Help Out a Student

I am a student in my final year at university and am doing my final year project on Rigging. As part of my research I am trying to find out what animators like / dislike about rigs. If anyone is able to spend 5 minutes answering my questionnaire it would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone has a rigging wish list they wouldn’t mind sending me or wants to send me there answers confidentially my email address is ov000299@student.staffs.ac.uk

Name: ____________________________________

Company:_________________________________

Job Title: __________________________________

What program do you use to animate?


What makes a Rig difficult to work with?


What are the key aspects of a good Rig?


What is the most common thing you’ve had to send a rig back to riggers for?


What particular aspects of a rig make your job as an animator easier?


How long would expect a rig to be set up after a mesh has been modeled?


How common do you come across Gimbal Lock?


Do you have a bone limit on your rigs?


This is more of a TD site than an animator site and most of these questions seem to be written for animators to answer. If you haven’t already you may want to post this on the forums on creative crash/cgtalk/etc.

I’ve forwarded to the animation team here.

yeah already posted on creative crash but no replies sadly.

Thank you for forwarding the questionnaire on for me Rob, any replies even 1 would be a huge help

Ed Hull, one of our talented animators took a few minutes to reply. Hope it helps…

What program do you use to animate?
Maya

What makes a Rig difficult to work with?
Controllers being all one color or hard to find in viewport, Gymbal Locks

What are the key aspects of a good Rig?
Most important that the rig provides ability to make realistic animations by having proper bone placement and painted weights. Also important are flexibility in use, with IK/FK switch/blend, ability to easily locate controls in viewport with different colors and/or shapes, ability to temporarily hide certain controls.

What is the most common thing you’ve had to send a rig back to riggers for?
Mostly for modifications in bone placement or painted weights or adding a few more bones for improved flexibility.

What particular aspects of a rig make your job as an animator easier?
Being able to find controls easily and opposing rotation/translate values are in order.

How long would expect a rig to be set up after a mesh has been modeled?
Depends on complexity of character.

How common do you come across Gimbal Lock?
Somewhat common.

Do you have a bone limit on your rigs?
Yes, for work in games, there are often strict limitations.
Hope this helps!!

Edward Hull
Animator
Turbine Inc., WB Games