Esoteric Software

[matteo.piccioni]

Hello,
first of all sorry if this is a trite question, but I am quite new of unity and Spine and looking into forum I have not found tips

Following this video:
I was able to export from Spine and create my prefab into Unity

Moreover using Unity Animator with Parameters and Transitions I was able to play beetween different animation (using a script controller to change parameters) with good results
Practically, until now, I am not using runtimes.

Now I have the problem that my character should have an hit animation for melee weapons.
Reading the docs: http://de.esotericsoftware.com/spine-using-runtimes#Combining-animations
I create a new Animation with only keframes for bones in the torso, to be able to have legs not effected by the merge of animations.
In this way, for example, the hit animation should be good while I am running or walking or in idle state

My question is:
Exist a way to achieve this result (combine animations) using only the Unity Animator ?
Or I have to heavily modify my controller script as the Basic Platformer Controller created by Mitch Thompson available into the examples ?
In fact I see that into Spine examples Unity Animator is not used and all is done with Basic Platformer Controller script.

Could you help me and suggest the path to follow ?
Thanks!

ps. sorry for bad english!

[Mitch]

You do it the normal Mecanim way. Create a new Layer in the Animator.

[matteo.piccioni]

Thanks,
I will look into

In general why should I use runtimes instead of normal mecanim way ?

[Mitch]

Runtime has more features. Baking (as opposed to using SkeletonAnimator) doesn't support a lot of features (like Color keys, realtime IK, FFD, so on).

If you use SkeletonAnimator (not SkeletonAnimation) you kind of get the best of both worlds... but there are still some inherent problems with SkeletonAnimator because of the way Mecanim handles blending.

[matteo.piccioni]

Ok, I am trying to understand
There 3 way to use Spine with Unity
1) Using Baking. Useful to export project without Spine runtimes. Better to avoid if not necessary.
2) Using SkeletonAnimation:
Right click into: xxxx_SkeletonData -> Spine -> Instantiate (SkeletonAnimation)
In this way I was able to attach a new script that call runtimes command as:

public class SpineController : MonoBehaviour {

#if UNITY_4_5
[Header("Graphics")]
#endif
public SkeletonAnimation skeletonAnimation;
#if UNITY_4_5
[Header("Animation")]
#endif
[SpineAnimation(dataField: "skeletonAnimation")]
public string runName = "Run";
[SpineAnimation(dataField: "skeletonAnimation")]
public string idleName = "Idle";
[SpineAnimation(dataField: "skeletonAnimation")]
public string jumpName = "Jump";

protected MyController _controller;


void Awake()
{
_controller = GetComponent<MyController>();
}

// Use this for initialization
void Start () {

}

// Update is called once per frame
protected virtual void Update()
{

if (_controller.State.IsGrounded)
{
if (Mathf.Abs(_controller.Speed.x) < 0.1f) //idle
{
skeletonAnimation.AnimationName = idleName;
}
else //move
{
skeletonAnimation.AnimationName = Mathf.Abs(_controller.Speed.x ) > 0.6f ? runName : runName;
}
} else {
if (_controller.Speed.y > 0) //jump
skeletonAnimation.AnimationName = jumpName;
else //fall
skeletonAnimation.AnimationName = jumpName;
}
}
}

3) Using SkeletonAnimator (The better way)
I remove SkeletonAnimation script from my prefab and I add the script Skeleton Animator (that add Animator script to prefab too)
From xxxx_SkeletonData context menu I did 'Generate Mecanim Controller'
Now my prefab has the following scripts:
Transform
Skeleton Mesh (Mesh Filter)
Animator (with right Controller)
Skeleton Animator (with the xxxx_SkeletonData)
other personal script...

Now I have that the character is moving using Parameters definid into Unity Animator but how should I use the advanced runtime features ?
All the example into runtimes make use of SkeletonAnimation

Thanks!

[Mitch]

SkeletonAnimation and SkeletonAnimator both derive from SkeletonRenderer. Most everything still applies the same. SkeletonUtility still works with SkeletonAnimator as well as they both implement the ISkeletonAnimation interface.

[Xelnath]

I struggled with this myself, Matteo.

In the end, I ended up writing my own character controller because I'm insane like that. However, for everything except manually assigning the animations by later, the Mechanim direction is more intuitive to learn up front.

[matteo.piccioni]

Thanks for answers,
Xelnath you mean the Mechanim direction using Backing or using SkeletonAnimator ?

[frp529]

Mitch said:"If you use SkeletonAnimator (not SkeletonAnimation) you kind of get the best of both worlds... but there are still some inherent problems with SkeletonAnimator because of the way Mecanim handles blending."

I use SkeletonAnimotor create a very simple demo.But there is a problem after animation transition.I don't know why.

Here is the link:
http://esotericsoftware.com/forum/Spine-animation-second-frame-wrong-when-using-animator-4965?p=23266#p23266

[decoamorim]

You do it the normal Mecanim way. Create a new Layer in the Animator.

To create the mecanim layer mask is the same as in 3D?