1) A good time to use motion capture instead of manual keyframe animation is when there is

a need for realistic human movements, especially more physically complex ones like dances

or stunts; animations that use equally realistic humanoid (aka two legs, two arms)

characters benefit from this. Especially now that the option is there, it will suddenly

seem like a long process to replicate human movements with keyframe animation, with a

bigger chance of getting it wrong.

Of course, not using motion capture is still an option for works that require more unusual

movements or don't require absolute pinpoint realism; works with cartoony or strangely

proportioned characters, for example, may actually benefit more from not being restricted

to realistic humanoid movements.


2) putting the suit on (needs at least more 2 people in addition to the actor wearing the

suit):

one person holds the upper suit (chest and arms) by the computer backpack or Gyro on the

actor's back, while the second person straps on the chest, outer upper arm (just above the

elbow), and hand segments. same process for the lower suit (waist and legs); one person

holds the Gyro backpack to the actor's back waist while the other straps on the belt,

outer upper leg (on the side above the knee), and feet. separate undersole sensors to be

attached to plugs on the respective left or right ankles of the suit. unscrew and slide

the headpiece bigger or smaller to fit the actor's head.

slide the titanium bars (the silver prosthetic arms and legs to which the motion-sensing

Potentiometers and their connecting wires are attached) up and down to adjust to the

actor's leg and arm length. also some sliding parts held down by screw bolts at the

shoulders and waist, beside the gyro boxes; unscrew and slide in or out to set the round

black Pots at the shoulders and waist to the correct distance from the actor, about 2

fingers distance. check with the actor to make sure he can move his limbs freely, and that

the suit's not too tight.

Computer cables to be attached; one from the headpiece to the upper gyro box, one from the

upper box to the lower right box, and one more from the lower right box to the lower left

box. also the much longer computer cable to be attached from the lower right box to the

white X-ist box under the computer terminal collecting the mocap data.

Instruct the actor to remain still, then switch on: the computer first, then the X-ist

box, then lastly the switch on the mocap suit itself, on the lower right box. Watch the

red LED lights; one stays on, the other will slow blink on and off 2 or 3 times, then stay

off. when tapped, this LED will blink on and off along with the tapping, and the actor's

movements, showing that the system has been turned on.

On the computer, open a Vipermaster model, then ask the actor to move; the model should

start moving along with the actor.

Open the X-ist recorder program on the computer. the director gives the actor his

instructions, and the computer tech begins recording. make at least 3 recordings, save the

resulting .xrc files with the student number, action, and take number as the filename.

The .xrc files may be imported into 3dsMax. convert the files into a .csm file. open a new

file, create a biped, import the .csm file then save as a .bi file.

3) that's a lot of wires, nuts, and bolts that the prosthetic suit is made of. other than

the length of time it took to set it up, it also seemed quite bulky and limiting in its

range of movement, both from the weight of the suit and the apparent fragileness; i

imagine it's a lot like wearing a mascot costume.

4) from what i've heard of the organic mocap system, what i'm looking forward to the most

is the actor's ability to just go nuts; nothing heavy or fragile to worry about, both the

actor and the director will be free to concentrate on the animation.