The chimaera project: an online database of animal motions

Abstract

Digital animators will save vast amounts of project time by starting with a completed skeleton and some base animations. This result can be accomplished with Web 2.0 technologies by creating a repository of skeletons and animations that any animator may use for free. While free Maya™ skeletons currently exist on the Internet, the websites housing them have only brief features and functions for browsing and interacting with these files. None of these websites contain downloadable animations for the provided skeletons. The Chimaera Project improves the field of Web 2.0 sites offering free rigs by offering many new features and freedoms to the animation community. Users may upload and download Maya™ skeletons, share comments and tips with each other, upload animations associated with the skeletons, and search or browse the skeletons in a variety of ways. The skeletons include descriptions and information provided by the creator and are categorized by class, order, and species. Users may access a freely provided script called “zooXferAnim” to import and export animations into text files to be uploaded and downloaded on the website. Many animations per skeleton may be uploaded. The Chimaera Project extends the Web 2.0 community by creating an interactive resource for animators to contribute and share content in a better, more organized format than previously seen on the Internet.