Critique 2 Idea Development - Quick walk cycle using Puppeteer in DAZ Studio 1.7

Puppeteer allows you to create interesting animations by smoothly changing between keyframes using an intuitive mouse-based interface. This tutorial is going to show how to use Puppeteer to create a simple walk cycle that can be slowed down or sped up, even made more realistic or exaggerated, easily and on the fly. More complex versions of this technique can be used to get your characters dancing, to a rhythm you choose!

Step 1 - Enter Walter

For this tutorial, I will be using Walter, from the 3D Starter Pack, but you can obviously use any character you like. Start a new DAZ Studio scene, and load up Walter (by default, in Figures - > DAZ Characters).

Step 2 - The Contact Pose

The first thing to create is the “Contact” pose - the pose where the front leg is furthest forward, just as the heel makes contact with the ground.

You can either pose Walter using the image as a guide, or use the following values:

BODY: yTrans -9.58

Left Thigh: xrot 9.33

zrot -10.00

Left Shin: xrot 49.86

Left Toe: xrot -45.00

Right Thigh: xrot -40.00

yrot 2.87

zrot 6.87

Right Foot: yrot -9.74

Left Shoulder: xrot -50.00

yrot -70.00

zrot -50.00

Right Shoulder: xrot 50.00

yrot -70.00

zrot 50.00

Step 3 - Add a dot

Once you're happy with your pose, bring up the Puppeteer tab. Make sure the “Edit” option is checked, then click somewhere on the grid to place a dot. This dot represents the pose you have just created. When in Preview or Record mode, as you drag the mouse pointer over this dot, the character will assume the associated pose.

One of the things that makes Puppeteer so powerful is that you can place these dots anywhere you like - customizing the interface to the particular animation you're creating. For the purpose of this tutorial, put it a little to the left, as shown.

Step 4 - Second Contact Pose

Now it is time to create the other passing pose - when the other leg is in front, and the first leg behind. We could go through all the same setting up process as before, but it's quicker and easier to use the Symmetry function. Make sure you've got some part of Walter selected, then go to the Parameters tab, then click on the triangle at the top right corner. Select the “Symmetry…” item from the menu that pops up.

Nodes: Root

Propagation: Recursive

Direction: Swap Left and Right

Trunk Nodes: Mirror Y|Z Rotations

Once you have done that, add another dot to the Puppeteer grid, to the right of the first one.

Step 5 - The Passing Pose

Now we are going to create the “Passing” pose - that moment in the walk half-way between the two Contact pose, where the legs pass each other.

Again, you can use the image as a guide, or use the following numbers:

BODY ytrans 1.58

Left Thigh xrot -45.36

yrot -1.15

zrot -8.10

Left Shin xrot 80.05

Left Foot yrot 4.99

Left Toe xrot -21.89

Right Thigh xrot -14.69

yrot 1.07

zrot 8.19

Right Shin xrot 25.61

Right Foot xrot -9.21

yrot -4.74

Right Toe xrot -4.50

Left Shoulder xrot 2.65

yrot 3.25

zrot -69.26

Right Shoulder xrot -2.65

yrot 3.25

zrot 69.26

Once that pose is done, place a Puppeteer dot, between and below the two Contact pose dots.

Step 6 - Mirror The Passing Pose

Mirror the pose again, the same as in part 4. Place the fourth and final Puppeteer dot above the others, to form a little diamond.

Step 7 - Preview

On the Puppeteer tab, click the “Preview” radio button. While in Preview mode, you won't be able to change the pose dots - instead, the pose dots will change your character's pose.

To animate Walter, click and drag somewhere in the diamond of pose dots. As you move the mouse with the mouse button pressed down, you should get a feel for how this changes Walter's pose. Basically, as you move the mouse pointer closer to a dot, the closer Walter's pose matches the one stored in that dot. When the mouse pointer is between two dots, Walter's pose will be a blend of the two poses.

So, how to make Walter walk? The way the pose dots are set up, anti-clockwise circles will cycle between the poses in the correct order for a walk cycle.

By varying how fast you make your circles, you can vary Walter's speed. By making your circles wider or narrower, you can change how exaggerated the walk is. And most importantly, you can make these changes in real time.

Step 8 - Record

Once you've practiced a bit, you'll want to actually record a take.

Click on the “Record” option on the Puppeteer tab. This acts like the “Preview” option, except that as soon as you click on the main Puppeteer grid, DAZ Studio will record, stopping only when you'release the mouse button. Keyframes will be added to your animation as required.

If you're unhappy with the result, you can undo what you've done by clicking on the triangle at the top right of the Puppeteer tab, and select the “Clear Layer Animation” option.

When you're happy with the results, you can render your animation.

Step 9 - Next Steps

This is a very simple setup for a walk cycle. You can refine this easily enough, by adding more poses, in-between the four already created.

Instead of manually posing Walter, you can use the Preview mode to find the pose you like, then switch back to Edit mode to create a new dot. Arrange the new dots to create an octagon of pose dots.

You can load an audio clip - for example, some music - using the Audio item in the Edit menu. As you can vary the tempo of your walk on the fly, you can easily match Walter's walk to the right tempo.

The real power of Puppeteer is that you can set it up the way you like, to match your own style or the needs of you particular project. If you don't like anti-clockwise circles for your walk, you can set it up for clockwise circles instead. You can alter the position of the pose dots, and the distance between them, to match what works for you.

The possibilities are endless!