How do I properly use Sync Markers and how do they function?

Development Character & Animation
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I have watched the videos with Laurent Delayen regarding Paragon and read the documentation about Sync Groups but I still don’t have a full understanding of how to use Sync Markers and exactly how they work.

I have three different start walk animations depending on direction and a walking loop. I have sync markers placed but I don’t know how to properly blend from the start walk animation to the walking state. I am still not sure which animation should be leader or follower and I just lack an understanding of how it all works and how to put it to good use.

I have tried using “Has Sync Marker Been Hit This Frame” to then blend into walking but to no good outcome. Does anyone have greater understanding of how it all works and would care to help and explain? Thank you very much!

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Not to be rude or anything, but the very first sentence states I’ve read it.

2 Likes
4

Then read it again until you have a full understanding. :stuck_out_tongue:

And at least post a video or something of how it looks now and the current settings you’re using. We can’t help you with nothing.

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I’m trying my best to understand it completely but I don’t know, maybe I’m slow.

GIF of my issue, the animations not blending seamlessly as I want. And pictures showing my setup.
Top image is WalkStart to Walk transition.
Middle image is WalkLoop animation
Last image is WalkStart animation.

https://gfycat.com/HarshContentBooby

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Things would be easier to understand if you can see the changes occurring from with in the sync group as a visual aid but as stated the function is to match up the sync of a longer sequence as say a walk cycle that takes 40 frames to complete as referenced by a run cycle that would only take 24 frames to complete the full cycle. As a normal set up animations usually start off with left foot forward so when switching the locomotion state from say a run to a walk then the blend could occur say 50% out of the current state (run) into the walk state starting at frame 0 based on the blend in time. Keep in mind that blend in and blend out time is what makes smooth blending even possible in the first place.

Sooo

As you run forward the run into walk becomes out of cycle to complete a smooth transitions based on the ease in and ease out so there will be points with in the state where the right foot could be forward and asking the blend to occur based on the left foot forward of the staring in point of the walk cycle. This will cause the left foot forward to skate or pop across to the right foot forward.

This is where sync groups can fix the blending problem by keeping track of the current state in relationship to matched sets of state changes using the current foot forward position using the marker as the ease in point and not from the beginning of the required animation take…

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What still boggles me immensely is how I properly make a transition between start_walk and walking.

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Any updates on this @nissekaka ? I’m searching for the same thing.

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I think I figured it out. At least in 4.20, the start walk anim sequence needs to be set to loop. If it is not set to loop, sync markers won’t work. I’m now stuck with sync markers not working for blendspaces. Sync groups work, but the sync markers are ignored so it just starts the sequence at the wrong point in the animation. My start walk is going into a looping walk sequence (not blendspace). Still experimenting.