Like my previous post here stated, I'm returning to modelling after a long retirement (in which I was still a beginner). I've done some rudimentary animations in the past, but one thing really eerks me.
When it comes to biped models... I get so flustered about polygon blunders that it makes me want to do mesh-bone animations instead of vertex-based. This is especially true concerning ball-and-socket joints such as shoulders and hips that are quite flexible.
One wonderful thing about meshes is that they also can be hidden so that you can edit vertexes with more scruitiny. But mesh animation looks so drab.
My next experiment will use independent meshes where there are ball and socket joints. I'll use two joints -- one for the hinge and one for the rotation. The hinge will use vertex, and the rotation will be the entire mesh (part of the mesh will stick into the model). I'll try it, but it'll prolly look like crap anyways.
Do any of you have any philosophies or pointers to animating something that is going to be bent in ALL directions; EVEN up to 180 degrees in some cases?
I am the keeper of the invisible flame. You shall not pass gas...
