Would I be wasting time by creating animations for a placeholder character skeletal mesh, and then transferring those animations to another skeletal mesh which will utilize the same skeletal rig (the finalized character)?
I’m creating a polished playable level, and I want to initially get the player’s mechanics animations down, so that I can work on concepting out the aesthetics of the level/level design. Thank you.
Would it be more work to do this? (would I have to adjust the animations after I transfer them to a different skeletal mesh?)
If the proportions of the skeletal mesh are the same, and you dont have to change joint positions and lenghts, then no, it should all match well. Tho in detail that depends also depends on how well matched the placeholder meshs volumes are.
how so? (regarding the mesh volumes) The model would be roughly the same, but I would add armor to the final model)
Well, if for example the armour makes the characters limbs thicker, you might have mesh from the arm clip through the body if you come too close. Where it wouldnt be clipping earlier, now with the extra thickness from armour, it probably would.