Animated models falling down

[Kill_the_Bug]

Hi,

Just did a search for anything related to animated models and didn't find anything in relation to what I'm looking for.

scenario:

making a prop_dynamic > choosing spy model > selecting taunt cheer

Problem:

I've noticed that (for almost all the models and most of the cheers except the halloween taunt) when the item cycles through the animation sequence the model falls over onto the ground between the end of the animation and the start up of the animation.

Question:

Is there any way to prevent this falling down from happeing?

Is there any way to freeze the model into one part of the animation and hold it there?

I'm not 100% sure but I think I'm going to be forced to use face poser - something I haven't used yet - if forced to go this route, how is the model saved? Like a custom?

 

[A Boojum Snark]

Have you actually checked what it looks like in-game? There are a handful of things about model sequences that don't work properly in Hammer. The preview function on the model tab of the entity properties isn't actually how you set it, too. You need to type it into the "default animation" key (or make the default something else, and send it an input if you don't want it occurring nonstop).

 

[Wander]

What I once did to prevent this is have a timer (which starts paused, but gets enabled by the props OnAnimationBegun), and have the timer change SetPlaybackRate to -1, which plays the animation in reverse, just before its falling to the ground

Then with a delay of how long the animation takes (so its back at the start), set it to +1 again

Only problem is that its pretty hard to get the timing right

You could also try SetAnimation on a timer to reset the animation back to the start, though this might look strange with sudden movements

 

[Jeremy]

Since I don't know shit about 3D modelling, why do the character models fall over after nearly every animation?

 

[A Boojum Snark]

I believe it is due to the way the animation layering system works. In old engines an animation was a singular thing that occurred, but now you can have individual sections of the model animate "layered" on top without affecting the rest. An example being the hand wave linked to the "GO GO GO!" voice line, which happens in addition to running/jumping/whatever.
When using the animations out-of-engine (Hammer), or out-of-code (prop_dynamic instead of player), things get wonky.

 

[Kill_the_Bug]

yep tried it in game - or at least on my local and the medic fell over with the saw taunt same with spy.

I wanted one with the heavy but as soon as you select the cheer I was thinking of using he immediately fell over to his side and then started to to the motion there so I avoided it from the start

can give you specifice models/cheer combos if you like - these are the ones I was thinking of

thanks for the info - will look at both the suggestions above


ps. Thanks for all of the help this stuff - it is really making my RC5 version (a complete new rebuild of my canyon map) much more interesting in terms of what's coming up!