(For more resources on animation, see here.)

Understanding AML

The best way to describe AML is from the iClone Wiki, which this author originally set up for, and under the direction and guidance of the team at Reallusion:

The DramaScript Markup Language (AML) is a general-purpose specification for creating performance interaction between characters and props. It is classified as an XML (Extensible Markup Language) because it allows its users to write individual DramaScripts for either characters or props in iClone4 to interact. Its primary purpose is to create script animations to allow characters and props to interact with each other smoothly. AML Script Editor can be used when modifying DramaScripts.

At the time of writing, version 1.0 of AML Script Editor was having issues on Windows 7 systems with the latest version of Direct X.

Where to find and store Motion Files for the Characters?

• C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocumentsReallusionTemplateiClone 4 TemplateiClone TemplateMotion

What’s the difference between Prop’s Animation Clips and Character’s Animation Clips?

• For Prop’s Animation Clips, there are two ways to produce the motion clips. One is using the collect clip method in iClone and the other method is to use 3Ds Max and export it through our Plug-in converter. 3Ds Max can produce both the prop and the animation, but when you produce the motion clips for the props, the animation is embedded within the prop itself.
• For the creation of the character’s motion, the character and the character’s motion are always exported separately.

The following table is also from iCloneWiki:

	Character	iProps
Where is AML Stored?	Persona	AML is embedded within the iProp.
Where to access the motion files.	Animation > Motion files in iClone Template.	in the iProp’s right-click menu under Perform
How to export the AML scripts?	Export Persona from the right-click menu.	Export DramaScript from the right-click menu.
How to generate motion files?	In the timeline or Motion Editor in iClone3 Pro or above 3DS Max 8.0 or above	In the timeline or Motion Editor in iClone3 Pro or above 3DS Max 8.0 or above

Exploring personas to animate a character

A Persona is an editable AML file that is based on the XML specification. A Persona can hold many different motions such as waving, walking, and so forth. These actions are Perform actions that are available from the right-click Perform menu when a Persona has been loaded into a character.

Default characters such as Dylan and Jana already have a Persona loaded into them which will differ from character to character. The motions the Persona invokes can also be used as regular motions and are accessed by the Animation tab, Motion button interface when a character is selected.

Personas can be exported, saved, then imported into another character with the right-click menu under the Persona menu choice. Personas can be edited with an XML editor such as the free XML Notepad from Microsoft. XML Notepad was originally released in 2006 then updated in 2007. There may be other updated versions available. http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=7973

The following image shows the right-click menu with the Perform sub-menu highlighted. Notice the three actions available: Hey You, Listen Music, Puzzle, and there are additional commands under the Move sub-menu to Walk Forward or Run Forward.

 

Some Personas will have more commands available than others. It depends on what the Persona author had in mind. Remember that all of these motions are available in the motion library also.

To demonstrate a different Persona we will use the Dylan character to load with a different Persona.

Time for action – loading a Persona

Since Personas can have different motions available, we will add a different Persona to the Dylan character to demonstrate this:

1. Start a new blank project.
2. Make sure the time scrubber is at the start of the Timeline.
3. Load the Dylan character into the workspace.
4. Right-click on Dylan and hold your mouse cursor over the Persona menu item until the sub-menu appears.
5. With the Dylan character selected, click on the Actor tab.
6. Select the Persona button.
7. Double-click on the Benny Persona in the Content Manager on the left side menu to load the Benny Persona into Dylan. There will be no visible change when the Persona is loaded.

The following image shows the choices available when the Benny Persona is loaded versus the few choices that were available with the Dylan Persona:



 

8. Select the Perform motion Angry.
9. Select the Can’t Help It choice when the previous action has stopped running.
10. Select the Talk 01 choice when the Can’t Help It motion stops running.
11. Move the time scrubber to the beginning and playback the scene.

The following is an image depicting the three motions strung together in the Perform timeline. Notice the linear designation. Remember our curves? We can change from linear to ease out or any of the available curve choices. In most cases, the curves are slight differences from the default linear curve:

 

What just happened?

We loaded a character, explored its built in motion based on the characters default Persona file. We then loaded a different Persona to see the difference some Personas have.

After loading the Benny Persona file we then proceeded to add three distinct motions with the simple right click menu system by adding a new perform action when the previous actions stopped playing.

Have a go hero – experimenting with perform motions

Experiment by loading the various Personas into different characters and see how they react. Use different curve settings and blending with the handles. This exercise is for you to become acquainted with the various Personas and their effect on characters.

Female-based Personas will have female characteristics just as male-based Personas will have a male-oriented body language. Mixing these up can produce some unique results.

Using AML templates

In the Content Manager, you may have noticed a folder named AML Templates. These are helper props that contain AML scripting to help perform a task or function such as sitting down. The AML can be built into props but the helpers can work with regular props such as furniture, downloaded from the web or created in another 3D application.

Implementing character interaction

The following image shows the AML templates available from the Character_Interaction sub- folder located in the Props folder:

 

Time for action – placing and using character interaction dummies

Once again we will use a new blank project for this action section:

1. Create a new blank project.
2. Load the Jana character into the workspace.
3. Load the Dylan character into the workspace.
4. Load the Hello_Dummy prop located in the Character_Interaction sub-folder of the AML Templates folder.
5. Place the characters near each other, in facing the same general direction.
6. Place the Hello_Dummy prop, as in the following image:

   

7. Click on the Jana character, then right-click on the Hello prop and select the Operate menu then Hello from the sub-menu:



Select the character you wish to interact with the prop, then use the Hello template perform action to have this character initiate the motion.

What just happened?

We used the Hello AML template to initiate a waving from the Jana character without having to key frame the event.

The last character selected will be the character whose action is triggered by the AML templates.