Gamebryo adopts Mixamoâ??s online animation service

Californian engine provider Emergent has struck a new deal that will allow its customers to easily integrate a unique 3D animation service into the Gamebryo LightSpeed engine.

The group has teamed up with Mixamo, a Silicon Valley-based animation firm, whose service allows animators to browse through an online catalogue of 3D character motions.

Mixamo users can pick the animations they like and, using a slider-based control system, can tweak and customise accordingly. When finished, the motion can be downloaded as a package and, according to Emergent, will seamlessly integrate into the Gamebryo LightSpeed pipeline.

Mixamo says its motions were developed using actual motion capture data, but the company did not reveal exactly how many animation templates are available (though it says the catalogue is “extensive”).

Key to the Mixamo service is its efficiency, the group says.

“Mixamo significantly accelerates the game development process,” said the group. “It alleviates the need for expensive motion capture services and substantially reduces keyframe animation production time and cost.”

Emergent’s VP of partners, John Austin, said he was “delighted” with the Mixamo deal.

“Mixamo’s collection of production-quality, customizable motions and entirely new approach to animation techniques gives LightSpeed users another option for adding great character animations to their games.”

The downloadable animation files are available in FBX, bvh and Collada formats.