Animation Manager
Overview
The Animation Manager is a tool that allows you to manage, view, load, save, batch retarget and batch export animations for multiple character types (characters and weapons).
It is bundled with CryMaxTools and can be accessed from CryMaxTools > Animation > Animation Manager
Animation Manager Interface
Main Window
A. Character Category: Dropdown for selecting the different character categories created in Character Setup.
Example: Human, Aliens, Weapons
B. Character Setup List: Dropdown for selecting the Character Setups available for the selected Character Category.
Example: If Human is selected in Character Category, you will get "SDK_Character_male" in the Character Setup List.
You can create your own Character Categories and Character Setups in the Manage Setups panel.
C. Load\Merge Setup: Loads or Merges the source max file based on the Character Setup selected.
Example: It will load the SDK_Character_male source max file if SDK_Character_male is selected in the Character Setup.
D. Load Files: Performs the operation selected in Load Process and loads the file.
E. Save Files: Performs the operation selected in Save Process and Load Process if more files are selected.
F. Load Process: Dropdown for selecting the Load Process. You can choose:
- None.
- Retarget - For Retargeting animations.
- retargetHTR - For Retargeting HTR data.
G. Save Process: Dropdown for selecting the Save Process. You can choose:
- Source - For only source files.
- CAF - For only Character Animation Files.
- Source & CAF - For both source and Character Animation Files.
- Export Custom - For setting any of the supported formats manually.
- Source & Max - For source and max files.
- Source & Max & CAF - For source, max and caf files.
H. Folder Search: Dropdown Search Field for displaying specific folders in the Animation Folders Display panel.
I. Animation Folders Display: Displays the Animation folders for the selected Character.
J. Animations Display: Displays the animations contained in the folder selected in the Animation Folders Display.
K. Files Selected: Shows the number of files selected in the Animations Display Window.
L. Files Displayed: Shows the number of files displayed in the Animations Display Window.
M. Recent Selection Dropdown: Shows the list of files that you recently loaded.
N. File Type Sort: Allows filtering the animations displayed by file types.
O. String Search: Allows filtering the animations displayed by string searching their names.
Task Setup
Task Setup is an advanced panel that allows to setup the load process and save process with custom properties.
To enable Task Setup, use the Animation Manager Right-Click Menu, choose View > Task Setup
Here you can define your tasks for load and save process that you can choose in load and save process dropdown. Each task may be comprised of one or more than one functions that are defined in the Process Tab.
You can toggle between Load and Save, depending on which process you are creating\editing the task for.
To create new tasks, just right click in the Task Tab and click "New".
To set a default task, just right click on the highlighted task and click "Is User".
Example: Retarget Task is formed of two processes - "Load to Skeleton" and "Run Retarget".
To create new functions per task, just right click in the Process Tab and click "New".
Each function in the Process Tab can have it's own property.
You can specify the root node of the character you want the process to be performed for.
Click the Script button to view the script for each function.
You can create your custom tasks and functions and save them using the "Save" or "Save As" option. And load the setup using the "Open" option. By default, the tasks and functions are stored in AnimManager_import_user.xml.
You will find it in \Tools\CryMaxTools\Animation folder.
Project Info
Project Info is a panel that provides you more information for the build that you are using for your project. You can set the Project path, Source path and Game path in this window.
To enable Project Info, use the Animation Manager Right-Click Menu, choose View > Project Info
Animation Manager Right-Click Menu
To access the Animation Manager Right-Click Menu, right click anywhere in the Animation Manager window except the red boxes as shown in the picture below.
File
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Load | Performs the selected Load task. |
Save | Performs the selected Save task. |
Load From | |
Save As | Allows to save the file as a different file type. |
Settings
Folder List | Description |
|---|---|
Refresh | Refreshes the Folders List in the Animation Folders Display Window. |
Show All Sub-Folders | If turned on, Animation Manager displays the animations from the selected folder's Sub-Folders in the Animation Display Window. |
Animation List | Description |
|---|---|
Refresh | Refreshes the Animation Display Window. |
Tools | |
Explore | Description |
Source | Opens Explorer pointing to the source file. |
Game | Opens Explorer pointing to the game file. |
Perforce | The Perforce Menu provides you some quick functions to manage your animation files. |
|---|---|
Add / Open | Add files to Source Control or Open the files for Editing (then submit the changelist that contains the changed files). You can perform this operation on source files or game files. |
Force Sync | Perforce performs the sync even if the client workspace already has the file at the specified revision. If the file is writeable, it is overwritten. |
Update | Perforce forces an update of the displayed file information. |
Add/Open on Load | Perform the Add / Open action on Load. |
Add/Open on Save | Perform the Add / Open action on Save. |
Copy | Description |
|---|---|
Animation Name | Copies the selected animation names. |
Local Source Path | Copies the local source path of selected animation names. |
Local Game Path | Copies the local game path of selected animation names (If you have bip files selected, it copies their corresponding caf files path). |
Perforce Source Path | Copies the perforce source path of selected animation names. |
Perforce Game Path | Copies the perforce game path of selected animation names (If you have bip files selected, it copies their corresponding caf files perforce path). |
Options | Description |
|---|---|
One-Click Load | If turned on, selecting an animation in the Animation Display Window loads it on the selected Biped in 3ds Max. |
Show SubAnims | |
Show Preview | Shows a quick preview of the selected animation. |
Show CBA Details |
|
Search full Path |
View | |
|---|---|
Task Setup | Toggles visibility of the Task Setup panel. |
Character Setup | Opens the Character Setup Window. |
Mapper Setup | Opens the Retargeting Window. |
Project Info | Toggles visibility of the Project Info panel. |
Log | Toggles visibility of the Log window. |
Manage Setups (Character Setup Window)
Setup Options
Model or Rig
Here you can setup the max file for each Character setup.
If it's an additional object like weapon, you can keep the option "Prefer Merge" so it merges the file with your current character in max.
You can also set custom source and game path for each character.
Biped
If your character is rigged in Biped, here you can setup the pose files so they are automatically loaded or synced from Perforce.
Align
Here you can setup specific node alignment. You can select the source node and target node with offset values. This is very useful for aligning weapon models to the weapon bone when merging files.
For more information on weapons, please look into the Weapons documentation.
Misc
Here you can setup the first and last frames for your character. This is useful when for example your weapon animation starts from frame 5 instead of 0 (while your character animation starts from 0).
Mapper Setup Window
When you map an animation from one rig or object onto another, use this rollout to establish retarget references between the incoming nodes in regards to their scale dependency. Retargeting means to scale the animation so it matches the objects onto which you are mapping the motion.
You need to retarget only when the size or proportions of the incoming model differ from the size or proportions of the current model.
It is useful for transferring animation from one character to another, when the characters are of different sizes, and possibly of different proportions (for example, a human model to a gorilla, or vice versa).
There are some rules of thumb when you work with mapping character animation:
- Load your source character in 3ds Max. Select all objects (hidden and unhidden) and rename them with a prefix (eg. #A_Bip01. #A_Bip01 Pelvis, #A_trousers) if the target character has same naming convention.
- Merge in your target character (you only need the deforming mesh and skeleton; delete unnecessary nodes before merging to keep your file clean) in 3ds Max.
- Make sure none of the Characters are in Figure Mode (if you are using Biped) before mapping.
- Use the name of the root node in Source and Target window. Click Auto Match.
- You can also manually match nodes by selecting them in Source and Target window. Then click
- Make sure you check Pos on for nodes that have positional data. For example, Pos should be on for the node "Bip01".
- Click "Live" to see the first keyframe match. You can modify the character pose manually in Live mode and on turning off, it saves the offset.
- Click Accept. Now, you are ready to Re-target animations using the load and save process.