Animation Behaviors

When we think about AI, usually we imagine smart robots, mechanical objects that perfectly perform a vast array of actions, and the same thought happens with video game AI. We tend to think about opponents or allies that act, react, think, or do a lot of things with smart decisions, and that's correct, but one more important aspect is usually left behind, the animations. In order to create believable and realistic AI characters, the animation is one of the most important aspects. Animations define the visual interaction, that is, what it looks like when the character is doing something. It's very important to have the animations working as well as the functional mechanics in order for the character to be believable. In this chapter, we'll be looking at some useful techniques and solutions to use, re-use, and create animations that smoothly fit...