One Little Robit

Development Character & Animation
1

Ahoy folks.

I have modeled myself a little robot to animate, get into game, and learn the ropes of importing custom content and getting it working in engine. He was an easy and simple model, and as I go to rig him for animation… I realize I had a question.

Does UE4 require a skeletal mesh or does IK rigging work fine? I suppose rag doll effects and such need the skeletal mesh, but can UE4 even make use of robotic IK type rigging and animations? I only ask because all the tutorials I find on UE4 include skeletal meshes as part of player or pawn characters. Adding a skeletal mesh to a robot type model is still super easy, I am just curious if this is a limitation of the engine?

Because words without pictures is boring.

http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q680/vgnevar/robit_zpseqomoam9.jpg

2

Surprised you have not gotten any replies.
Yes, you will need a skeletal mesh to animate anything in UE4. That is how it is done. This is not so much a limitation, as a way of doing things.
Just look it up in the documentation, under Engine Features > Persona.
I see you are using 3DMax, I have no idea how rigging works in that program, as I am busy learning Blender. Rigging systems can vary quite a bit in features and approach between programs, and the use of language changes as well.

3

Max users usually turn to BIPED or CAT. Can’t say I miss rigging in that program though =/
BTW, do they have ART for Max?