Morphology independent dynamic locomotion control for virtual characters

Physically based animation of virtual characters is an attractive technology for computer games. It enables characters to dynamically react to interactions with the environment. Existing dynamic simulation controllers are often complex to understand and manipulate, and so are of limited use for animators. This paper presents an extended spline-based control strategy similar to splines used in standard keyframe animation techniques. Unlike existing dynamic control strategies, this allows animators to modify the control system parameters in a manner similar to traditional kinematic animation techniques. A genetic algorithm is employed to produce the initial control parameters for the desired gait, and extend the parameters to enable sensory feedback. The controllers are simulated in a 3D environment and demonstrated for bipedal, tripedal and snake-like characters.