Guild of Writers

Introduction

WARNING: this article is a work in progress, it is not complete, use it at your own risk.

The 'OneShotMod' avatar animations are all the 'advanced' avatar animations that are triggered by a script. They are mostly used when the avatar interact with an object: touching a book, pushing a button, pulling a lever etc.. They also can be used for other things like entering the elevators in Garrison. Those animations are important for all interactions in an Age and if they are used well they can enhance it a lot.

Those animations must be triggered through Alcscript (no tutorial avalaible yet). However those animations are 'fixed', which means that the avatar will always plays the exact same animation, regarless of where the interactive object is. For example if you want the avatar to touch a book using the standard linking book animation but you create the book right on the ground, the avatar will 'miss' it. So, in order that those animations look right the objects must be made to fit the animations; they must have a certain size, be at a certain height... etc. This list goes through some of the most common animations and the required objects, and tries to give all needed informations to use them correctly.

Also at the end of this page is a Blender scene containing a visual reference for all those animations.

Animations list

Important note: All of the dimensions given for the objects are not exact, that is because in the Cyan Ages they change a little bit from Age to Age and are never exactly the same. That is not a problem because most of these don't need to be extremely precise, and a couple inches don't make much of a difference. The dimensions given here have been averaged and give a good idea of how to set up your objects.

Also, remember that those animations are only for the avatar, if you want to animate some of the objects (levers, buttons, etc) you will have to do it yourself. For small objects (buttons especially) that may look OK if they are not animated; but for larger objects, you definitely need to (which can be difficult if you want to properly synchronize it with the avatar animation).

Linking book

This is the regular 'Touch the linking book panel' animation used for most books. The book linking panel must be at 3.4 units above the ground.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_LinkOut"

Door button

This is the regular button animation used for most doors (like the Relto hut door) but it is can also used for other things like for touching the Journey cloths, or any action that requires a large button on a wall.
The button must be around 3.6 units above the ground.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_District_DoorButtonTouch"

'Flat' button

This one is for the small buttons on pedestals found in many Uru Ages (the Hood light buttons on the bridge, the Teledahn elevator, the Gira lanterns in the caves, etc)
The button must be around 3.5 units above the ground.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_District_ButtonTouch"

Sitting regions

Use for all the chairs and benches, those don't actually require animations, they are used automatically like the ladders. They still require the object to be at exactly 2 unis above the ground, and at least 1.4 unit large.

Also if you want to have a table or a desk near it, make sure that it is at least 1 unit above the chair.

Wall lever

This is the regular 'small lever on the wall' used in the Relto hut for the window, in the teledahn office etc.. There are two animations depending whether the lever is on the 'up' or 'down' position.
For the 'down' position the lever handle must be around 3.8 units above the ground, for the 'Up' position it is around 4.3
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_BlindsLeverUp"
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_BlindsLeverDown"

Scopes

All scopes in Uru works pretty much the same way and they use several animations. First the avatar has to grab the scope by the handles, then it holds it as long as it uses it, and then finally it releases it.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_ScopeGrab"
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_ScopeHold"
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_ScopeRelease"

Revolving doors

Most doors in Uru are sliding doors, however there is a regular non-sliding door, which is only used in the Teledahn warShroom. It requires some pretty specific dimensions (size of the door, size and position of the handle on the door etc). Also it causes various other issues, most notably in a multi-player environment you can slam the door in someone else's face. So it is not very easy to use; which is probably why it wasn't used much in Uru Ages.
For the full dimensions of this object look at the blender scene at the end of this article.
There are two animations depending on which side of the door the avatar is.
Animation: "Teledahn_NoxiousCaveDoorPullOpen"
Animation: "Teledahn_NoxiousCaveDoorPushOpen"

Relto Bahro Poles Book

This is a slight variant of the common Linking Book animation, here the avatar has to kneel to use touch the book. In Uru this is mostly used for the Relto Bahro poles books, and for most of the Bahro stones. This can be useful if you want to have a book near the ground. Book panel must be at 2 units above the ground.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_FishBookLinkOut ???"

More animations

There are many other animations in Uru, some of which are listed here, and if you want to add more informations and move that to the main section of this document, please do it (this is a wiki after all ;) ). Also there are more animations for the objects listed previously, some of those can help you in your Age or give you ideas, so don't hesitate to have a look at the Uru/Dat folder for a list of all the animations (look for the files with 'Female' or 'Male' in their names).

Pedal
Used for the Cleft bucket, the Eder Gira vents, the Teledahn elevator brake etc.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_StepOnFloorPlate"

Floor lever
The big lever near the Teledahn bucket, or in the Kadish Pillars puzzle etc
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_FloorLeverA"??

Big floor lever (aka Clutch lever)
This animation is only used in Teledahn for the 3 levers around 'solar panel' tower. The avatar uses both his arms to push the lever here.
Animation: "Teledahn_ClutchLeverForward"
Animation: "Teledahn_ClutchLeverBackward"

Wall wheel
Only used in Ahnonay inside the sphere1 tower, could be useful for mechanical puzzles.
Animation: "AhnySphere01_ValveWheelCW" (clockwise)
Animation: "AhnySphere01_ValveWheelCCW" (counterclockwise)

Garrison Elevators
That's a pretty specific animation, but a big advantage of it is that with this system the elevator is fully automatic, no need for buttons inside or a complex GUI. Also you don't really see the inside of the elevator, Which could be useful if you can't spend too much time creating it. Finally small elevators are problematic for the third person camera; which isn't suited for such small spaces.
Animation: "Garrison_ElevatorArrivingBottom"
Animation: "Garrison_ElevatorArrivingTop"
Animation: "Garrison_ElevatorLeavingBottom"
Animation: "Garrison_ElevatorLeavingTop"

"Pump button"
The big yellow Teledahn power tower button that you have to push three times to start the solar panel.
Animation: "Teledahn_PowerTowerPrimerButton"

"Fall from the bucket"
That's in Teledahn when you get out of the bucket in the upper shroom. I'm not sure how it could be used, but it's a pretty unique animation, so it might as well be listed here. (a slightly similar animation is the Cleft_CleftDropIn)
Animation: "Teledahn_GetOutOfBucket"

UseKi
This is the 'put you hand in the machine' animation used for the Nexus stations and in the Great Zero. Because in MO:RE we'll be allowed to use D'ni material this animations may be useful for.
Animation: "GlobalAnimations_InsertKiHand"

Again there are many other animations in Uru, so feel free to add some here.

Blender File

This blender scene contains a visual reference of all the animations listed above. All the objects inside are made to scale and can be used as a reference in your own Ages.

Download (90kb) - Version 0.1 -- July 17 2008

This file doesn't include yet the Alcscript for all the objects, if someone feels brave enough to add it, please do.