The Future is WOW

[ElderTroll]

The kinect and similar technologies are bringing 3d animation to the masses. Constructor Set + Kinect/opensource animation for ogre3d or low cost animation tools + (maybe someday) OpenMW supporting better skeletons and bodies = just imagine the possibilities of every NPC animated! Here are some cool links.

Ogre Kinect demo http://www.ogre3d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=61571
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzem7bBAw0I

Open source Animation ai (not maintained, there are videos on this page) http://code.google.com/p/cartwheel-3d/

Does amazing gesture work and lip sync
http://projects.ict.usc.edu/smartbody/

[Okulo]

As a voice actor I especially find the lipsyncing part very interesting. Just to think that perhaps, someday in the future, OpenMW will support voice acting... I'd be all over that if that would ever happen.

[Star-Demon]

I really want to see some sort of integrated 3D character model format so engines and games can just get stuff in there.

Right now, you have all these pieces of the player or segmented bodies - requiring reflections and translations within a game engine, animations get strange - they look unnatural, etc.

Long hair is never done - especially when very few companies attempt to use it or don't want ot bother with it when so many clipping issues can happen with custom bodies.

I think developers could really use a new way to develop, animate, and load characters into an engine.

[Tarius]

I really want to see some sort of integrated 3D character model format so engines and games can just get stuff in there.

Right now, you have all these pieces of the player or segmented bodies - requiring reflections and translations within a game engine, animations get strange - they look unnatural, etc.

Long hair is never done - especially when very few companies attempt to use it or don't want ot bother with it when so many clipping issues can happen with custom bodies.

I think developers could really use a new way to develop, animate, and load characters into an engine.

As far as I know, the most peices used for any bodies in some games today would be three. The legs, the torso and the head and thats all. What would be nice is to have a universal format for everything.