Animations...Anybody?

[Mera]

*I am not sure if this is the right field to post this in*

Creating new objects for The Sims 2 is all fun and good, but what about new animations to go along with them? My delima is not knowing what type of file the game uses for the animations, and how to convert custom-made animations into it. Does the engine read key frames, or frame by frame?

Say I want to create a pet, like a horse. I have made the obj and I have made some animations to go along with it inside Poser. Now how would one get the animations from 3D Studio Max into The Sims 2 for that obj? And how would one get the sim people to interact with it correctly?

Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

[sdfisher]

There is an animation discussion going on at this Forums thread:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=83003&page=1&pp=25
Sorry don't know how to link a thread directly. But this discussion should be of help to you. Be advised - these folks are doing Sim character animations.

[ToRnado]

it's currently not possible to link new animations to objects.

[Miche]

it's currently not possible to link new animations to objects.

It is possible to add new animations to objects. The animation editor I did will allow animation which effect the whole object (ie... move or rotate the whole object) but currently doesn`t allow for the different parts of a object to be animated seperately.

The animation converter that I`m currently working on allows new animations to be made for the sims themselves. These can rotate the seperate parts of the sims (like th hands or legs etc). However there are still a few joints which aren`t supported, I`m currently working on adding those (when I get the time). Then I will add support for better animations of objects, ie ...will allow the seperate parts of objects to be animated. Like someone might want one part of a object to spin while the rest doesn`t.

The newer versions of SimPe also has support for animations in it, I haven`t had time to test this yet so don`t know what level of support there is in it.

[Mera]

Thanks.

[ToRnado]

It is possible to add new animations to objects. The animation editor I did will allow animation which effect the whole object (ie... move or rotate the whole object) but currently doesn`t allow for the different parts of a object to be animated seperately.

The animation converter that I`m currently working on allows new animations to be made for the sims themselves. These can rotate the seperate parts of the sims (like th hands or legs etc). However there are still a few joints which aren`t supported, I`m currently working on adding those (when I get the time). Then I will add support for better animations of objects, ie ...will allow the seperate parts of objects to be animated. Like someone might want one part of a object to spin while the rest doesn`t.

The newer versions of SimPe also has support for animations in it, I haven`t had time to test this yet so don`t know what level of support there is in it.

what about new sex beds?

[Miche]

what about new sex beds?

As that would only need new animations for the sims themselves and not animations affecting the bed, then yes it would be possible to make one using the animation converter. As I said currently there are a few joints which aren`t supported with the current version of the converter, but it would still be currently possible to make the sort of animations that would be needed for that object.

But making the animations is likely to be only half (or even less) of the work. Depending on how much detail the person making it wanted to add, they could either use the current beds and just change a few animations. But if they truely wanted to add new features and options to it then it would need a lot of new BHAV`s which would need to control two sims at the same time.

I think the thing which is holding back new original objects as much as the as the lack of being able to add new animations, is a lack of the number of people who know how to add new BHAV`s. The number of people who I know that do scripting (other than really basic changes) for new objects is most likely under 20-30 people, if even that number.

Once the abilities to add new animations has matured some more, it will still be the lack of people knowing how to script which will most likely be a limiting factor. As the playback of new animations needs to be controled by BHAV`s.

[Mishy]

I think the thing which is holding back new original objects as much as the as the lack of being able to add new animations, is a lack of the number of people who know how to add new BHAV`s. The number of people who I know that do scripting (other than really basic changes) for new objects is most likely under 20-30 people, if even that number.
and i am not suprised, cos from what i have seen and read till now, it looks pretty damn difficult.

respect (and good luck) to all of you who are working on it!