Crash Testing

For those of you who have missed our reviews of this fantastic piece of software, endorphin 2 is a ‘Dynamic Motion Synthesis’ package. It uses revolutionary AI and biomechanical techniques to simulate the way in which the human body moves, and the way it reacts to external stimuli. In other words, it enables you to control a virtual stuntman with a big brain and a love of acting. It’s also the most fun you can have in the studio while remaining in a legal state of mind. 

endorphin is a product that I love to get my hands on at every given opportunity. It works in a way that you wish all 3D applications would, being simple, intuitive and – assuming that the sight of CG characters being knocked down, blown up and treated in other cruel and unusual ways brings a smile to your lips – more enjoyable to use than you would think possible. 

The software has been designed to create realistic human motion data that’s beyond the abilities of motion-capture studios, or of real stuntmen, for that matter. It can simulate falls from a thousand feet, blows to the head from a baseball bat, and countless other stunts that would be far too dangerous to perform in reality. 

ENDORPHIN RUSH
Although the demo version is export-limited, a fully licensed copy enables you to export data via the various motion-capture file formats (ASF, BVH, FBX and so on) and used in your 3D application to drive a character. Put simply, it places the power of an entire Hollywood stunt team in the hands of an independent animator. 

This tutorial will introduce you to endorphin’s general workflow, highlighting its intuitive approach and fascinating results. We’ll run through a quick and fairly basic simulation that will introduce the idea of forces and behaviours, before moving on to more complex projects that will demonstrate the vast number of possibilities available.

Download the endorphin demo here