Animation export

README.md

@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Additional notes:
 
 ## Resources and Guidelines
 ### Animation Guides
+We are using [**Blender 3.6 LTS**](https://www.blender.org/download/lts/3-6/). As rigging changes in 4.0, please use the correct Blender version to ensure compatibility.
+
 Guides for animation:
 - [Setting Up a New Animation](docs/animation.md/#setting-up-a-new-animation)
 - [Finalizing an Animation](docs/animation.md/#finalizing-an-animation)

docs/animation.md

@@ -40,3 +40,34 @@ If you want to go back and tweak an already-pushed animation, simply double-clic
 When you're done, deselect the track and unstar it.
 
 ![](images/anim_editing2.png)
+
+## Exporting Animations
+I set up a pipeline for exporting animations that utilizes my Blender add-on, [BoneJuice](https://github.com/arocull/BoneJuice). Please download the `BoneJuice.zip` file from [here](https://github.com/arocull/BoneJuice/releases/), then in Blender go to `Edit > Preferences > Add-Ons > Install`, and select the file.
+
+Once installed, open the animation file you want to export from. Go to the `Scripting` workspace. You might be greeted with some code. This may be out of date, so load the latest pipeline script by opening the new file (red arrow), located at `assets/pipeline/export_anims.py`.
+
+![](images/anim_export1.png)
+
+Once you have the file loaded, click on the character's armature in the viewport to make it active, then run the script (blue arrow).
+
+If the script fails:
+ - Make sure that the character Armature is your active object
+ - Make sure you're not editing any animations, and that all animations are pushed to the NLA stack
+ - Make sure the corresponding output directory exists (`assets/export/infantry/` or `assets/export/insurrectionist/`, you may have to make these manually as they aren't synced with git)
+
+Once the script is run, **do not save the file**.
+The pipeline makes changes to the file, bakes out your animations, and intentionally breaks the rig.
+If you do accidentally save the file, you can discard your changes via Git Desktop.
+
+Your animations should be exported to the corresponding folder in `assets/export/` as an FBX file.
+You can drag this FBX file into the Content folder of Unreal, preferably in the `Content/Characters/Infantry/Animations` (...or `Content/Characters/Insurrectionist/Animations/`).
+
+When the prompt comes up for importing animations, **uncheck the Import Mesh setting, and assign the proper corresponding skeleton**. Then, press the Import All button at the end.
+
+![](images/anim_import1.png)
+
+Finally, make sure any looping animations are actually marked to loop.
+
+![](images/anim_import2.png)
+
+And viola! The implementation of animations from here on out relies on the Animation Blueprint.