Making an Animation

With Blender 

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 (make sure you have the tools and programs First)

Update::  Blender 2.49b is no longer needed, all animations can be done entirely through 2.76b​

A) Loading and Appending your model(s) and/or objects:

 

first you have to load a model into 2.76b append an object or another model to it if the animations uses an object or another Sim.  

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1) Open Blender 2.76b 

 

2) Delete the box

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3) Select File, Open and then navigate to your model and let it Load.

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4) Select File, Append, navigate to your object or another model, select it, there will be a list even if its a model select object and then the object or all 3 of the model's files (They will have the model name) from the next list, select append at the top right.

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5) You should now have an object or another model with the first.  

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6) Put your mouse in your 3D screen and press [A] on your keyboard till the model(s) and/or object are not Highlighted.

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7) Select File, Save as (name it) since I have more than one model and its going to be an animation, I will name mine mother_child_anim and press, Save Blender File at the top right corner.

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B) Setting up in Blender 2.76b​

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If you have never used blender before, some windows may be missing

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4) Change the bottom window to Timeline view

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If your right side window is missing

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5) Don't click the [+] at the top right corner of 3D view instead, slide the lined triangle shape above it till a new 3D window opens. 

 

6)Change that window to Outliner.  this will allow you to select the bones without guessing which bone it is.

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C) Getting Familiar with the Controls

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Now is a good time to get used to moving the 3D view of your model around, make sure your mouse is in the 3D window then play around with the buttons below:

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To change the angle of the mesh use your number pad only

[1] = side view, [Ctrl] + [1] = other side

[3] = front, [Ctrl] + [3] = back

[7] = top down (head), [Ctrl] + [7] = bottom up (feet)

most number pad options have [Ctrl] and [Shift] options

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Don't worry if you mess anything up. If you do, just close Blender 2.76b without saving and repeat section B.

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D) Animating Your Sim

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1) In the Outliner side panel you opened earlier, start clicking the [+] in the panel until Pose (second little white man) is exposed.  Click on it, this will highlight your model in Pose Mode.  click all the [+] These are your movable bones.

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Watch this video to see what your next few steps should look like.

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( Where the video says {Obect > Copy Pose},  the word Obect will change to Pose when all the bones are highlighted correctly)

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Extra  Notes:

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This is a Mesh 

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If you are using another model instead of an object you cannot export them together.  You will have 2 of these files.  Delete 1, Export the remaining one, then hit [Ctrl] + [Z] to undo the delete.  Delete the other and export the remaining one.

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It is a good idea to save your work as you go, you can save multiple meshes and models as long as they are in Blender format.

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If the shortcut keys are not working, make sure the mouse is in the 3D viewer window

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If the Rotation isn't Locking or the Pose isn't Copied, make sure the eye next to the orange man

is visible and all the bones are highlighted / selected

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Shortcut Keys:

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[A] = Select/Deselect All

[Ctrl] + [Z] = Undo

[I] = Brings up the LocRot Menu

[R] = Allows you to rotate selected bones

[B] = Box Select

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If you have any questions...

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