WEBVTT

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Hello everyone

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I'm Professor Ok-hue Cho from Sangmyung university

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specializing in the use of Unreal Engine for immersive content creation

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In this session, we'll take a look at animation and motion

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Let's start this session by

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thinking about one particular topic

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Some of you may be familiar with

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the character currently displayed on the screen

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while others might be seeing it for the first time

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These are characters from a Korean drama

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showing their animation-related implementation and sources

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Those who have watched the drama will be quite familiar with these characters

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You can think of the animations shown here

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as being created using Unreal Engine

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This source material comes from the Unreal Summit

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a major annual event related to Unreal Engine

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As you all probably know

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Unreal Engine is primarily a game development engine

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Importantly, it's also widely used

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to create various types of content beyond games

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So, while it's commonly used for game development, it's also extensively used for creating animations

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Because of its advanced features

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it's widely utilized for implementing CG in movies as well

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It's also used extensively for creating various music videos

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Unreal Engine is becoming increasingly diverse in its ability to produce projects beyond games

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Unreal Engine is also used for creating documentaries

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and for virtual production concepts

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especially for large-scale broadcasts and extensive shoots

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The scope of Unreal Engine is expanding more and more

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Let's take some time in this session to think about concepts related to animation

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If I were to explain animation concepts

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using software like 3ds Max, Maya, or Blender

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I would discuss how to set up characters, animate them

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applying rendering techniques, and so on

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However, Unreal Engine is a game engine

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Animation concepts are crucial

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not only when creating games using Unreal Engine

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but also when producing entirely animated works

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The concept of animating assets, sometimes referred to as animating sources

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involves bringing characters to life through movement

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Animating a character involves incorporating the motion source itself

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into the concept of animation

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If I were talking about animation in relation to Unreal Engine

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about 10 years ago

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the focus would likely have been primarily on discussions

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about dynamic sources related to character animation

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These days, when discussing animation in relation to Unreal Engine

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the focus has shifted towards

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considering Unreal as a tool for creating actual animations

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In the past, especially with software like 3ds Max or maya

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a large number of people spent a long time

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creating animations

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due to the complexities of setting up and rendering

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Typically, creating 3D graphic animations would take

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at least 3 to 4 years as a standard

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Even 2 years was considered short

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That's because rendering times used to be quite lengthy

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However, programs like Maya have significantly sped up over time

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However, nowadays with Unreal Engine

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rendering concepts are real-time

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meaning you don't have to wait for rendering

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You simply press play and see the final result immediately

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So, because of the real-time rendering capabilities in Unreal Engine

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the approach of pressing play and immediately seeing the animation in action is widely used

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Therefore, when you see 3D graphic animations

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especially those on Netflix

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made using Unreal Engine

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of course, the number of people involved can vary widely depending on the case

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but with teams of several dozens

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the ecosystem and system itself have evolved drastically compared to the past

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Productions can now create one piece within a month or so

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reflecting this change

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It can be said that Unreal Engine has become indispensable

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in the era of animation production today

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Then let's delve into the content

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There are three main structures

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and the concepts we're discussing now are used in actual animation production as well

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Rather than that, let's focus more on creating games

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specifically animation sources and menus

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so, if you right-click to see

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when we examine, the material menu typically

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appears as the main menu at the top, with many sub-menus appearing below it

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Let's focus on exploring

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animation-related menus during this session

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Let's take a look at the Animation Blueprint Montage system first

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and then explore the concept of animation blending

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which is a very interesting concept

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It's a concept I personally find it fascinating as well

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With animation blending, you can mix animation together seamlessly, like mixing or blending them literally

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You can blend animations A, B, and C together

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overlapping them to create a blend where two animations are mixed

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For example, if A is a sitting down animation

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and B is a standing animation

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where the character is moving slightly

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blending them would seamlessly mix these actions

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creating a natural transition between sitting and slight movement without interruption

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It can be considered a very convenient concept

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Blending these three animations

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standing still, walking, and running

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allows for smooth transitions between them

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This means transitioning naturally from standing still to walking and then seamlessly into running

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rather than abruptly switching from one to the other

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It provides a convenient and natural way to create animations with fluid movements

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Next, skeletal mesh structure and animation retargeting concepts

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are really convenient features and widely used functionalities

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let's take a look at each of these one by one

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Animation Blueprint and Montage System

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First, the animation-related menu in Unreal Engine with detailed options

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with detailed options appearing when you right click

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You'll see various elements and components that you can create

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That also includes materials among its options

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When it comes to animation-related options

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right-clicking brings up a list like this

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with animation elements appearing there

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If you look at the sub-menu again

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you'll see various options like this

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Animation Blueprint appears, and above that, you'll see the cinematic menu

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Usually, the cinematic menu is heavily used

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when creating animations

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Setting up cameras, rendering out reels

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and such tasks are found in the Cinematics-related menus

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There are many interesting concepts like various tech recorders

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I'll focus on aspects

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closely related to games

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which are also applicable in animation productions

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Mirror Data Table, Blend Spaces, Animation Layer Interface, Animation Montages, Composites

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and many other diverse elements appear

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The most commonly used one is the Animation Blueprint

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Of course, among the various options that appear when you right-click

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at the top is the Blueprint Class

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Another way is to create a blueprint

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and select animations from there

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If you go into the animation menu itself

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you'll see a list of animation blueprints

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Therefore, the difference between other graphics programs and Unreal Engine is that

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other graphics programs have a lot of icons visible on the screen

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Unreal Engine, on the other hand has

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a hierarchical menu structure when you right-click

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As you go down one level, a lot more options appear

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and the same happens when you go further into those options

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I think the advantage of this is that

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when you're working in Unreal, there are specific fields you might specialize in

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You can choose menus as needed

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whether you're focused on animation, effects, coding

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or character setup

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which makes it convenient for your specific tasks in Unreal

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So whether I work with Unreal Engine for three or five years

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there will still be menus that I never end up touching

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You don't need to look at those menus then

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This type of menu structure seems very convenient

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In Unreal Engine, the Animation Blueprint is

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a very powerful tool that allows you

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to visually program the animation states and logic for characters or objects

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In Unreal Engine, everything is implemented using Blueprints

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Of course, it can be simple

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There's nothing you can't do with Blueprints

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From interactions to effects

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through this, developers and designers can implement

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and manage complex animation systems

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The Animation Blueprint

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consists of two main parts: the animation graph and the event graph

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First, when looking at the animation graph part

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it's somewhat similar to what you've seen when editing materials

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This part also consists of nodes, just like in the case of material editing

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It involves nodes that you connect one by one

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And usually when students study, they view it with just one laptop

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When working on multiple windows

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and then playing in Unreal

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you often have to set aside what you were working on, like materials, etc.

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and then resume the work in that manner

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If you're using dual monitors

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you can work on Blueprints without having to minimize them

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by moving them to the right or left monitor

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And when you play to preview

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you can see in real-time how any Blueprint

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regardless of which part

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is being executed

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and where errors might occur

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However, it can be challenging to view all those different screen on just a laptop

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So, one of the major components of an Animation Blueprint is the animation graph

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which consists of animation nodes

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Animation files, let me explain those first

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We refer to animation sources

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as the detailed movement of characters

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such as how they walk, run, move their faces, jump, and even soar into the sky

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after jumping up and standing

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among other actions

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So typically, these animation sources are obtained from marketplaces

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created in software like 3ds Max or Maya, or made in Blender

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Characters have bones embedded in them, which perform various movements

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In most cases, these animations are imported and used in the form of FBX files

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With updates to Unreal Engine

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and as Unreal continues to update

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now you can create detailed movements directly within Unreal itself

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if you have set up the character skeleton

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When importing and FBX file containing external animations

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after importing

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and checking the folder

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you'll find a skeletal mesh, which contains the foundation

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and then separate animation sequences

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for each specific animation movement within Unreal Engine

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If characters share the same skeleton

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for example, there are characters A and B

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with different appearances, but they share the same skeleton structure

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so they can perform the same movements

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However, even if the bone structure differs by just one bone

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there might be some difficulty in performing movements smoothly

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Anyway, how you set up and use animation motion data in games

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whether for gameplay or specific animations

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is crucial concepts to study

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when learning about animations

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in Unreal Engine

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The animation graph defines the animation states and transitions of a character

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Within this graph

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developers can create various animation states and set conditions for transitioning between each state

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For example, a character can have various animation states

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such as walking, running, jumping, and so on

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These states can change

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based on the character's speed and user input

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Next is the event graph

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The animation graph we discussed earlier

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is where specific movements are organized

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sequenced and structured

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This part of the setup is referred to as

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the animation graph

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The event graph, on the other hand, involves programming related to game logic

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So, for example

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when a certain key is pressed, specific actions occur

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or as soon as the game starts, certain actions are triggered

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Alternatively, a character might remain idle

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until a specific situation arises, prompting a specific action

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This kind of setup is often used in game scenarios

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For example, when a character picks up a specific item, they can perform certain actions

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when holding a specific weapon, they can perform different actions

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Pressing certain keys might trigger or disable actions, and so on

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These scenarios and actions are orchestrated through events

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which are essentially individual occurrences or incidents

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The Blueprint process of setting up these actions is referred to as the event graph

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You can set variables to control animations

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and implement logic

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to update animations in response to gameplay events

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For example, changing the animation when a character collides with a specific object

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or triggering animations

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for fatigue

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pain, or injury

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when the character's health drops below a certain level

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these types of logic are implemented

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in the event graph

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Let's take a closer look at the Animation Blueprint in more detail

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We can divide it into

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state machines, blend spaces, and animation montages

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And one of the important aspects here is the state machine

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in games, animations typically require careful setup

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especially when it comes to cinematic animations and the logic

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for transitioning between different states

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In games, there can be all sorts of situations

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There are various scenarios in games

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such as when a character dies, gets injured, wears a specific item

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enters a certain area, carries a pet, climbs, etc.

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The concept that handles how different animation states transition based on various situations is

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precisely what a state machine addresses

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In the past, before game engines existed

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complex animation logic would have been entirely coded manually

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However, with game engines, especially when using the concept of Blueprints

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it's like designing a blueprint where you just need to connect nodes together effectively

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Next, there's the blend space

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Blend spaces allow for

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smooth mixing of two ore more animations

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essentially like putting them in a mixer and smoothly blend movements

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which is a fantastic feature

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If this feature didn't exist, the character would abruptly switch from performing action A

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to suddenly performing action B without any smooth transition

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Instead, with a blend space, you can smoothly transition to action B in a natural way

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and you can even control how quickly or gradually the blending occurs

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It's indeed a remarkable feature

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This concept can be applied not only when creating animations

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but also when developing games, using blend space concepts

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to implement these functionalities very effectively

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It allows for creating very natural character movements

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For example, as mentioned earlier

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you can blend walking and running animations to achieve smooth transitions

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based on the character's speed, creating natural movements

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For instance, using the blende space concept, you can implement that holding up the arrow key for a certain duration

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gradually transitions from walking to running

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Furthermore, holding it longer could increase the running speed

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allowing for dynamic control over character movements based on input duration

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Next, there's the concept of animation montages

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Animation montages are useful for managing complex animation sequences systematically

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They allow for playing, stopping, and blending specific animations as needed

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making them highly versatile for use in different situations

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Through animation montages, you can efficiently control specific animations

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such as attack animations or skill usage animations for characters

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It provides a convenient system for managing and executing these animations

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Let's take a closer look at the animation montage system in more detail

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Using animation montages allows

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direct control over animation assets

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via Blueprints or C++ code

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I should explain the difference between Blueprints and C++ here

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When you first launch Unreal Engine

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from the Epic Games Launcher and select a version

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you can create a new project after starting Unreal Engine

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00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:39.383
At that point, when creating a project

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00:16:39.383 --> 00:16:43.683
you have the option to choose

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00:16:43.683 --> 00:16:49.367
between Blueprint and C++ development methods

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An important aspect here is that

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choosing the C++ option means you'll develop all content using C++

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00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:04.179
whereas selecting Blueprint means you'll develop everything using Blueprints

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When Blueprints were first introduced

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many professional programmers were initially skeptical or hesitant about them

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Because professional programmers are accustomed to continuous coding

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adding comments, and working with text-based scripting, which they find more comfortable

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Blueprints were first introduced

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to allow non-programmers, artists, and graphic designers

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00:17:28.229 --> 00:17:30.429
to implement a certain level of interaction themselves

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I think the biggest advantage of Blueprints is

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00:17:32.979 --> 00:17:36.082
the node-based visual scripting

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where you connect nodes together

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It's the concept of coding without having to open Visual Studio

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00:17:41.032 --> 00:17:43.932
Working with Blueprints allow you

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00:17:43.932 --> 00:17:49.839
to gain a deep understanding of various Unreal Engine development structures

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00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:52.289
Even though you're coding with Blueprints

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the fundamental coding concepts remain the same

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Many students who start coding with Blueprints eventually transition smoothly to traditional coding methods

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as the underlying concepts remain consistent

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00:18:00.600 --> 00:18:08.947
despite the visual nature of Blueprints

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00:18:08.947 --> 00:18:12.247
And they find it useful especially for simple interactions or basic implementations

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00:18:12.247 --> 00:18:14.997
Then it's possible to achieve almost complete implementations

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without having to open Microsoft Visual Studio, just using Blueprints

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It's a highly beneficial system

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00:18:21.110 --> 00:18:26.760
There's a similar concept in Unity 3D game engine called PlayMaker

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00:18:26.760 --> 00:18:29.760
where you connect nodes without opening Visual Studio

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00:18:29.760 --> 00:18:32.240
which is a very innovative and convenient concept

333
00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.590
From a learner's perspective, and even for professionals

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00:18:35.590 --> 00:18:38.990
visual scripting like Blueprints often offers more effective learning outcomes

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00:18:38.990 --> 00:18:40.960
compared to text-based coding

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00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:44.610
So, the concept of Animation Montage allows you to combine

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00:18:44.610 --> 00:18:46.910
multiple animation sequences

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00:18:46.910 --> 00:18:50.827
into a single entity or essence

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00:18:50.827 --> 00:18:56.600
divided into sections for partial or combined playback

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00:18:56.600 --> 00:18:59.500
Within Animation Montages

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00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:03.800
you can trigger events to perform various local or replicated actions

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00:19:03.800 --> 00:19:08.000
You can use Animation Montages to conveniently integrate various functionalities

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00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:12.550
such as playing sound cues or particle effects

344
00:19:12.550 --> 00:19:16.029
modifying player values like token counts

345
00:19:16.029 --> 00:19:18.229
and even replicating root motion replay

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00:19:18.229 --> 00:19:21.661
in networked games

347
00:19:21.661 --> 00:19:25.959
when the root motion of animations is enabled

348
00:19:25.959 --> 00:19:28.359
These are advantages that can be highlighted

349
00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:32.609
Sometimes you need Animation Blueprints

350
00:19:32.609 --> 00:19:35.309
other times you need Animation Montages

351
00:19:35.309 --> 00:19:39.119
and sometimes Blend Spaces, each situation requires different needs

352
00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:40.790
Ideally, all you need are

353
00:19:40.790 --> 00:19:42.840
animation files

354
00:19:42.840 --> 00:19:44.890
and various FBX files

355
00:19:44.890 --> 00:19:48.940
You don't necessarily need to worry about extracting just the video

356
00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:53.590
interaction isn't required

357
00:19:53.590 --> 00:19:57.240
You don't need to know anything about it at all

358
00:19:57.240 --> 00:20:01.040
but again, I want to emphasize that the concepts I'm explaining right now are related to games

359
00:20:01.040 --> 00:20:04.040
Of course, you can also use it for animations

360
00:20:04.040 --> 00:20:10.399
I'll take a closer look at the Montage system interface in more detail

361
00:20:10.399 --> 00:20:14.099
These can be divided into three concepts

362
00:20:14.099 --> 00:20:17.149
sections, slots, and group slots

363
00:20:17.149 --> 00:20:20.399
Since the graphics may vary slightly between versions

364
00:20:20.399 --> 00:20:24.119
it's good to keep that in mind as a reference

365
00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:25.119
But that's there

366
00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:29.810
The interface between 4.27 and 5.0 is of course different visually, but the concepts are mostly similar

367
00:20:29.810 --> 00:20:32.960
It's not completely different like entirely different programs

368
00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:38.660
Similarly, between 5.0 and 5.1, and between 5.1 and 5.2, the differences are minimal

369
00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:43.460
However, there's quite a gap between 4.27 and 5.3

370
00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:47.631
But they're not completely different programs

371
00:20:47.631 --> 00:20:53.431
So, with each version update

372
00:20:53.431 --> 00:20:56.381
like all these programs, large 3D graphics software, for instance

373
00:20:56.381 --> 00:20:58.559
typically releases a new version about once a year

374
00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:02.459
With versions like 2021 and 2022

375
00:21:02.459 --> 00:21:07.359
in the case of Unity, updates can be frequent, sometimes even twice a month

376
00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:15.760
Unreal Engine, on the other hand,, has seen rapid releases from 5.0 to 5.3 in a short span

377
00:21:15.760 --> 00:21:18.410
And even within the same version number like 5.x

378
00:21:18.410 --> 00:21:20.460
updates can vary from time to time

379
00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:23.660
Each time, elements might be added or removed

380
00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:26.279
and various features might be merged into one

381
00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:30.379
Especially, the graphical UI tends to change slightly with each update

382
00:21:30.379 --> 00:21:33.720
You need to pay close attention to these changes

383
00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:36.137
Sections, slots, and group slots

384
00:21:36.137 --> 00:21:39.037
can be displayed in the interface like this

385
00:21:39.037 --> 00:21:41.760
It's like there are several empty slots

386
00:21:41.760 --> 00:21:46.307
There are several empty slots where you can store accessories or office supplies

387
00:21:46.307 --> 00:21:49.920
and you can set up drawers in them as you like

388
00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:55.820
Think of it like managing drawers

389
00:21:55.820 --> 00:21:59.720
here it repeats, here it starts, here it ends, and let's repeat this once more

390
00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:05.849
This drawer concept will help you better understand the montage system

391
00:22:05.849 --> 00:22:11.079
So now, let's take a closer look those three concepts we discussed earlier

392
00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:14.519
First, let's take a look at sections in the montage system

393
00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:19.119
When you create sections, you can divide a slot into various parts of the animation

394
00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.819
Think of it like organizing drawers, as I mentioned earlier

395
00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:24.480
and I think you'll find it easier to understand

396
00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:29.399
Each section contains names and positions within the timeline of slots

397
00:22:29.399 --> 00:22:31.999
I can also jump directly to this action from one action

398
00:22:31.999 --> 00:22:34.799
in a specific section using these names

399
00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:37.449
If the current section ends

400
00:22:37.449 --> 00:22:40.200
you can also enqueue it to play next

401
00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:43.210
So, you'll need to do these operations in Blueprint

402
00:22:43.210 --> 00:22:45.519
where you can query the current section

403
00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:48.279
jump to a specific section

404
00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:52.279
or set the next section to play directly

405
00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:53.879
But when it comes to coding

406
00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:55.640
Blueprint operates on a fundamentally different conceptual level compared to traditional coding

407
00:22:55.640 --> 00:22:57.839
Blueprint allow you to visually organize your coding tasks

408
00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:00.389
by placing nodes and connecting them

409
00:23:00.389 --> 00:23:01.760
making it much more intuitive

410
00:23:01.760 --> 00:23:07.600
and convenient to work with

411
00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:12.559
Think of sections as songs in a music playlist

412
00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:15.209
Slots are like albums that can contain music

413
00:23:15.209 --> 00:23:17.000
Inside each album, there are multiple songs

414
00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:19.480
Think of it that way, and it should make things clearer

415
00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.380
While playing one section

416
00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:26.199
when it ends, you can immediately jump to another section in the slot

417
00:23:26.199 --> 00:23:29.239
like listening to this, then that, then this music

418
00:23:29.239 --> 00:23:32.320
If you think of it in that concept, it should make sense

419
00:23:32.320 --> 00:23:35.719
Thinking of it as a drawer concept where you open one and see what's inside

420
00:23:35.719 --> 00:23:37.569
each drawer being a slot

421
00:23:37.569 --> 00:23:40.039
is a good analogy to understand it

422
00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:41.640
When making games, this is very important

423
00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:43.190
Because with animations

424
00:23:43.190 --> 00:23:46.159
I just need to arrange the desired actions on a timeline

425
00:23:46.159 --> 00:23:48.291
and display them sequentially

426
00:23:48.291 --> 00:23:50.641
However, in games

427
00:23:50.641 --> 00:23:53.010
the actions a character needs to perform can change depending on the situation

428
00:23:53.010 --> 00:23:56.410
When using this approach in development

429
00:23:56.410 --> 00:24:01.080
it becomes very convenient to set up actions for characters to make movements

430
00:24:01.080 --> 00:24:02.719
Next slot

431
00:24:02.719 --> 00:24:05.919
The concept of montage encompasses everything within this

432
00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:07.551
And while listening to this explanation

433
00:24:07.551 --> 00:24:12.640
I think it would be more effective if you try creating an animation montage with Unreal open

434
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:17.781
and look at the interface while following along with the explanation

435
00:24:17.781 --> 00:24:21.760
Think of slots within a montage as tracks

436
00:24:21.760 --> 00:24:26.280
that can hold as many animations as you want

437
00:24:26.280 --> 00:24:29.280
You can name the slots randomly

438
00:24:29.280 --> 00:24:31.400
You can use specific alphabets if you want

439
00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:33.450
In my case, I often use the alphabetical order

440
00:24:33.450 --> 00:24:36.400
or fruit names to make it easier to remember

441
00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:38.750
You can use those names

442
00:24:38.750 --> 00:24:41.840
to blend different animations within them

443
00:24:41.840 --> 00:24:44.690
So, you can neatly place each animation into the montage

444
00:24:44.690 --> 00:24:47.760
or separate slots

445
00:24:47.760 --> 00:24:50.460
In the animation graph of the animation blueprint

446
00:24:50.460 --> 00:24:52.159
you can use the Slot node

447
00:24:52.159 --> 00:24:55.840
so that character can be standing or lying down

448
00:24:55.840 --> 00:24:59.000
The character will perform various actions when it appears in the game

449
00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:02.599
Accordingly, you can easily decide which set of animations to use

450
00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:06.030
through the slots

451
00:25:06.030 --> 00:25:08.960
The next is the group slot, which is a very simple concept

452
00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:10.359
It's a collection of slots

453
00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:14.173
You can think of it as a group slot

454
00:25:14.562 --> 00:25:19.185
After animation blending, skeletal mesh structure, and animation retargeting

455
00:25:19.354 --> 00:25:23.679
the next powerful feature is the blend space, which is highly related animations

456
00:25:23.679 --> 00:25:26.599
You can mix and blend motions freely

457
00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:30.679
You can mix sitting motions with fancy dancing

458
00:25:30.679 --> 00:25:33.760
blend jumping with standing at attention

459
00:25:33.760 --> 00:25:36.440
or combine walking with running

460
00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:40.760
It automatically mixes them, which is really impressive and convenient

461
00:25:40.760 --> 00:25:44.679
In Unreal Engine, blend spaces smoothly mix multiple animations

462
00:25:44.679 --> 00:25:49.200
Think of it like putting various ingredients into a blender to make a mixed dish

463
00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:52.880
It allows you to express character movements more naturally and diversely

464
00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:56.919
This feature is most commonly used in animations

465
00:25:56.919 --> 00:26:00.400
where there needs to be smooth transitions between walking, running, and sprinting motions

466
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:04.900
You can blend animations very naturally based on various input variables

467
00:26:04.900 --> 00:26:09.119
such as character speed, direction, incline, and more

468
00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:12.559
Let's take a look at the main components of blend spaces

469
00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:14.880
The axes and animation samples

470
00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:17.799
The axes refer to what you might think

471
00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:22.000
representing variables like speed and direction

472
00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:25.799
The animation samples - each axis has specific conditions

473
00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:29.440
The most commonly used concept is, for example

474
00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.599
placing animation samples

475
00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:36.599
corresponding to minimum speed and maximum speed on each axis

476
00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:40.320
You can say that within the blend space

477
00:26:40.320 --> 00:26:43.599
the samples are automatically blended as described earlier

478
00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:48.520
It's fundamentally present in many games and is one of the most commonly used features

479
00:26:48.520 --> 00:26:50.900
because characters need to move

480
00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:55.239
I have captured the screen

481
00:26:55.239 --> 00:26:56.839
showing the most commonly used blend space samples

482
00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:59.239
related to movement and put it on the screen now

483
00:26:59.239 --> 00:27:01.439
Usually, when a character is idle

484
00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:03.479
as you may have experienced in games

485
00:27:03.479 --> 00:27:06.479
they're not standing still but rather standing at attention

486
00:27:06.479 --> 00:27:08.280
or doing something else

487
00:27:08.280 --> 00:27:12.520
Like slight shoulder movements, shifting weight between legs

488
00:27:12.520 --> 00:27:15.320
or even breathing subtly

489
00:27:15.320 --> 00:27:17.000
there's always some form of idle animation

490
00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:19.159
They move ever so slightly, just a little bit

491
00:27:19.159 --> 00:27:21.209
Then there's the walking animation

492
00:27:21.209 --> 00:27:24.080
and when the character picks up a specific key or item

493
00:27:24.080 --> 00:27:25.430
there's running animation

494
00:27:25.430 --> 00:27:29.960
Whether it's an MMORPG, shooting game, or adventure game

495
00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:33.520
since characters inevitably move

496
00:27:33.520 --> 00:27:38.159
we can say that blend space is a concept that appears most frequently and is essential

497
00:27:38.159 --> 00:27:40.309
In the blend space workspace

498
00:27:40.309 --> 00:27:43.840
of course, there are sometimes pop-up windows that explain things a bit

499
00:27:43.840 --> 00:27:48.239
Most programs that have timelines

500
00:27:48.239 --> 00:27:53.200
exist in general video editing or 2D programs

501
00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:57.559
3D graphic programs like 3ds Max, Maya, and Blender have timelines

502
00:27:57.559 --> 00:28:00.919
In these programs, when you click back and forth on the timeline

503
00:28:00.919 --> 00:28:04.679
it recognizes that specific point

504
00:28:04.679 --> 00:28:08.400
However, in the case of Blend Space in Unreal

505
00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:11.050
To see the action at a specific timing

506
00:28:11.050 --> 00:28:14.799
You have to press the control key and move the mouse cursor

507
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:17.049
Sometimes, this explanation doesn't appear automatically

508
00:28:17.049 --> 00:28:19.760
in certain versions

509
00:28:19.760 --> 00:28:21.760
So, in some versions, even clicking doesn't work

510
00:28:21.760 --> 00:28:25.280
and if you want to preview this action

511
00:28:25.280 --> 00:28:31.000
remember that pressing the Control key is essential in blend spaces

512
00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:33.119
It would be helpful to remember this

513
00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:35.957
When you hold down the Control key and move the mouse cursor back and forth

514
00:28:35.957 --> 00:28:39.455
you'll notice that instead of abruptly transitioning from idle to walking

515
00:28:39.455 --> 00:28:42.080
or suddenly jumping to running

516
00:28:42.080 --> 00:28:46.359
the character moves naturally from idle to walking and then smoothly transitions into runnign

517
00:28:46.359 --> 00:28:48.320
It is really impressive

518
00:28:48.320 --> 00:28:50.599
Therefore, to give another example

519
00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:54.549
scenes where characters draw a knife from their pocket and attack someone

520
00:28:54.549 --> 00:28:57.000
are very common in games

521
00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.750
Even in these moments, the action of drawing the knife

522
00:28:59.750 --> 00:29:02.000
not every swing of the knife will be the same

523
00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:06.119
it depends on the situation

524
00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:08.200
but the action of drawing the knife is usually the same

525
00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:10.950
These actions, like drawing and swinging the knife

526
00:29:10.950 --> 00:29:14.880
are blended naturally to be used in games

527
00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:18.380
Anyway, within a large content project

528
00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:22.400
there may be various animation motion files

529
00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:26.159
but there's no need to import the same action multiple times

530
00:29:26.159 --> 00:29:29.799
Even in those cases, these features are incredibly useful

531
00:29:29.799 --> 00:29:33.000
Here, to emphasize the most important point once again

532
00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:35.760
let's say there's a motion source A

533
00:29:35.760 --> 00:29:38.599
To perform this motion source

534
00:29:38.599 --> 00:29:43.699
only characters with a skeletal structure that matches 100% of this motions source

535
00:29:43.699 --> 00:29:45.559
can execute this action

536
00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:49.599
If the number of vertebrae or the number of fingers differ

537
00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:54.679
the leg structure could have an extra bone in the knee or not

538
00:29:54.679 --> 00:30:00.000
and the ankle could have a bone from under the knee to the bottom or go straight out

539
00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:02.850
and you could tie a few bones in the peach bone here

540
00:30:02.850 --> 00:30:06.150
Because each bone in such a structure has a different name

541
00:30:06.150 --> 00:30:08.050
when performing this animation file

542
00:30:08.050 --> 00:30:11.240
it can be said that the skeleton structure is really important

543
00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:16.790
So, earlier, I showed the interface along with the character for each action

544
00:30:16.790 --> 00:30:23.240
The content I'm going to show now is an expanded view of the submenu within the previous interface

545
00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:26.890
Each point represents a separate action

546
00:30:26.890 --> 00:30:31.940
The X marks you see, if you look closely, are small green X marks

547
00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:34.840
I've clicked and held down Ctrl on that area

548
00:30:34.840 --> 00:30:39.240
The screen displays what action is being performed in that area

549
00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:42.040
Whether to continue playing or pause

550
00:30:42.040 --> 00:30:44.799
there's a play and stop button below

551
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:50.549
and you can watch and pause it, and it's a concept like that

552
00:30:50.549 --> 00:30:54.480
On the right side, you can see a list of various actions

553
00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:57.080
The long list you see there is the list of actions

554
00:30:57.080 --> 00:31:02.720
that the skeleton I've set up can perform

555
00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.670
You understand the concept now, right?

556
00:31:04.670 --> 00:31:07.570
These actions that the skeleton can perform appear

557
00:31:07.570 --> 00:31:09.420
and what's convenient about them is that

558
00:31:09.420 --> 00:31:13.360
they don't necessarily need to be in the same folder

559
00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:17.641
The important thing is that

560
00:31:17.641 --> 00:31:21.310
as long as these actions are somewhere in the entire folder of the project I'm currently working on and developing

561
00:31:21.310 --> 00:31:25.199
the list of actions that this skeleton can perform will automatically appear

562
00:31:25.199 --> 00:31:27.399
You could say that's another advantage

563
00:31:27.399 --> 00:31:30.149
I was thinking about he actions in this folder

564
00:31:30.149 --> 00:31:33.711
but hey, this action can also be perform, and I can double-click to check

565
00:31:33.711 --> 00:31:36.311
You can see that white dots are added

566
00:31:36.311 --> 00:31:40.120
when you click and drag to place them

567
00:31:40.120 --> 00:31:42.720
Press the control key and move the mouse cursor back and forth to check

568
00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:45.420
When I mix this action with that, it feels a bit awkward

569
00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:48.919
Then I'll delete it and bring in another action instead

570
00:31:48.919 --> 00:31:50.638
It doesn't matter how many there are

571
00:31:50.638 --> 00:31:52.388
You could say that

572
00:31:52.388 --> 00:31:55.495
being able to mix all actions in such a convenient way

573
00:31:55.495 --> 00:31:58.559
is one of Unreal Engine's most powerful features

574
00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:00.299
The next is the skeletal mesh

575
00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:03.599
which is also one of my favorite features in Unreal Engine

576
00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:07.239
Generally speaking, compared to similar programs

577
00:32:07.239 --> 00:32:10.639
programs like Unity import FBX files

578
00:32:10.639 --> 00:32:12.939
When you import a file, it's imported as a single file

579
00:32:12.939 --> 00:32:17.199
Then, there are menus like the detail menu

580
00:32:17.199 --> 00:32:19.299
where you need to make some adjustments to it

581
00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:21.099
You need to extract the materials

582
00:32:21.099 --> 00:32:23.679
make adjustments, and so on

583
00:32:23.679 --> 00:32:26.579
However, in Unreal Engine, options appear when you import the file

584
00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:29.329
Instead of adjusting the materials after importing

585
00:32:29.329 --> 00:32:32.240
when importing, you can choose options like

586
00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:35.090
whether to import animations, which skeleton use, and so on

587
00:32:35.090 --> 00:32:39.399
By selecting these options, the character is automatically adjusted accordingly

588
00:32:39.399 --> 00:32:43.449
The skeletal mesh, a properly formed character with a skeleton

589
00:32:43.449 --> 00:32:46.799
physics-related components, and even just the skeleton itself

590
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:50.759
are all automatically organized into a single folder

591
00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:52.259
It's very convenient to use

592
00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:56.909
The properly formed character with a skeleton is called a skeletal mesh

593
00:32:56.909 --> 00:32:59.375
Unreal Engine also has a great feature

594
00:32:59.375 --> 00:33:03.157
where if you hover over an item and wait for about 2-3 seconds

595
00:33:03.157 --> 00:33:07.759
a popup appears showing whether it's a skeletal mesh, physics asset, or just a skeleton

596
00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:11.509
similar to the popup you're seeing now

597
00:33:11.509 --> 00:33:14.459
What I"m looking at now is a skeletal mesh

598
00:33:14.459 --> 00:33:20.183
In Unreal Engine projects, it typically represents the default appearance of a basic default character's skeletal mesh

599
00:33:20.183 --> 00:33:23.759
Double-clicking switches to the skeletal mesh editing window

600
00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:25.659
It would look like this

601
00:33:25.659 --> 00:33:28.909
Earlier, there were various items within the folder

602
00:33:28.909 --> 00:33:31.609
These elements combine

603
00:33:31.609 --> 00:33:36.609
to form a single FBX character file

604
00:33:36.609 --> 00:33:39.409
Just by opening the skeletal mesh editing window

605
00:33:39.409 --> 00:33:42.809
you can see options at the top right to switch to different views such as physics assets

606
00:33:42.809 --> 00:33:45.539
directly view animation assets

607
00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:49.160
or just see the skeleton, all divided accordingly

608
00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:52.360
You can say it's a very convenient feature

609
00:33:52.360 --> 00:33:55.460
that just by opening one file, you can interactively see the connected elements

610
00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:58.759
like the popup window switching back and forth

611
00:33:58.759 --> 00:34:01.259
The skeleton is skinned

612
00:34:01.259 --> 00:34:03.359
and the result is the skeletal mesh

613
00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:07.119
On the left side, Max and Maya also provide similar features

614
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:11.018
You can see the hierarchical structure of the skeleton

615
00:34:11.018 --> 00:34:14.168
including the spine, skull, pelvis, legs, bones, and finger bones

616
00:34:14.168 --> 00:34:16.880
listed out on the left side

617
00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:20.018
This is the skeleton, the bone structure you're referring to

618
00:34:20.018 --> 00:34:21.230
However, it's crucial that

619
00:34:21.230 --> 00:34:24.630
for something to be recognized as the same skeleton

620
00:34:24.630 --> 00:34:26.480
not only the structure

621
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:28.839
but also the names of the bones are 100% identical

622
00:34:28.839 --> 00:34:30.889
This can vary slightly between different programs

623
00:34:30.889 --> 00:34:35.089
Especially, the pelvis is both the center and the highest-level concept among all bones

624
00:34:35.089 --> 00:34:38.640
Some programs refer to the pelvic bone as "hip"

625
00:34:38.640 --> 00:34:40.840
while other use "pelvis"

626
00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:42.904
Since you can rename bones yourself

627
00:34:42.904 --> 00:34:44.854
some programs choose "center" around this flexibility

628
00:34:44.854 --> 00:34:48.454
The arrangement and structure are important

629
00:34:48.454 --> 00:34:51.154
but remember that for bones

630
00:34:51.154 --> 00:34:52.720
their names are also crucial

631
00:34:52.720 --> 00:34:54.570
The relationship between skeletal mesh and skeleton

632
00:34:54.570 --> 00:34:58.970
Skeletal mesh refers to the character itself, combining bones and skin

633
00:34:58.970 --> 00:35:03.119
while skeleton specifically refers to just the bones

634
00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:08.571
That concept of each individual bone structure having modeling attached to it

635
00:35:08.571 --> 00:35:11.440
like skin is referred to as being "skinned"

636
00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:12.590
Alright, skeletal mesh is the primary source

637
00:35:12.590 --> 00:35:16.340
for most of the animations

638
00:35:16.340 --> 00:35:19.239
Animals also need a skeleton in order to move

639
00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:23.789
Whether walking, running, or attacking, all monsters require a skeleton to move

640
00:35:23.789 --> 00:35:27.289
Even moving reeds can be represented as effects

641
00:35:27.289 --> 00:35:29.839
but they can also be animated by planting a skeleton to move like this

642
00:35:29.839 --> 00:35:34.589
You can think of implementing complex object animations, blend shapes

643
00:35:34.589 --> 00:35:38.600
morph targets, and character animations using skeletal meshes

644
00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:41.200
The biggest advantage and reason for using these techniques are

645
00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:44.600
efficient memory usage and dynamic animation control

646
00:35:44.600 --> 00:35:47.640
Because with just one skeleton-based character

647
00:35:47.640 --> 00:35:49.190
you can change animations

648
00:35:49.190 --> 00:35:51.990
or create games by simply swapping behaviors

649
00:35:51.990 --> 00:35:55.839
In real-time environments, swapping high-quality movements is straightforward

650
00:35:55.839 --> 00:36:01.720
making the use of skeletal meshes fundamental for various tasks

651
00:36:01.720 --> 00:36:03.627
Even though I haven't used motion capture for this exchange

652
00:36:03.627 --> 00:36:08.839
it's a concept that can also be applied to skeletal meshes

653
00:36:08.839 --> 00:36:11.089
Let's take a look at animation retargeting

654
00:36:11.089 --> 00:36:14.539
In animation retargeting, we first need to understand retargeting

655
00:36:14.539 --> 00:36:17.830
The "target" refers to the subject we are selecting or aiming for

656
00:36:17.830 --> 00:36:23.180
Retargeting involves slightly altering or resetting the target

657
00:36:23.180 --> 00:36:26.079
so you can think of it in those terms

658
00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:28.629
Just looking at this screen should make it immediately understandable

659
00:36:28.629 --> 00:36:32.229
In retargeting, you select one character on the left

660
00:36:32.229 --> 00:36:34.559
and another character on the right

661
00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:37.459
The important thing is that the two skeletal structure must be identical

662
00:36:37.459 --> 00:36:39.509
On the left, the character you see

663
00:36:39.509 --> 00:36:41.209
named "Manny_Simple"

664
00:36:41.209 --> 00:36:42.609
On the right, the character you see

665
00:36:42.609 --> 00:36:46.024
named "Quinn," if you retarget them

666
00:36:46.024 --> 00:36:47.824
all the animations and movements

667
00:36:47.824 --> 00:36:50.024
that were available to the character on the left

668
00:36:50.024 --> 00:36:52.377
the right character, named "Quinn"

669
00:36:52.377 --> 00:36:55.200
will be able to perform them

670
00:36:55.200 --> 00:37:01.279
This feature is convenient both for creating animations and developing games

671
00:37:01.279 --> 00:37:04.129
Setting up the skeleton and bone mapping

672
00:37:04.129 --> 00:37:06.579
executing animation retargeting

673
00:37:06.579 --> 00:37:09.239
you're going to do animation retargeting

674
00:37:09.239 --> 00:37:11.139
And using this

675
00:37:11.139 --> 00:37:13.439
you can also expand your library

676
00:37:13.439 --> 00:37:16.789
By utilizing this system, when creating animations or games

677
00:37:16.789 --> 00:37:19.039
you don't have to create each movement separately

678
00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:22.389
Retargeting and duplicating movements

679
00:37:22.389 --> 00:37:27.160
allow for significant time and cost savings in development, which are the main advantages

680
00:37:27.160 --> 00:37:32.271
Moreover, high-quality animations can be maintained consistently in terms of their quality

681
00:37:32.271 --> 00:37:37.239
One important consideration here is the compatibility of the skeleton

682
00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:40.539
The most important aspect is ensuring compatibility

683
00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:43.439
when one character needs to replicate the movements of another through retargeting

684
00:37:43.439 --> 00:37:47.589
This involves both the structure and naming consistency of the skeleton

685
00:37:47.589 --> 00:37:50.399
collectively referred to as compatibility

686
00:37:50.399 --> 00:37:53.299
If one character has one spine bone and another has five

687
00:37:53.299 --> 00:37:55.549
there can be confusion in retargeting

688
00:37:55.549 --> 00:37:57.631
potentially causing animations to become distorted or incorrect

689
00:37:57.631 --> 00:37:59.920
Therefore, the compatibility of the skeleton is crucial

690
00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:03.160
Next, to elaborate in more detail

691
00:38:03.160 --> 00:38:08.160
an example would be the neck bone, which can vary significantly between characters

692
00:38:08.160 --> 00:38:09.841
The number of neck bones may be the same

693
00:38:09.841 --> 00:38:12.191
but their sizes can vary greatly between characters

694
00:38:12.191 --> 00:38:14.679
leading to the potential differences in how they behave

695
00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:17.040
In such cases, you might need to adjust the structure slightly to accommodate these variations

696
00:38:17.040 --> 00:38:20.175
Considering the quality of the animation and other factors

697
00:38:20.175 --> 00:38:22.239
it would be beneficial to perform retargeting with careful consideration

698
00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:24.539
Animation retargeting is one of the most powerful features

699
00:38:24.539 --> 00:38:27.040
provided by Unreal Engine

700
00:38:27.040 --> 00:38:32.200
In the game development process, animation retargeting is crucial and highly effective in terms of efficiency and compatilbity

701
00:38:32.200 --> 00:38:35.865
ensuring both efficiency in animation workflows and reusability

702
00:38:35.865 --> 00:38:38.927
It's a remarkable feature in these asepcts

703
00:38:40.698 --> 00:38:42.598
Animation Blueprint and Montage System
What is Animation Blueprint?
Tool for visually programming the animation states and logic of characters or objects

704
00:38:42.598 --> 00:38:44.548
Animation graph: Defines character animation states and transitions by connecting nodes

705
00:38:44.548 --> 00:38:46.498
Event graph: Implements logic to set animation variables and update animations in response to gameplay events

706
00:38:46.498 --> 00:38:48.419
What is Animation Montage?
Combines multiple animation sequences into a single asset, which can be divided into sections for partial or combined playback
A development approach useful for games where actions change continuously depending on the situation

707
00:38:48.419 --> 00:38:50.469
Animation blending, skeletal mesh structure, animation retargeting
What is Animation blending?
Smoothly blending multiple animations to create more natural and diverse character movements

708
00:38:50.469 --> 00:38:52.469
Objects with the same skeletal structure in motion sources can perform the same actions
You can blend motions without a limit on the number of actions and set blending durations as needed

709
00:38:52.469 --> 00:38:54.519
What is Skeletal Mesh?
The shape of a character with a skeleton
The source of all moving objects uses skeletal mesh

710
00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:56.569
Advantages: Efficient memory usage, dynamic animation control, high quality animation in real time

711
00:38:56.569 --> 00:39:01.119
What is Animation retargeting?
Retarget: The concept of resetting by changing the target
A retarget with the same skeletal structure as the target copies all of the target's movements

712
00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:04.372
Advantages: Saving development time and costs when expanding animation libraries, and maintaining consistent animation quality