Lecture Notes on Physics and Animation by Alexander Rudenko

Introduction

• Alexander Rudenko, lead gameplay animator.
• Focus on physics and animation.
• Background: Worked at Bonsai Games, developed Cascader software for animation.
• Passion for physical animation and realism in character movements.

Early Career Challenges

• Initial struggles with high animation standards at Bonsai Games.
• First project involved animating three factions: strong, agile, and precise characters.
• Example: Spent a month on a jump animation for the precise faction.
• Grateful for mentorship and feedback which aided growth.

Importance of Practice

• Key to improvement: Animate more and seek feedback from experienced animators.
• Developed understanding of body mechanics and physicality through personal projects.

Key Components of Good Animation

1. Center of Mass

   • Abstract point indicating mass distribution in a character's body.
   • Influences how characters fall, stand, and rotate.
   • Setup involves placing locators at joints to create an accurate center of mass.

2. Rotation

   • Characters should rotate around their center of mass for believable animations.
   • Common mistakes include rotating around the pelvis instead of the center of mass.
   • Beginner animators should fix rotations by creating locators for the center of mass.

3. Inertia

   • Understanding inertia is essential for creating realistic motion.
   • Example: Arm movement during a fall continues due to inertia.
   • Importance of maintaining motion continuity without abrupt stops.

4. Speed of Rotation

   • Static poses maintain constant rotation speed.
   • Figure skaters demonstrate speed changes by pulling limbs closer to the body.
   • Center of mass plays a vital role in maintaining balance during rotations.

5. Arcs

   • All movements follow arcs; essential for achieving fluid animation.
   • Example: Acrobatics and gymnastics showcasing arcs in body movements.
   • Refinement of arcs enhances the beauty of animations.

Conclusion

• Emphasized the importance of physical animation principles for achieving realism.
• Understanding physics allows animators to break rules creatively in stylized animation.
• Encouraged strengthening animation basics, as they form a foundation for understanding movement.