Digital Character Development: Theory and Practice, Second Edition

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CRC Press, Oct 7, 2015 - Computers - 304 pages
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Digital characters are a driving force in the entertainment industry today. Every animated film and video game production spends a large percentage of its resources and time on advancing the quality of the digital characters inhabiting the world being created. This book presents the theory and practice behind the creation of digital characters for film and games using software-agnostic descriptions that apply to any animation application. It provides insight from a real production environment and the requirements that such an environment imposes.

Digital Character Development: Theory and Practice, Second Edition covers the following key topics that are valuable to professionals across a wide spectrum of disciplines:

  • Evolution and history of digital characters, which is critical to understanding the theory and techniques behind how characters are developed

  • Contemporary issues, such as the "Uncanny Valley" phenomenon, that affect character design decisions

  • Process of building characters: anatomical considerations, character motion systems, deformation (muscle and skin) systems, facial setup, and rig synthesis and construction

  • Animation technology: keyframe strategies, curve interpolation, motion capture, procedural animation, artificial intelligence, crowd simulations, and interactive characters

  • Future of digital characters, including research questions that remain outstanding and the challenges for work beyond them

The second edition of this book has been significantly updated to reflect the latest trends and innovations in digital character development. It includes interviews with 15 leading character development professionals that provide unique insights into the challenges and ingredients for success in this field. With rich illustrations and visual code examples throughout, this book provides a comprehensive roadmap to character development for both professionals and students.

 

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Contents

Character Technology
53
Animation Technology
197
Conclusions
271
References
289
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Digital Character Development: Theory and Practice, Second Edition
Robert O'Neill
No preview available - 2015

Common terms and phrases

acter action actors anatomy animated characters animation systems articulation attributes avatar basic behavior blend shapes body character animation character model character motion character rig character setup artist Character Technical Director character technology character’s complex Computer Graphics constraint create curve defined deformation system digital characters DreamWorks Animation dynamics elements emotional example face facial Feature Feature Feature Figure film and games functionality game engines Gears of War human implemented industry intentionally left blank interface interpolation joints Ken Perlin layer look markers mesh method module motion capture motion capture data motion system move muscle node object performance pipeline Pixar polygonal pose position procedural procedural animation production real-time result rigger rotation scene scripted shot simulation skin Sony Pictures Imageworks squash and stretch studios successful digital character surface techniques Tippett Studio Uncanny Valley Video Game visemes visual

About the author (2015)

Rob O’Neill is a Character Technical Director Supervisor at DreamWorks Animation. Prior to joining DreamWorks, he was an Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute where he was Director of the Digital Arts Research Lab, and a founding partner of Kickstand Animation.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Digital Character Development
TitleDigital Character Development: Theory and Practice, Second Edition
AuthorRob O'Neill
Edition2, illustrated
PublisherCRC Press, 2015
ISBN1482250780, 9781482250787
Length304 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Computers / Computer Graphics
Computers / Desktop Applications / Design & Graphics
Computers / Digital Media / Video & Animation
Computers / General
Computers / Programming / Games
  
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