Placement of animated elements using vector fields

摘要

The placement of one animated element in a virtualized three-dimensional environment can be accomplished with reference to a second animated element and a vector field derived from the relationship thereof. If the first animated element is “inside” the second animated element after the second one was moved to a new animation frame, an existing vector field can be calculated for the region where it is “inside”. The vector field can comprise vectors that can have a direction and magnitude commensurate with the initial velocity and direction required to move the first animated element back outside of the second one. Movement of the first animated element can then be simulated in accordance with the vector field and afterwards a determination can be made whether any portion still remains inside. Such an iterative process can move and place the first animation element prior to the next move of the second animation element.

主权项

1. One or more computer-readable memory comprising computer-executable instructions for animating a first animation element in accordance with a pre-computed animation sequence of a second animation element to which the first animation element is related, the computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising:
moving the second animation element to a first pose that is part of the pre-computed animation sequence; determining one or more regions within which the first animation element is inside the second animation element; selecting an animation point of the first animation element that is within the determined one or more regions; computing a vector directionally oriented in a direction in which the selected animation point is to move to be back outside of the second animation element and having a magnitude commensurate with a distance to be traveled by the selected animation point to be back outside of the second animation element, the computed vector being exclusively associated only with the selected first animation point, to the exclusion of other animation points of the first animation element; generating one or more vector fields only within the determined one or more regions by repeating the selecting and the computing for other animation points within the determined one or more regions; simulating movement of the first animation element in accordance with the generated one or more vector fields; iteratively repeating the determining, the generating and the simulating until the first animation element is wholly outside of the second animation element; and repeating the moving, the determining, the generating, the simulating, and the iteratively repeating for subsequent poses of the second animation element that are part of the pre-computed animation sequence; wherein the direction in which the vectors of the generated one or more vector fields are oriented is determined with reference to a direction of moving of the second animation element and a shape of the second animation element.