in the transition from traditional keyframing to the use of motion capture data, the application of physics (Physics-based animation) through specialized software, and rapid prototyping to produce high-level artistic results (game-ready animations).

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

• Know the basic principles and concepts of movement, facial expression, character development and his placement in a narrative context.

• Understand the stages of development and animation of a character in a digital game. • Develop his/her skills in 3D art production methods for digital applications and games.

• Utilize modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Physics (Auto-physics) tools to accelerate production and improve the realism of motion (weight, inertia).

• Implement hybrid workflows (Pipeline: Modeling Auto-Rigging Mocap/Physics Cleanup Facial Animation) by combining multiple software.

🔵 🔴 🟡 Theory (2 hours)

1. 1Introduction to Game Animation. Disney's 12 principles and 5 rules of Game Animation (Feel, Fluidity, Readability, etc.). The difference between Linear and Interactive Media.
2. Animation Fundamentals: Keyframes, Frames per second (FPS), Timing and Spacing. Q
3. The modern Production Pipeline and the use of Character Generators.
4. Motion Capture technology in 3-D Animation production.
5. Introduction to Physics-Based Animation. Study of the center of gravity, momentum and ballistic trajectories.
6. Body Mechanics. Anticipation, Hit-Stop and Game Feel in the action scenes. Use of Exaggeration.
7. Cinematics and Acting. The Importance of Facial Animation in Storytelling. Production of control curves through the Node Editor.
8. Synchronization and Rhythm of Motion. Character Interpretation and Secondary Action in Acting.
9. Hybrid Workflow Integration. The union of Gameplay Animation (Body) with Cinematic Animation (Face). Principles of Staging (Stage Presence).
10. Lighting Principles and Highlighting the Silhouette (Readability).
11. The role of the Lead Animator in the production flow. Review and Feedback processes.
12. Integration into Game Engines: State Machines, Blend Trees and Controller Responsiveness.
13. The Future of 3-D Animation: From Modern Full Service Productions to the Metaverse.

🔵 🔴 🟡 Workshop (1 hour)

1. Presentation of animation tools and critical motion analysis in modern digital games.
2. Mayan environment description. Formatting and positioning objects. "Bouncing Ball" exercise.
3. Use Adobe Fuse to create 3D Avatars and Mixamo for Auto-Rigging.
4. Export and manage "raw" motion data (Raw Mocap) via Rokoko Vision or similar AI tools.
5. Introduction to Cascadeur. Introduction of Mocap character and first contact with the physics environment.
6. Use Auto-Physics and Auto-Posing in Cascadeur to correct action jumps and movements (Action Stunts).
7. Control Facial Rigs in Maya. Adjustment of gaze and micro-expressions.
8. Using Time Editor in Maya to resynchronize movement. Implementation of dialogue synchronization (Lip-sync).
9. Scene, Props (objects) and camera composition. Add effects (e.g. smoke) via Bifrost FX.
10. Coloring, Materials, and Lighting Applications in 3-D Models in Maya.
11. Polish process ("Finishing touches") and solving technical problems in 3-D construction.
12. Demonstration of exporting FBX files and importing them into Unity or other game engines.
13. Final presentation (Pitching) of the students' projects and evaluation.

Review language: Greek

🔵 🔴 🟡 Evaluation method:

• Exercises (80%)
• Oral or written examination (20%)

• Face-to-face
• Use of slides, laboratory and practical exercises using relevant software see. Bibliography as well as demonstration and video analysis with examples of works and character animation techniques.
• Use of e-class.

https://eclass.uop.gr/courses/2859/

🔵 🔴 🟡 Course Textbooks [Eudoxus]

• Nikolaos Aletras (2023) Fundamental principles of film production. Capricorn Publications
• Siakas, S. (2023) 3D Computer Animation 3D Computer Animation. Private Edition Publications

Extra Bibliography

• From complex arts to hypermedia and new virtual potential spaces. A Handbook for the Artist Who Deals with Digital Art, Matthaios Santorinaios, Electronic Book, Greek Academic Electronic Writings and Aids - "Kallipos" Repository, ISBN 978-960-603-374-2, Book Codex in Eudoxus 59303612
• Lazarinis, F., 2015. Multimedia. [Electronic book] Athens: Hellenic Academic Libraries Association. Available in: http://hdl.handle.net/11419/2045 (CHAPTER 4 & CHAPTER 10)
• Karydakis, G. (2009). Animation of synthetic characters: analysis of emotion in human-machine interaction (Doctoral dissertation, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Information and Computer Technology)

Software Links

• Maya Autodesk educational edition https://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview  

• Unity Game Engine https://unity.com/ 

• Autodesk MotionBuilder https://www.autodesk.com/products/motionbuilder/  

• Autodesk Mudbox https://www.autodesk.com/products/mudbox/  

• 2D/3D animation/rigging/modeling/sculpting https://www.blender.org/        

• 3D characters and animation library https://www.mixamo.com/  

• Cascadeur (Physics-based 3D animation software): https://cascadeur.com/ 

• Rokoko Vision (AI Motion Capture from Video): https://vision.rokoko.com/ 

• Adobe Fuse (Legacy) / Ready Player Me / ActorCore: Rapid Character Creation Software/Platforms.

• Open-Source Tool (and Community) for making 3D Characters http://www.makehumancommunity.org/ 

• Free and open-source painting program (for Windows, Linux & OSX) https://krita.org/