About the Project
This final year project focused on developing an advanced procedural animation system for quadrupedal characters using Unreal Engine 5's Control Rig system. The research explored the creation of realistic, adaptive locomotion that responds dynamically to terrain variations and environmental constraints. By combining biomechanical principles with modern animation techniques, the project demonstrates how procedural systems can create more believable and efficient quadruped movement compared to traditional keyframe animation approaches.
Key Features
- Advanced Control Rig implementation with custom bone chains and constraint systems for realistic quadruped locomotion
- Procedural gait generation system supporting walk, trot, canter, and gallop gaits with smooth transitions
- Intelligent terrain adaptation using inverse kinematics to adjust leg positioning for uneven surfaces
- Real-time foot placement system with raycast-based ground detection and collision avoidance
- Dynamic weight distribution calculations affecting body posture and movement timing
- Customizable animation parameters allowing for different quadruped species and body types
- Performance optimization ensuring real-time execution suitable for interactive applications
- Comprehensive evaluation framework comparing procedural vs. traditional animation quality
Technical Highlights
- Custom Control Rig blueprint architecture with modular components for different body segments and limb chains
- Advanced IK solver implementation using FABRIK algorithm optimized for quadruped leg configurations
- Real-time biomechanical simulation incorporating center of mass calculations and stability analysis
- Procedural spine curvature system responding to terrain slope and movement dynamics
- Multi-threaded animation evaluation system for performance optimization
- Data-driven approach using motion capture reference data for gait validation and tuning
Development Process
The project was developed over 4 months as part of my final year dissertation, combining extensive research into quadruped biomechanics with practical implementation in Unreal Engine 5. The development process involved literature review, iterative prototyping, and comprehensive evaluation against traditional animation methods.
Development Timeline
- Month 1: Literature review, biomechanical research, and initial Control Rig setup
- Month 2: Core procedural animation system development and basic gait implementation
- Month 3: Advanced features including terrain adaptation and IK refinement
- Month 4: Optimization, evaluation, and dissertation writing
Key Challenges
- Implementing realistic quadruped biomechanics within Control Rig's constraint system
- Achieving stable foot placement on complex terrain geometries
- Balancing animation quality with real-time performance requirements
- Developing evaluation metrics to quantify procedural animation effectiveness
Research Methodology
- Comprehensive literature review of quadruped locomotion and procedural animation techniques
- Iterative development approach with regular testing and refinement
- Quantitative evaluation using motion analysis and performance metrics
- Comparative study against traditional keyframe animation workflows
Tools & Technologies
- Unreal Engine 5 with Control Rig system for animation development
- Blender for quadruped model creation and rigging
- Motion capture data analysis tools for reference validation
- Git for version control and project management
- LaTeX for dissertation documentation
