NPC Animations: What would you like to have?

Hello,

i want to make a Animation/Mocap package with Civilian/NPC motions. I will record them and rig them for the Epic skeleton.

I thought of things like: using phones, working on a computer, talking, holdig a speech etc.

But, since you are the ones i am doing this for: What motions do you want?

Just name what you want under this Post and i will put it in the Pack :wink:

Tons of people are making survival and/or building games. Why not include some NPCs that are crafting or carrying various things (on their head, under their arms, in front of their stomachs, on their backs). Maybe cutting logs, picking things up off the ground in a gathering fashion, hammering things while standing, hammering things while kneeling, etc.

Very Good idea!

Some general stuff:

Holding a conversation (various gestures, head nods, hand waving etc)
Waving at friends
Selling something (i.e. offering to pay, refusing price, accepting price) like at a market stall
Sitting down, standing up
Digging a hole (swinging an implement at something near the floor)
Putting something up (a poster on a wall, a piece of clothing on a washing line)

Turning and looking at something in place. Some flavor idle animations. Sleeping against something etc

Sitting and standing transition. (Zoombapup already mentioned this one. To me this would be incredibly desirable. I guess the height of the sitting is the hard part, but just go with the default epic chair height).
Drunk walking.
Standing holding a cup or a glass, then holding it to its mouth and drinking.
Pointing (Informatively, as in ā€œOver thereā€)
Pointing (Angry, jabbing at another personā€™s chest).
Standing with two hands up in surrender.(Alarmed, hands held high)
Standing with two hands up in mock surrender (Smiling, hands at shoulder height)
Crouching in fear.
Pushing something at around hip-height, like a shopping trolley. (Two-handed).
Pushing a button (on a vertical surface, like an elevator button).
Pushing a button (on a horizontal surface, like an alarm, the trapdoor to the shark-pool (:)) or an answer machine*).
Sitting typing.
Sitting, picking up a phone and putting it to its ear, and down again.
Holding hands (One for left, one for right).
Different generic idle animations. (Epicā€™s basic one looks like it is recovering from running a 4 minute mile.)

  • Running its hand through itā€™s hair/rubbing bald head.
  • Standing still, looking around.
  • General standing, breathing slowly.
  • Seriously, I could with loads of these just for variation. Even playing with a yo-yo (it was in its hand the whole time!).
    A facepalm/dā€™oh! one.
    Swiping a security card (down, vertically).

As you can see there are a lot of animations, just off the top of my head. For me, this one of the biggest holes in my knowledge, and the most I spend on in the Marketplace.

*Ask your parents. Theyā€™ll know what this is. :slight_smile:

I want:

Pushing a heavy ballista or battering ram as a team
Throwing javelin/spear
Pulling, pushing, lifting objects of various heights and sizes (residential and commercial objects, office printer, desks etc.)
Opening doors (several variations)
Swimming
Helping someone get a boost over a wall (the first few images)
Gun poses/movements from tense moments in films
Hiding around a wall (hugging the wall) and looking back around a few times
Smoking (seated; leaning on wall; crouched looking at something, crouched picking something up. The body language is always very distinctive and unique)
Pushing NPCs away from self (variations)
Putting gloves/scarf/coats on (variations)
Hand waving or other emotes (various; tactical/Spec Ops hand signs)
Parachuting
Fluid run and gun as seen in games like Uncharted
Fluid in/out of cover animations with Blueprint sample game if possible to tune the transitions
Shining flashlight over the floor, or the space in front of self
Run animations with a jerking full body turn to right/left (or other uncommon animations which would add immersion)
Generic stealth
Generic rock climbing animations with Blueprint sample and blended bounce/hang animations, to tune it
(from sitting) swing legs over and drop down
Throwing items of various weight and size (two handed, strained, toss paper ball etc.)
Lots of person-to-person interactions inspired by scenes in films, for depth and immersion.

I think if you create unique animations which are also generic enough to be applied to most games, you might get more sales.

  • Looking at Window or Screen
  • Comparing Items in Window or Screen
  • Eating at Table
  • Conversing at Table
  • Laughing at Table
  • Toasting at Table
  • Talking on Cell phone
  • Talking to Other (Standing and Sitting with a few variants)
  • Carrying Item on Shoulder
  • Holding Backpack Strap (Right / Left / Both variants)
  • Holding Heavy Packback Strap (Right / Left / Both variants)

Animations like this and other similar ones to bring life to a world. A lot of them are useful in multiple settings to, from a fantasy tavern to a modern shopping mall.

Wow! We werenā€™t expecting that much response! We have done the first recordings by now, but concidering the size of the pack in the end (weā€™re trying to get almost every suggestion and turn it into a motion) it may take a little bit more time than expected :wink:

Anything off the ground

Ledge climbs (all directions) rope climb as well as overhand and wall jumps. Should be all 8 way movment

Iā€™m seconding sitting down and standing up. Surprisingly uncommon animations in many packs.