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City of Heroes: OGDC: Cryptic Animation Rig

StraddenStradden Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696

Carolyn Koh files her third report from the recent Online Game Developers conference. In this article, Carolyn had the opportunity to talk to some of the people over at Cryptic Studios about their recent decision to release their animation tools to the general public.



Cryptic Studios announced that they were sharing their Animation Rig (known as Cryptic AR) on Wednesday, May 9th and launched their website www.crypticar.com at the same time, following immediately with a presentation by Sean Burgoon - the talented programmer behind CrypticAR and Shayne Herrera, Cryptic's Art Development Director.

Shayne opened the talk with a simple greeting, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." This writer chuckled appreciatively at his deep voice, a fair imitation of Cash's distinctive opening, and waited to see if he would be talking about CrypticAR with evangelistic fervor.

The Cryptic Animation Rig has been released under the GNU General Public License and is free to download and use. CrypticAR will allow animators of all experience levels to familiarize themselves with some of the tools used in a professional development environment. Unlike other free animation rigs, Cryptic AR is not an approximation of production tools, but the very tools currently being used to produce next-gen game visuals at Cryptic Studios. This is the same software that is being used to animate the upcoming Marvel Universe MMOG. The core concept of the rig is to provide the artist community with a free set of tools.

Read the whole article here.

Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com

Comments

  • tkobotkobo Member Posts: 465

    Well done.

    Its VERY rare that dev teams actually do something that deserves praise, but from all angles i currently see on this, this does.

    And god knows, the industry needs NEW people with talent more than anything else.And if this move makes it more possible that such people with get into the industry,Im all for it.

  • Ironman2000Ironman2000 Member UncommonPosts: 310
    I think this is a great idea, but only wish it didn't require 3D studio Max to use it
  • combatmetalcombatmetal Member Posts: 1
    if you want to make people think your nice, dont give something away for free, that requires something that costs thousands of pounds. CoX are good games though !
  • project8sixproject8six Member Posts: 271
    if you don't already have whats needed to use their software, you probably don't need it.

    die. <3

  • 0over00over0 Member UncommonPosts: 488

     

     

    Originally posted by project8six

    if you don't already have whats needed to use their software, you probably don't need it.

     

    Too true. Their animation rig is for digital artists to use. Average joe blow isn't going to be able to do squat with it. There is no software that will turn someone with no artistic training and ability into an artist.

    Apply lemon juice and candle flame here to reveal secret message.

  • bverjibverji Member UncommonPosts: 722
    Originally posted by project8six

    if you don't already have whats needed to use their software, you probably don't need it.
    Agreed 86. Some people will complain about anything. The point isn't "oh now I have to buy 3D to use this" If you aren't the type of person to tinker with 3D before, then this most likely not something you would ever use anyway.
  • Ironman2000Ironman2000 Member UncommonPosts: 310

    Well I can understand people that read this article being upset a bit with the fact you need 3D studio Max, because of this statement:

    "CrypticAR will allow animators of all experience levels to familiarize themselves with some of the tools used in a professional development environment."

    It does say of all experience levels, so one would think that includes unskilled or animators just starting out at the very least.  Anyway, i'm sure this statement is what makes people think its for anyone that wants to try it.

  • SirKaleSirKale Member Posts: 7
    You know, it's entirely possible that he was complaining because he uses Maya or Lightwave and doesn't have 3dsmax rather than he doesn't know how to use the software.
  • kablekable Member Posts: 134
    Darn it .....I feel cheated !!! I wanted to try out this new software but I just found out I NEED A COMPUTER  to run it on!!! It doesnt work on my ectha-sketch.
  • docupuncturedocupuncture Member Posts: 12
    How much is 12,00? I am a little confused here is the quote



    "We've had 12,00 downloads so far," said Shayne, repeating the number in awe, "12,00. That's about twelve times what we expected."



    maybe i do not understand the number cause Im not an animation person
  • kablekable Member Posts: 134
    Originally posted by docupuncture

    How much is 12,00? I am a little confused here is the quote



    "We've had 12,00 downloads so far," said Shayne, repeating the number in awe, "12,00. That's about twelve times what we expected."



    maybe i do not understand the number cause Im not an animation person



    lol good catch ....when i first read it i saw it as 12 thousand cause of the comma ...im asuming thats what was meant

    i also just noticed your was the 12th post on this thread and it was your 12th post ,,,,its a sign

  • CarolynKohCarolynKoh Staff WriterMember Posts: 202

    It's a correction to 1,200.  I just talked to Stradden who heard from Cryptic.

    Somone mispoke - I think he meant twelve hundred, not twelve thousand.  OR it could be my English education.  After 25 years in the US, I'm still not used to hearing the colloquail usage in speech - saying "twelve hundred" instead of saying "one thousand two hundred." 

    It was repeated several times and I wrote down 12K each time.  :p

    Cheers,

    Notice: The views expressed in this post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of MMORPG.com or its management.

  • ChrstFckReblChrstFckRebl Member Posts: 13
    Wow, I mean... WOW.  This is going to rock, there is only so much one can do with bips (as far as I've fiddled with em).  I'm going to absolutely love seeing what I can create with this.   Rock on Cryptic! Rock on!
  • SamhaelSamhael Member RarePosts: 1,534
    Originally posted by Sylvene


    It's a correction to 1,200.  I just talked to Stradden who heard from Cryptic.
    Somone mispoke - I think he meant twelve hundred, not twelve thousand.  OR it could be my English education.  After 25 years in the US, I'm still not used to hearing the colloquail usage in speech - saying "twelve hundred" instead of saying "one thousand two hundred." 
    It was repeated several times and I wrote down 12K each time.  :p
    Cheers,
    You might want to have it changed from "12,00" to "1,200" then. 
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