Skele: Character Animation Tools, Cutscenes and Animations authoring tools

[TMPxyz]

Hi, there!

Skele is the editor extension to help developers to make skeleton & vertex animation and cutscene right inside UnityEditor;

[ Online Manual ]
[ Compatibility ]

Skele: Character Animation Tools speeds up animator/indie’s animation workflow:

1. Enable developers to make / modify character animations in UnityEditor, reduce software switching and tedious import/export/split work;
2. Runtime & EditTime IK + Constraints;
3. Export mesh & animations for external 3D-softwares.
4. Edit vertices of the mesh and make blendshape-like animation in UnityEditor
5. Convert animations between Legacy/Generic/Humanoid rig types.
6. Blender-style constraints system which can work at edit-time & runtime;
7. Utilize the clips you bought from store, modify them to your needs, convert clip type, export to external software, etc.
8. Spline Editor to design path in 3D space;
9. [BETA] Integrate Timeline Editor. Greatly accelerate authoring productivity for complex multi-character scenes (cutscenes / finishing moves / etc);
   

Main Feature list:

• Make animation for your rigged characters with FK/IK support – not just biped, you could manipulate any rigged models.
• Modify animations from prefabs. Take out the animations from fbx/dae archives or convert from muscle clips, modify and get the result immediately.
• Create complex multi-character actions. Edit the animations right inplace, and easily integrate with code/fx/audio/gui/etc.
• Visualize the bone link, the vertices, and bone weights, etc.
• Make/Save/Load pose on disk
• Convert MuscleClip to Legacy/Generic Clip
• Convert Root Bone curves into RootMotion for Animator component
• Export skinned / non-skinned mesh and animation for external 3D softwares
• Edit multi-part meshes
• Modify Animation curve’s property, path, type.
• Fix Pivot of non-skinned meshes
• Reduce keyframes of animation clips
• Work with Unity Pro & Free, (some demo scene’s unity-pro effect will not work on unity free)
• Make Blendshape-like animations in UnityEditor
• [BETA] Blender-style constraint system
• Automatically add constraints for biped model

See Also:

• Asset Store Page

• Website Manual

• IssueTracker & Knowledge Base

• YouTube Channel

• Release Notes

Current Ver: 1.9.6 p7 (2016/10/02)
***************************************************
Humanoid rig model needs special treatment, please read the two FAQ posts:
(1) How to edit Humanoid clips?
(2) Best workflow to work with Humanoid models?
***************************************************

Unity Scene Camera Tips:
Although most of you might have already been familiar with this, I just put it here in case.
In Unity you could control the SceneView camera like in Blender.

• rotate the view: Alt-LMB drag.
• rotate the view around the selected object: click F to focus on selected object, use Alt-LMB to rotate around it.
• pan the view: MMB or Alt-Ctrl-LMB
• zoom the view: mouse wheel or Alt-RMB
• rotate the view around a bone: with Skele enabled, select a bone, then click ‘C’, use Alt-LMB to rotate around it.
• switch to another model: Alt+LMB

Contact:

• Mail : TMPxyz at gmail dot com
• Twitter: @TMPxyz

Please post bug reports feature requests in this thread or in our UserEcho IssueTracker;

More details on Online Manual

Overview

1.0 Quick View of Basic Control

1.1 FK/IK and Quick overview of Basic Controls

[Skele: Character Animation Tools] Quick Overview of Basic Controls

1.2 Animation Authoring Basic Tutorials
1.2.2 Tutorial 101

[Skele: Character Animation Tools] Animation Authoring Basic Tutorial 101

1.3 Mesh-Morpher and Shape Animation

1.4 [BETA] Timeline Editor

2. A Simple Animation
   

3. Make simple facial animation

[Skele: Character Animation Tools] Create a Facial Animation

4. Modify Animations from FBX Files

[Skele: Character Animation Tools] Modify Animations from FBX files

5. Export Mesh and Animations

[Skele: Character Animation Tools] Export multiple clips (v1.9.3)

6.1 Walk with Constraints + helper Objects

6.2 Spline editor + Follow path

6.3 Maintain Volume

6.4 Make Spline

7. A Standard Cutscene

7.1 A QTE cutscene

7.2 MMD-style Dance Demo

7.3 3rd-person Action Play Demo

New Video/Demo

1. Animate character and prop together
   

1.1 Examples of Clips Conversion

1.2 Compress the animation clips

2. Multi-Bone Select/Edit


3. Merge animation clips and AnimationCurveProp Editor

4. Change Transform Path

5. FPS Hand animation example
Check this post for further explanation

More in our Online Manual

[hopeful]

This looks interesting! I look forward to finding out more about it.

[TMPxyz]

@hopeful

This looks interesting! I look forward to finding out more about it.

Hi, hopeful,

Thanks for your reply.
If you’re interested in more details, please check out my website, you could download the user manual in the page

[TMPxyz]

v0.94 is just submitted and should be online in store around 4/30,
mainly new functions for IK system;

[ZJP]

Nice tool. What can be done in runtime?

[Darkling420]

I love this tool, and I rarely, if ever, praise another dev.
I’ve already used it for a facial animation and kickboxing fight between two politicians.

I have a question possibly related. You have a rotate GUI in your image above. Is that part of your custom editor, or is it an older version of Unity?

Again, great work… ah crap, two praises, now I’ll have to be extra mean to my neighbors.

[LaneFox]

Can you declare IK targets and reposition them at runtime?

[TMPxyz]

@Darkling420

I love this tool, and I rarely, if ever, praise another dev.
I’ve already used it for a facial animation and kickboxing fight between two politicians.

I have a question possibly related. You have a rotate GUI in your image above. Is that part of your custom editor, or is it an older version of Unity?

Again, great work… ah crap, two praises, now I’ll have to be extra mean to my neighbors.

Hi, Darkling420.
Thank you for liking Skele.

As your question about the GUI… Oh, you mean the “Rotate IK Link” part there…
My apology that “Rotate IK Link” “IK Plane Lock” are the new functions just submitted to assetstore, it’s supposed to go online around 4/30 if Unity guys gives green light.

That reminds me to add a “NEW feature around 4/30” comment by the two gif.

And, thanks again for your support.

[TMPxyz]

@LaneFox

Can you declare IK targets and reposition them at runtime?

Hi, @ZJP @LaneFox:

Thanks for reply.

The IK solver can be used in runtime in theory, as it didn’t use UnityEditor API.

you just need to:

1. give the IK end-effector(e.g.:Wrist or Ankle ) and the expected IK-link-length (def. 2)
   public void SetBones(Transform endJoint, int len)

2. give the IK target, call Execute() every frame or whenever you see fit.
   public Vector3 Target

BUT as it’s designed as an Editor extension, and supposed to work under human supervision.
So I didn’t add the “limits” parts for now, which means you could get funny results like elbow rotating inward.

In short, you COULD use it in RUNTIME but I DON’T recommend it for now,

P.S.:
I believe you already know the FINAL IK extension there, I don’t have it, but remembered that they claimed to have “limits” parameters.

[LaneFox]

@TMPxyz

Hi, @ZJP @LaneFox:

Thanks for reply.

The IK solver can be used in runtime in theory, as it didn’t use UnityEditor API.

you just need to:

1. give the IK end-effector(e.g.:Wrist or Ankle ) and the expected IK-link-length (def. 2)
   public void SetBones(Transform endJoint, int len)

2. give the IK target and call Execute().
   public Vector3 Target

BUT as it’s designed as an Editor extension, and supposed to work under human supervision.
So I didn’t add the “limits” parts for now, which means you could get funny results like elbow rotating inward.

In short, you COULD use it in RUNTIME but I DON’T recommend it for now,

P.S.:
I believe you already know the FINAL IK extension there, I don’t have it, but remembered that they claimed to have “limits” parameters.

I see.

I know Final IK is there but from what I can tell its not especially friendly for doing simple things. This is a cool looking tool here that appears much simpler, what I really am looking for is to 1) Tell it to use a target or not, 2) Specify an object/vector3 for the target 3) Control weights of the IK targetting.

The hard thing is like you said, controlling joint orientation. Final IK is likely going to continue developing and get there, but I’m also keeping my eyes peeled for alternatives that have a simple front end that is runtime friendly.

[TMPxyz]

@LaneFox

I see.

I know Final IK is there but from what I can tell its not especially friendly for doing simple things. This is a cool looking tool here that appears much simpler, what I really am looking for is to 1) Tell it to use a target or not, 2) Specify an object/vector3 for the target 3) Control weights of the IK targetting.

The hard thing is like you said, controlling joint orientation. Final IK is likely going to continue developing and get there, but I’m also keeping my eyes peeled for alternatives that have a simple front end that is runtime friendly.

Interesting, I see your needs here.
I’m working on the constrain/limits parts now, and i’m considering to also make a runtime web demo for this simple IK solver.

if things go smoothly, I would post the demo in this thread around 4/30.
maybe you could drop a visit by then, and check if it could make you interested.

[TMPxyz]

Well, as I said in prev post, I made a runtime web demo for the IK solver with:

1. specify target position
2. control weight

I haven’t added any constraints for it, the IK algorithm for editor seems not quite fit constraints in runtime, I think it might need some extra tweaking (like plane test maybe) if you want it to look perfect in all situations.

Anyway, check it out if you have interest.
http://tmpxyz.wix.com/alpha#!webdemo/cdd5

[ZJP]

Fine for me. Just update the asset in the Store with this demo.

[TMPxyz]

@ZJP

Fine for me. Just update the asset in the Store with this demo.

Well then, this demo will be included in the next update.

[TMPxyz]

New version(0.94b) has just passed the Unity review and online now.

Main Change List:

0.94b

• NEW: IK Rotate mode, press `E’ in IK mode will enter IK Rotate mode, you could then rotate the IK link around the axis of IK root joint and IK end-effector;
• NEW: IK Plane Lock, when IK plane lock is on, the end-effector will only move along the specified IK plane;
• NEW: IK Flip Joints;

Take a look at:

• Asset Store Page
• Website (with Manual)

[dibdab]

would like ask, what is the process of making animations in unity w animation timeline?

how (animator controller?) are they saved, and can they be started from code like Animator.Play?

[TMPxyz]

@dibdab

would like ask, what is the process of making animations in unity w animation timeline?

how (animator controller?) are they saved, and can they be started from code like Animator.Play?

Hi, dibdab,

1. About making animation
   In Animation window, You press the “record” button and manipulate the bones in the timeline, Unity Animation Window will record the changes and generate .anim files.
   ( If you’re not still not sure, have a try with the Unity Animation window, and see how the keyframe are recorded )

2. How are the data saved?
   Every animation clip you create with Unity Animation Window will be saved as .anim file in your project.

Have a try with this webdemo, the animation is made with Skele and be used in Mecanim, you could click the “Toggle Animation” Button to start/stop the animation. ( NOTE: you could hold `Alt’ key to show the mouse cursor to click buttons )
http://tmpxyz.wix.com/alpha#!webdemo/cdd5

This is the Animator I used in the webdemo, you could see the `walk’ animation I made.

P.S.:
The clips in your .fbx/.dae file are read-only and you need modelling software to modify them.
The clips created in Unity Animation window could be modified in Unity Editor whenever you need, this could save you some export/import work cycles.

[ZJP]

@TMPxyz

P.S.:
The clips in your .fbx/.dae file are read-only and you need modelling software to modify them.
The clips created in Unity Animation window could be modified in Unity Editor whenever you need, this could save you some export/import work cycles.

So, Is it possible to add an option that would:
a) read a fbx/dae imported file.
b) save it as .anim

[dibdab]

TMPxyz, thanks. it sounds great, never did it before and wanted to be sure there are no unexpected differences from the usual workflow.

ok, one more question popped up in my head. you say it is used in mecanim, so the .anim made with skele is mecanim compatible out-of-the-box, I dont need to configure humanoid skeleton or anything, just drop it into animator controller and good to go?

[TMPxyz]

@ZJP

So, Is it possible to add an option that would:
a) read a fbx/dae imported file.
b) save it as .anim

Oh, I get what you meant to do:

1. create the animation in your max/maya/blender and export to Unity;
2. edit the animation data with Skele;

The answer is YES, I have done that before.

Just expand your .fbx file with animation data, you could duplicate the containing anim_data with Ctrl+D and save it to your project, then it’s all yours.