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466 Chapter 20: Managing Scenes and Projects

This feature can a lso b e used to reconnect parent

objectstochildreninthescene.

Merge Animation

Select an object, group, or hierarchy > File menu > Merge

Animation

Select a character assembly node > M o dify panel >

Character Assembly Rollout > Animation group > Inser t

Animation

Merg e Animation merges (transfers) animation

data from one object to another. Animation data

can be transferred from one scene to another, or

between objects in the same scene. Animation

data from several objects can be merged at the

same time.

Within the Merge Animation dialog , objects

eligible for transferring or receiving animation

data are called nodes. Source nodes refer to objects

from which animation data can be transferred,

while current nodes can receive animation data.

Merge nodes aresourcenodesthathavebeen

mapped to (matched up with) current nodes in

the Merge Animation dialog in preparation for

merging.

In order for a particular attribute’s animation

data to be transferred from a merge node, the

corresponding current node must have the same

attribute. Forexample,ifamergenodehasan

animated Bend modifier applied to it, the current

node must als o have a Bend modifier applied to it

for the animation data to transfer successfully.

The Merge Animation feature i s ideal for

transferring anim ation data b etween similar

hierarchies, such as character structures. In

character creation, it is a common practice to name

bones for different char acters with the character

name plus a suffix or prefix that describes the

bone. For example, you might hav e one character

called Alien with bones named Alien_Pelvis,

Alien_LeftHand, etc. Another character called

Chef would have bones named Chef_Pelvis,

Chef_LeftHand, etc. The Merge Animation dialog

can automatically filter prefixes and suffixes so

you can quickly map the merge nodes for complex

hierarchies.

Note: Ifyouplantomergeanimationdatatoand

from characters, t he process will b e much easier if

you use the same bone-name prefixes or suffixes

for each character .