NaturalMotion Endorphin 2.0

Endorphin is the 3D industrys first dynamic motion synthesis software. At the heart of Endorphin are its Adaptive Behaviours, which - unlike animation data - are completely interactive. With Adaptive Behaviours, 3D characters essentially animate themselves. Move two Football players close to each other and one will automatically tackle the other one, realistically trying to grab hold of his legs and bringing him down or not. It really is up to you. Endorphin allows animators to direct scenes in real-time in a way they have never been able to do before.
You can change parameters or change behaviours and see the results instantly on the screen in front of you. It is software that will save animators time. Endorphin integrates seamlessly into your pipeline and does not require you to change your custom skeletons. With spectacular turn-around times and stunning animation quality, Endorphin will change the way you think about character animation.

Dynamic Motion Synthesis

Dynamic Motion Synthesis is a new approach to 3D character animation. Unlike conventional animation techniques such as keyframing or motion capture, Dynamic Motion Synthesis lets the animator use the CPU to create the character's movements in real-time. This is achieved by fully simulating the 3D character, specifically its motor control system and physical body.

Dynamic Motion Synthesis has two fundamental benefits:

• it drastically reduces animation asset production time and costs
• it produces fully interactive 3D characters.

How it Works

Dynamic Motion Synthesis is based on Oxford University's research on the control of human and animal body motions. In essence, we build a physical, biomechanically-realistic model of a character (e.g. a human or a dinosaur), implant an appropriate brain structure (usually a neural network), and use optimisation techniques (such as artificial evolution) to create the desired adaptive behaviour.

Endorphin 2.0

This page will give you an idea of the key features of Endorphin 2.0 and the system requirements of Endorphin 2.0.

Take a look around.

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New Features in Endorphin 2.0

• Multi-layered behaviours
• Enhanced GUI
• Avid Alienbrain integration
• Perforce integration
• New and enhanced adaptive behaviours
• Fully customisable character
• Animation events
• Camera import
• Video back plate (AVI)
• Optimised simulation (110% speed gain)
• dotXSI and V file support
• Auto-retargeting
• Customisable simulation materials

Artificial Intelligence

Forward Dynamics Muscle Controllers

• Biology-based control architectures using Active Character Technology

Wide Selection of Adaptive AI Behaviours

• Characters sense and react to the simulated world
• Enhanced adaptive behaviours based on extensive survey of game developers and post production studios

Expandable AI Behaviour Library

• Incorporate new behaviours into Endorphin as they become available

Character Simulation

High Fidelity Biomechanical Simulation of the Human Body

• Character dimensions and joint limits based on anthropometric data sources
• Biomechanical properties enhanced by Oxford University research
• Optimised simulation (110% speed gain)

True Physical Interaction Between Character and Environment

• Virtual character with realistic collision surfaces and inertial properties
• Robust, fast rigid-body-dynamics engine

Fully Customisable Character

• Intuitive tools to change the shape, dimensions and mass of the Endorphin character to match your custom character

Multiple Characters

• Multiple, interacting real-time characters
• Characters with independent behaviours, poses, motion capture data etc

Parameterised Behaviours

• Character behaviours with intuitive user-level parameters (eg urgency) for even more control

Active Posing

• Multiple user-defined poses can be keyed such that character will try and achieve them in a believable and fluid manner
• Easy setting of target end poses for smooth blending into continuing animation

Dynamic Retargeting

• Import and map data onto characters using Endorphins proprietary motion mapping techniques

Prop Support

• Full support for ancillary objects attached to character (eg shoulder pads, armour, hockey sticks)
• All props physically simulated and can be motion captured

Driven Collision Surfaces

• Objects (eg vehicles) animated in the scene using imported animation data

Severed Body Parts

• Controlled detachment of body parts and props
• Detachment triggered by time events

High Frequency Simulation

• Increased simulation fidelity for enhanced slow-motion replay and more accurate collisions

Authoring

Intuitive Event-Based Scene Authoring

• Time bar offers full control over behaviours, forces and environment interactions

Multi-Track Time Line

• Enhanced timeline with multi-character capabilities
• Multi-purpose tracks allowing convenient grouping of events
• Layering and prioritisation of behaviours through lay-out on time line

Multi-layer behaviours

• Assign simultaneous behaviours to different body parts

Joint Authoring Tool

• Imported characters joints can be edited graphically

Force Tool

• Direct interaction with characters body
• Full control over force parameters (direction, magnitude and impact area)
• Support for unlimited force events in a scene

Environment Builder

• Intuitive and quick creation of environment collision surfaces
• Editable environment object parameters (e.g. mass, dimensions)

Interactive Strobe Preview

• Faster than real-time pre-simulation

Inverse Dynamics Character Posing

• Posing with (optional) retention of full collision detection, inertial properties and joint limits

GUI

Intuitive Graphical User Interface

• Use of industry-standard widgets and conventions

Camera Tracking

• Camera tracking of arbitrary scene objects (including character body parts)

Variable Replay Rate

• Animation playback at user-defined rates for better inspection

Integrated OpenGL Renderer

• Real-time 3D view of Endorphin world

Hotkey Editor

• Custom key mapping with presets for most common animation tools

Pipeline Integration

Import of Existing Animation Data

• Full continuation of imported animation with AI and dynamics enabled

Export of Generated Animation Data

• Save animation in file format of choice

Supported File Formats

• 3dsmax / Character Studio: .csm
• Acclaim: .amc/.asf
• Biovision: .bvh
• FBX: .fbx
• Softimage: dotXSI
• Vicon: V and VST

Video Output (Tabletop Preview)

• Generate an AVI video of your scene, straight from Endorphin

Camera Import

• Import camera data to drive Endorphins renderer

Video Back Plate

• Play back live-action AVIs in the Endorphin view port and have character interact with set

Asset Management Support

• Avid Alienrbrain integration
• Perforce integration

Endorphin 2.0 System Requirements:

• Windows 2000 / XP
• Pentium or Athlon 1.7GHz CPU
• 512MB RAM
• Nvidia GeForce2 or ATI Radeon 7000 or higher