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ProgrAnimals – A framework for physics based creatures

24
By on Python Scripts, Video

Thomas Eldredge writes:

ProgrAnimals is a generalization of pose control ideas I learned in making progranimation. I wanted to make a system that could work with almost any leg type and walk style. These 'animals' are much simpler than the biped and monopod in progranimation. Every creature in the demo is run by the same 250 lines of python, everything else is joint and pose-goal settings.

This aims to be a system where Blender users can generate physics driven character animations from an armature they design, based on an idea for a creature. Then they can create multiple walk styles by posing a 'pose-goal' armature for each leg-type in the 'stance' and 'swing' states.

This is a demo of some of the creatures you can make, and the bipeds demonstrate the various walk styles you can achieve with a given rig.

Blend files with setup script (no-UI) and walk-through available here - http://www.funkboxing.com/wordpress/?p=866

Let me know if you try it out, I'd love to see more of these critters walking around!

Thanks!!!
teldredge

About the Author

Avatar image for Bart Veldhuizen
Bart Veldhuizen

I have a LONG history with Blender - I wrote some of the earliest Blender tutorials, worked for Not a Number and helped run the crowdfunding campaign that open sourced Blender (the first one on the internet!). I founded BlenderNation in 2006 and have been editing it every single day since then ;-) I also run the Blender Artists forum and I'm Head of Community at Sketchfab.

24 Comments

  4. Olaf on

    Hilarious!

    Why can't they get up after they fall? Do these bots have neural nets / HMM and learning capability?

    These simulations could be very useful for RoboCup experiments.

    Reply
  12. JW on

    A little offtopic, but I'm impressed with the camerawork. Seems very realistic (a little wobbly, but not too much), especially in the last scene. Great work!

    Reply
  13. Enrique on

    Hi guys: excellent work! the same as the work you published before.

    By the way, there is some kind of intelligent "behaviour" in the animals (for instance, they track the ball). Have you thought of programming a "more" intelligent behaviour? Avoid obstacles or jump over holes or things like that?

    Reply
  21. Thomas Eldredge on

    Thanks for the comments everyone. This was lots of fun and I hope it can be of use.

    @Zolar - Python/Ministry of Silly Walks, that is hilarious, I can't believe I didn't think of that myself.
    @Enrique - This version was more about generalizing for various limb morphologies. I definitely intend to add more complex feedback like I had in progranimation.
    @Malcom - That's amazing stuff. Definitely going to dig into that paper.

    Reply

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