WEEK 6 – Vicon Motion Capture

This week, I ventured into the exciting world of motion capture. Remember the astronaut tumbling out of the TARDIS? I spent some time in the mocap room, with my actor to make him act out the scene. 

From Mocap to Unreal: The Power of Vicon IK

Once I had the raw mocap data, it was time to translate it into the world of Unreal Engine. This is where the Vicon IK rig came into play. I took the mocap data and adapted it to my astronaut character’s specific rig using the IK retargeted. I have been able to do this after that i connected the right bones in both of the rigs. It wasn’t the smoothest process – there were some tweaks and adjustments needed – but seeing the astronaut’s movements come to life in Unreal Engine was incredibly rewarding.

With the mocap data retargeted, I’m now ready to refine the astronaut’s animation. It’s time to focus on the finer details I’ll be polishing the astronaut’s animation, ensuring their movements are smooth and believable.  So I focused myself on polishing those movements, adding details like the pistol (I took the model already made) and making sure the astronaut truly embodies that sense of awe at arriving on this mysterious beach. 

TARDIS Doors Swing Open

One of the key elements missing from my scene was the opening of the TARDIS doors. I tackled that challenge and programmed the doors to open just as the astronaut emerged. Now, the arrival feels complete, with the TARDIS welcoming its visitor and hinting at the wonders that lie within.

I decided also to introduce a second camera for this scene. This camera will capture the astronaut interacting directly with the viewer, breaking the fourth wall and creating a more personal connection. It’ll be a fun way to draw the audience into the experience.