NOTE:
This tutorial is translated from www.joshonen.ch.vu.
Full credit goes to the author Joshua Muheim! Translation by thegnat.

Animating a walk-cycle

Welcome back to tutorial #12! :D
The most important move, a human model must be able to do, is walking. But it would be nonsensical to create an animation with about 10.000 steps, so we create an animation with only 2 steps that can be looped smoothly. :)

If you had some problems with the past tutorials:

DOWNLOAD FILE REDZAC_MDL_TUT12A.ZIP!

First load the model we have created in the last tutorials.

Now activate the Animation-mode by clicking on the big Anim-button in the lower right corner.
The animation bar is active.

Select the joint Hip left and rotate it to the following position (activate Rotate):


Select Knee left and rotate it to the following position:


Create a keyframe by clicking on Set Keyframe in the Animate-Menü.

Move the frame-bar to frame 10:


Select Hip right and rotate to following position:


Select Knee left and rotate:


Create a keyframe (make sure, that Operate on selected Joints only is enabled in the Animate-menu!).

Go on to frame #20.

Select Knee right and rotate it a bit upwards:


Select Hip left and rotate it also a bit back:


Create another keyframe.

Further to frame #30.

Rotate Knee left slightly forward, until it is in line with the thigh:


Rotate Hip left backwards until it stands vertical on the ground:


Select Hip right and rotate it slightly forwards:


Select Knee right and rotate it a bit backwards:


Create another keyframe.

On to frame #40.

Select Hip left and rotate it a bit backwards:


Select Hip right and rotate it forward:


Select Knee right and rotate it backward:


Create another keyframe.

Frame #50.

Select Hip left and rotate it backwards:


Select Hip right and rotate it forwards:


Select Knee right and rotate it forward:


Create a keyframe.

Frame #60.

select Hip left and rotate it slightly backwards:


Select Knee right and rotate it forwards:


Set a keyframe.

Frame #70.

Select Hip right and rotate it backwards:


Select Hip left und drehe es etwas nach vorn:


Select Knee left and rotate it backwards:


Create another keyframe.

Frame #80.

Select Hip right and rotate it backwards:


Select Hip left and rotate it forwards:


Select Knee left and rotate it backwards:


Set another keyframe.

Frame #90.

Select Hip right and rotate it slightly backwards:


Select Hip left and rotate it forwards:


Create a keyframe.

Because we want to create an animation, that we can play in an endless loop (without noticing that :P ), the first and the last keyframe have to be identical.
To do so, copy Frame #1 and paste it on Frame #100.

First go to Frame #1.
Deactivate Operate On Selected Joints Only in the Animate-menu.

Click on Copy Keyframes in the Animate-menu:


Go to the last frame (frame #100) and click Paste Keyframes in the Animate-menu:


Create a keyframe again!

Done! :D
Lets play the animation we've created:


Doesn't look that bad, does it?! ;D

I would say, this tutorial was average because it was a bit difficult to follow the single steps. But even something hasn't worked perfectly, now you have the knowledge to create animations in milkshape! Congratulations! :)

We'll see us at the last big chapter: Skinning In Milkshape!