William Fletcher Cole
wfcole@ucsc.edu, 161055
Final Project Proposal


Project Title:

Human Motion as a Function of Body Parameters


Project Description:

    This project will focus on showing how a body's animation
changes depending on various body parameters. The project
application will display the model of a body and will allow the
user to edit parameters such as height and proportion. The model
will be updated in real time, and at any time the user will be
able to choose to run the current model through one of the
provided animations. The point of the project is to map the
modifiable body parameters to the animation of the object.


Goals and Features:

    The final application will feature hierarchical animations of
a model of a human body. The model will be displayed in a viewing
window and multiple camera views of the scene will be selectable
via buttons in a gui panel displayed next to the scene. In this
gui panel there will also be buttons for each animation. When the
animation buttons are pressed the body will enact that animation
using the current states of the body's parameters. The gui panel
will also contain labeled sliders for height, slimness, weight
spread, and possibly other parameters such as proportion. In
terms of code, the states of the sliders will be passed into the
body's methods which then determine the effects on the model's
state and recalculate where its polygons should be drawn, and how
the animations will change.


Time Line:

Week 1 (Feb 5 - 12):

Display a basic model in the window and set up outline code for
the functions necessary to perform the essential tasks such as
updating the body parameters and drawing the model.

Week 2 (Feb 12 - 19):

Implement a basic gui and experiment with getting the sliders to
change the body parameters visually. Setup the model in a
hierarchial fashion.

Week 3 (Feb 19 - 26):

Begin implementing a hierarchial animation for the model.
Experiment with ways to have the body parameters effect the
animation.

Week 4 (Feb 26 - March 5):

Continue refining the animation. Make the gui more pleasantly
interfaceable. Increase the detail of the model if there is time.
Prepare and deliver the Project Update.

Week 5 (March 5 - 12):

Continue refining the animation and its relationship with the
body parameters. Begin implementing a second animation if there
is time. Also consider adding an additional parameter, such as
body proportion, if there is time.

Week 6 (March 12 - ):

Finish up work on the animations. Perfect the interface and
possibly add detail to the model if there is time. Refine all
aspects of the body parameters' influence on the model and
animations. Prepare and deliver the final presentation.


Research done so far:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3286/architecting_a_3d_animation_engine.php
http://gpwiki.org/index.php/OpenGL:Tutorials:Basic_Bones_System

Helpful past projects:

http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/classes/cmps161/Winter10/projects/projects/abrozek/161finalproject.htm
http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/classes/cmps161/Winter09/projects/cdward/dragon.html
http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/classes/cmps161/Winter10/projects/projects/kemmurph/report.html