Hi I just watched the 3 videos once and will take simple notes the next time around. Wanted to get the first round of questions before the weekend but I think I have one for now about the cyclic aware keying. I was confused at first till I watched this video but you were saying it messed you up having it on when some parts should be off but that’s only with 2 areas when translating the rig forward and for the y Channels? Everywhere else should be on like I had previously? It would be easy to fix this if I have it checked marked off when I move the torso and feet forward? This is also just an issue with looping cycles yes?
Maybe it’ll be easiest to do another in place walk and not have that issue at all? Especially since im not 100% with all my curves yet?
Is this all I am missing from your demo about this subject? I think it is. Still scratching my head some about it haha.
Hi Brandon,
I'm not following 100% with everything you are asking but perhaps I can explain what 'cyclic aware keying' does and when it can help (or hinder)
Let's say you have a walk cycle from f01-f25.
You have the cycle modifiers on the curves so you can scrub past f25 and the animation will still keep playing.
Then you want to adjust the down position. But you are on not on f04 you are on f52.
With Cyclic aware keying, it will notice that you are keyframing outside of your 'cycle' (that's f01-25) and it WON'T ADD a new keyframe on f52, it will adjust the keyframe on f04 (the real spot where that occurs)
When your keyframes don't match your cycle length.
Maybe you haven't keyed the start and then end of your animation on all the controls but you have on others.
If you key, it will detect your first and last keyframes and then guess where it thinks your cycle is, and add it in an unexpected spot.
Cycles with offset.
You make an adjustment to a pose that has cycle with offset, and the result can also be unexpected.
If you are aware of what the tool does - then you know when it can help and when it can hinder.
On a normal in-place cycle, it can be helpful. (if you have the start and end keys there first)
On a translating cycle, it can hinder on those parts that translate, but still help on the others that don't as not all parts cycle with offset. But keeping track of that takes cognitive power. So perhaps it's easier just to avoid it on the translating cycles.
Hope that answers your question.