Hi,

So I would like to set up one master skeleton for all characters in game, I have never done anything like it and might need some pointers
- How would this be setup in the animation software I am using for best effect?
- How would this be setup in the Editor and Code the best way?

Thanks for any help!

1. play with the tuts/search forums :EDIT: http://www.esenthel.com/wiki/ under resources
2. play with the tuts/search forums
Welcome to esenthel

1) It's not so much how you set up the software, it's the format you export to. The file type and the way you create your models/animations should adhere to the standard. You want DAE or FBX.

2) There's a couple tutorial projects for learning the ropes on animations that you should look at to orient yourself.

May i ask here 'cause it's for the same thing. Ok so i have created like 7 characters/npcs. They are in obj format but how to make them move - i know first i need skeleton - that's what i'm thinking at least. 'Cause they are just standing there and floating but don't move they're parts - hands, eyes, legs and so. on.

Hi darthsauron,
In v1 you could do it all (minus modeling) but in v2 it's been removed.
So you'll need to set up skeletons in your editor, you can reuse the same skeleton for models ( I think)
Or you can look at tut 10-04 manual editing which animates via codes using bones.

http://www.esenthel.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Explains the pipeline (v1 I think)

Yeah I know how to export models and animations to Esenthel
I am wondering more like how to be most efficient about this, guess it's alot of trial and error but if anyone has done anything similar what is the most efficient way to go about it, from own experience?

Well from my short experience with this engine, I can only suggest the following:

- do your animations as separate sequences / multitrack, EE automatically extracts them to separate files on import.

- if you use the same animations and skeleton / rig on the models in your animation editor, you can do the same in EE. You can link all the animations and a single skeletons to the models in editor or code

- if you want to easily plug and play your models to existing code with minimal fuss, name the skeletons according to this: http://www.esenthel.com/wiki/index.php?title=Skeleton

- you can save work doing the transitional animations (ie walk to run) and let EE blend between them (you can play both animations with a blend factor)

- see http://www.esenthel.com/wiki/index.php?title=Animation , most importantly "If a bone doesn't have any keyframes, it will simply not affect the animation blending process." - meaning you can have split animations, ie. re-using the shoot animation with walk or run or stand, if the walk anim has keyframes for leg bones only, shoot for right arm bones only etc.

I'm sure there are other things to consider, maybe some of the older users will have something to add or correct, as I've only been using EE for a good week..