Since 3D motions (*.cta3DMotion) are compatible with CrazyTalk Animator, the character
must be a full-angle one so that the motions can be applied correctly. In this lesson, the basic steps
are described for you to create a custom character. The created character is as shown in the
illustration below:
This designed character is an umbrella man with only one leg and no hands because the methods to create
limbs are same. Knowing how to create a leg equals to knowing how to create four limbs.
Goal:
To create a full-angle character.
Used Features:
Dummy-character-applying (via Content Manager).
Character composer.
Body-part-replacing.
Facial-feature-changing
Body-proportion-changing.
Joint-mask-setting.
There are basic steps to creating a new character:
Step 1: Preparing Vector-based Body Parts Step 2: Initializing the Character Step 3a: Replacing Body Parts Step 3b: One Body Part for Every Angle Step 4: Changing and Transforming Facial Features Step 5: Setting Body Proportion Step 6: Concealing Edges with Joint Masks
Step 1: Preparing Vector-based Body Parts
Before starting the entire lesson, you need to prepare body parts
in either vector or image based format. In this lesson, they are
created by Adobe Flash in SWF format (vector-based).
Head: Since the head may rotate or tilt, you need to create
different looks from at least 3 angles.
Angle 0 (sharable for angle 90, 180 and 270)
Angle 45
(sharable for angle 135, 225, and 315)
Top
(sharable for the bottom)
Body and Limbs: The torsos and the legs only require a single material.
Angle 0 (sharable for other angles)
Top (sharable for the bottom)
Foot: The materials for the foot must be specially made because its
appearances differs according to the angle.
Angle 0 to 315, top and bottom
Step 2: Initializing the Character
Since the umbrella man does not have four limbs, after the body parts are
prepared, you need to initialize the look of the character from scratch. If you
want to create a character with four limbs, then skip this section.
Apply the Dummy character from the Content Manager >> Actor Template >> Character.
Click the Character Composer button to enter the Composer Mode.
Because the hands are not necessary, you are able to delete them:
Select a body part.
Press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove the entire
sprite from its corresponding bone.
Repeat the same steps to remove every unnecessary body parts
(including the front and back hairs, neck, ears and the nose).
Step 3a: Replacing Body Parts
After the unnecessary body parts are deleted, you can start to replace the body parts with
prepared materials as shown above by replacing
the original pose materials with custom ones. This is mostly used when the body parts look
very different in each angle. In this case, the top and bottom of the head and the foot.
Make sure you are in the Composer mode.
Select the target body part (in this case, the head).
Click the triangles of the Angle Switch to switch to an angle (start from angle 0 first).
Click the Sprite Editor button to open the panel.
Click the Replace Current Sprite button on the panel.
Load the prepared head material for angle 0 mentioned above.
The original head is replaced with a prepared one.
The new look of the head.
Transform the angle to appropriate size and position.
Switch to angle 45.
Click the Replace Current Sprite button again.
Replace the original head angle with the prepared one (degree 45).
Transform the angle to appropriate size and position.
Note:
Make sure the sizes of each angle are cohesive to avoid
issues when the body part
rotates.
Repeat the same steps until the angles of the head are replaced and
transformed.
Follow the same steps to replace and transform the foot materials in each angle.
Step 3b: One Body Part for Every Angle
In addition to the direct replacement method, you are able to use a single material and for all angles
of a body part by sharing with a same custom material. This is useful when
the body parts look the same at each angle. In this case, the other angles
of the head, torsos, thigh and leg:
Make sure the character is still in the Composer Mode.
Select a body part of the character (in this case, the upper torso)
and open the Sprite Editor panel.
Click the down arrow of the Delete button and choose the
Delete Full Angle command. The entire pose (including the angles of it)
will be deleted.
Click the down arrow of the Add New Sprite button and
choose the Add Current Angle command because the other angle will be duplicated later, based on this angle.
Select the material for body parts
as mentioned in the table of the Preparing Vector-based Body Parts section.
Adjust the size and position of the inserted body part to ideal transformation parameters.
Before adjustments.
After adjustments.
When you are satisfied with the result, click the Full Angle Settings button on the
Sprite Editor panel.
Click on the Copy Similar button and then pick the slot with the
material just inserted (please note that the cursor turns into a paint bucket).
Click on the other empty slots to fill them up with the same material (top and bottom are not
included).
Use the method mentioned in the previous section to replace the top and bottom slots with another
prepared body material (degree 0).
Switch to every angle to check out the appearances of the body parts.
Repeat the same steps in this section to replace the materials of the lower torso,
the thigh and the calf.
Step 4: Changing and Transforming Facial Features
You may now change the facial features from the Content Manager libraries.
Open the Content Manager, switch to the Head >> Head Template
>> Eye and apply a template to replace the original one (in this case,
Eyes_08).
Apply more facial feature templates from different libraries including the
Brow and Mouth.
The final facial features of this character are thus changed.
Transform the facial features in 5 angles (since the facial
features will be at the back of the head when the angle is 135, 180 and
225, there is no need to do the transformation).
Step 5: Setting Body Proportion
After the body parts are replaced and determined, you may set the body proportion to ideal appearance.
In the Composer Mode, click the Actor Proportion button to show its corresponding panel.
In the panel, click on one of the presets to change the character's appearance to a raw one
(in this case, the 4 Hobbit).
Select the body part that is improperly transformed.
Adjust the body part to the ideal look (please note that adjusting the order
of the sprites is recommended to keep parent layers on top.
Step 6: Concealing Edges with Joint Masks
Each body parts has a certain layer order relationship with others
in different angles. The order is determined by
CrazyTalk Animator and can not be changed.
However, when you are not satisfied with
the layering results, especially the joint area for two adjacent
body parts, then you may use the Joint Mask to set a pseudo
but custom layer order within the masks. Take the Upper
and Lower torso as example:
Switch to different angles to check the joints of the character.
In this case, there is an edge line between the upper and lower body.
Select the upper body part and you will find the joint mask.
Note:
If you can not find the joint mask, then click the Add Joint Mask
button to add one to the currently selected body part.
Select (Ctrl + click) and move the joint mask to cover the seam.
If the joint mask does not cover the seam (as the
illustration shown above), then select the body part again.
On the Property Tool Bar,
click the Send to Front or
Send to Back buttons
to change the layer order within the range of the joint mask.
Deselect the body part to view the result.
Seam shows without the joint mask.
Joint mask conceals the seam.
Switch to different angle to check if the joint masks work properly.
After these steps, you are able to leave the Composer Mode to send
the custom character back to the Stage Mode.
Apply motions to the character to view the result:
Apply a motion to the character (please note that
this character is full-angle, you may apply any type
of motion and set angle to it).
Character Composer button to enter the Composer Mode.
Sprite Editor button to open the panel.
Replace Current Sprite button on the panel.
Add New Sprite button and
choose the Add Current Angle command because the other angle will be duplicated later, based on this angle.
Full Angle Settings button on the
Sprite Editor panel.
Copy Similar button and then pick the slot with the
material just inserted (please note that the cursor turns into a paint bucket).
Actor Proportion button to show its corresponding panel.
Add Joint Mask
button to add one to the currently selected body part.
Send to Front or
Send to Back buttons
to change the layer order within the range of the joint mask.
