Bsc Animation and Visual Effects
Programming
Final Year Project Specification
Sunjay Dayalji H8012115
Supervisor: Mathew Holton
Project
Overview
My Project aims to study birds
through flight and produce a procedural wing which emulates how an actual bird
would fly depending on the forces applied upon it. The rig I produce would be simple
to animate, reusable and realistic to an actual bird in flight. If I have time
I would extend my project to include feathers to the wing simulation to apply a
more interesting wing effect which would be visually pleasing when rendered. I
feel this would help animators who are animating huge wing based projects as
the rig would constrain in the right place so it would be easier to make a
better looking product
Scope of the
Project
During my
project I am going to research how a bird flies and how their wings react to
different conditions. With this research I hope to implement a reusable bird
wing rig in 3D software preferably Autodesk Maya using either the C++ API or
MEL scripting API to technically achieve wing simulation. If I have extra time
during the project I would like to add feathers to the simulation as the
feathers would need an extra rig because the move in a different fashion on the
wing itself and they apply the resistance which is essential for the wing
itself. Another extension I would like to add would be adding the tail, during
flight the tail helps the bird fly and that rig would also include feathers.
My Aims
My main goal
is to have a C++/MEL scripted wing which simulates over a path in a realistic
fashion. To make the rig itself easy to apply to a model or asset I would like
a menu system or its own Maya tool which would make the whole applying the rig
an easy task. I would also like once this task is finished to be fluent in C++/MEL
scripting API and be able to create rigs a lot easier in 3D software’s.
Schedule
I plan to
use my time wisely throughout the project. I would like to spend most of
November and part way through December doing research on wings and gaining a
good idea on how a bird’s wing moves throughout flight and see how the wing is
affected. Once I have done my research I will start analysing and planning how
I want my wing to actually simulate which will be done mid-December till early
January. Throughout the rest of January till mid-March I would like to
implement my solution in the API of my choice and hopefully have something
which is up and running which shows a good understanding of my actual project.
March till the end of April I wish to have my Project up and running and have
my Dissertation proof read and finalised ready for hand in. Throughout the next
20 or so weeks I am going to try keeping a blog noting my progress through my
course showing how I am advancing and experimenting. I wish my project to be
6000-10000 words in length.
