First, I created a basic scene box in Maya to serve as a clear spatial reference for animation production. This scene box included key terrain structures and position markers, allowing me to accurately determine the characters’ movement range and relative positions during animation.

By using this approach, I was able to plan the characters’ movement paths and camera transitions effectively in the early stages of production, ensuring visual continuity and logical consistency.

Additionally, this simple setup allowed me to focus on refining the character animations without being distracted by the complexities of detailed scene design, laying a solid foundation for later scene optimization and lighting adjustments.

I have re-rigged the “Big Brother” monkey model using the ADV rigging system. Given my previous experience with rigging models, I aim to optimize my rigging process this time. I plan to use Mixamo’s quick rigging and skinning feature to achieve better skin weights. Then, I’ll use the Name Matcher feature in the ADV system to create an ADV control rig that can efficiently transfer skinning information.

Next was the facial rigging, where I encountered some challenges. Since the body rigging was imported externally, it didn’t fully integrate with the facial rigging system, leading to some errors. The issue likely stems from the significant differences between a monkey’s facial structure and a human’s. To address this, I made some adjustments to the presets, including removing the eyebrow rigging. This change helped avoid errors in the eye area, particularly with the selection of the three points in that region.

However, the error persisted. The externally imported skeleton was provided by Mixamo, and when creating the facial controllers, an error occurred indicating that the facial root bone could not be found. Eventually, I located the root bone in the discarded Mixamo skeleton, identifying “mixamoRig:head” as the root bone for the facial rig.

Finally, it worked!

I ultimately chose the model with two monkeys, but further modifications were still needed after purchase.

We want to turn these two models into a “Big Brother” and “Little Brother” duo in our game. Previously, we mentioned that our characters arrive in airplanes, so I think monkeys with human-like intelligence and technology should also wear clothes. Additionally, my team members suggested that the “Big Brother” monkey should have its hat and glasses removed. Therefore, I will incorporate their suggestions and make some modifications to the model.

Of course, since the purchased models don’t fully align with our needs in every aspect, I’ll need to re-rig the “Big Brother” monkey after making the modifications. For the “Little Brother” monkey, I used skinning duplication to transfer the skin weights from the body to the clothes, simplifying the process.

Our team is a collaboration between students from the Game Design program and myself from the 3D Computer Animation. The project is broadly divided into the main gameplay and cutscenes. My primary responsibility is to complete the standalone cutscenes as well as all in-game animations for the project.

We describe this game as an open-world cooperative experience. By “open-world,” we mean that the game map minimizes the use of obstacles like mountains to restrict player movement. However, our ultimate goal is to create a small, playground-like world where players can freely explore and find enjoyment wherever they go. Therefore, I believe a more accurate term than “open-world” would be a “sandbox world” that allows for free exploration.

The first cutscene (Introduction) ：will feature two characters arriving on an island by plane, landing on the beach. The characters should exude confidence and ambition, clearly determined to achieve their goal. The cutscene must include an overhead shot that reveals the full view of the island, allowing players to see the entire landscape before gameplay begins. This means we’ll need to finalize or complete the island’s layout before we can produce this sequence.

The second cutscene (Conclusion)： involves a scene with a grave. The two characters approach their objective. As Character A reaches to touch it, a mechanism deep within is triggered with a click. The coffin lid opens on its own, and something terrifying (zombies, ghosts, a swarm of black insects, spiders, rats, or some other horrific entity) emerges from the coffin and starts chasing the protagonists. The duo escapes through a thrilling chase and, at the last moment, manages to board the plane and flee the island. They cheer and high-five in the air, marking the end of the game.

Overall, these two cutscenes offer a lot of creative freedom. Apart from the overhead shot in the introduction, as long as the story makes sense, the scenes can be adapted to fit the game environment. This makes it challenging to complete the animation parts early, as they need to be integrated with the game’s settings.

Additionally, the feasibility of the animations must be considered in relation to the game design.