Looking for lip-sync ready models
by Tim.Holt · in Artist Corner · 06/21/2009 (11:32 am) · 7 replies
I'd like to use lip-sync'ed NPCs in a game I'm designing. Does anyone know of an available resource (models) for lip-sync ready models that have the right rigging & animations? Alternately, is anyone experienced with creating them for TGE/TGEA/T3D and interested in talking about it?
I do know it's been done before. Take a look at the Visual Purple video and demo - they do a pretty nice job of it.
I do know it's been done before. Take a look at the Visual Purple video and demo - they do a pretty nice job of it.
#2
I could really see creating some kind of tool where the waveform of the voice is displayed, and above it the sequence of phoneme animations. You would build the sequence by placing them manually. Perhaps below the wave form you could type in the spoken words, also spaced out to match the actual sound. Lastly, be able to play the animation and watch the NPC's head go through the motions to double check it.
You should check out the Virtual Purple training game (http://www.virtualpurple.com) by the way - there is a free demo download. They do a nice job of it.
06/21/2009 (3:02 pm)
Rubes, I have read your previous posts as what I'm doing is somewhat like IF. And I'd definitely be interested in the approach. I'm marginally a modeler as well, but had wondered about creating a set of different mouth movements for different phonemes, then manually sequence them to match the voice over. Well, that or just make cartoon characters with like two different positions (open and shut) :^)I could really see creating some kind of tool where the waveform of the voice is displayed, and above it the sequence of phoneme animations. You would build the sequence by placing them manually. Perhaps below the wave form you could type in the spoken words, also spaced out to match the actual sound. Lastly, be able to play the animation and watch the NPC's head go through the motions to double check it.
You should check out the Virtual Purple training game (http://www.virtualpurple.com) by the way - there is a free demo download. They do a nice job of it.
#4
06/21/2009 (8:01 pm)
Axis! Get the hell out! I never thought I'd run into you here! How's it going man? Still have that African Grey? I'm trying to remember his name. Peety?
#5
Yap, still got him :D Hows everything been going? Good I hope!
Btw, sorry for hijacking the thread, I just couldn't find another way of sending you a message or contact. :D
06/22/2009 (5:22 am)
LoL!Yap, still got him :D Hows everything been going? Good I hope!
Btw, sorry for hijacking the thread, I just couldn't find another way of sending you a message or contact. :D
#6
We basically set up bones around the mouth (as well as around the eyes and eyebrows), and then use controllers to create 9 different mouth positions for different phonemes. To set one of the mouth positions, you just set the appropriate controller.
In Maya (or Max), you can have the voice recording waveform display alongside the animation keyframes, so you can see where to set certain mouth positions.
It takes a bit to get the system working and to get used to it, but once you're comfortable with it you can do pretty nice lip sync fairly quickly.
06/25/2009 (8:14 am)
You're pretty close with the approach we've taken.We basically set up bones around the mouth (as well as around the eyes and eyebrows), and then use controllers to create 9 different mouth positions for different phonemes. To set one of the mouth positions, you just set the appropriate controller.
In Maya (or Max), you can have the voice recording waveform display alongside the animation keyframes, so you can see where to set certain mouth positions.
It takes a bit to get the system working and to get used to it, but once you're comfortable with it you can do pretty nice lip sync fairly quickly.
Torque 3D Owner Rubes
I'm not a modeler myself so I don't know a lot of the lingo or details, but I could discuss the approach we've used. I would say we've had moderate success. The animations look pretty good, but working with the Torque animation system has been challenging, to say the least. It's a flexible system, but getting the exporting down and having them play correctly can be an adventure.