Procedural animation

Procedural Animation (English: procedural animation ) is a collective term for a range of animation techniques for films and computer games where movements are not based on keyframes, but according to defined rules and processes are calculated and controlled. They are used mainly to visualize the physical phenomena (fire, smoke) and natural movements ( gestures, the flight of birds, etc.).

Description

Procedural animations are based on algorithmic behavior descriptions and contain all the details of an animation. Based on the underlying rules animations must not be specified beforehand exactly, prepared in advance and stored, but can be calculated given situation if necessary. This is done by passing the appropriate parameters, such as through a user interface or by other programs. The number of parameters is usually less than the time necessary for an accurate description Animation amount of information, so here also of a data replication (database amplification ) is spoken and an essential feature of procedural animations. Also characteristic is the so-called control problem of procedural animations, because after the initiation of the animation, there are only a few ways to influence the outcome. Solutions, either the adjustment of the underlying function or the change of the parameters.

Procedural animations have the advantage that they are very compact due to their characteristics and consume little space in the rule. Also, they are not specified in the resolution, but can be adapted to the requirement. The disadvantage, however, is that they bring a high development effort with it, as well as difficult to implement and test. For new animation effects also appropriate special functions must be developed. Also, due to the loss of control in the execution of unexpected results occur.

Use in the film:

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan for the first time particle animation were applied to simulate the fire of so-called Genesis sequence in a movie. With the help of so-called Flocking systems the behavior of swarms is calculated, such as the movements of numerous buffalo herd in Disney's The Lion King.

In computer games:

In the computer game area procedural animation form the core of graphics engines, for example in the form of particle systems for the animation of fire, smoke or explosion effects. The Action - Adventure Outcast uses procedural animation to represent gestures and movements of the game characters, also in connection with keyframe animation and motion capture.