2009

The balance factor determines the degree and direction in which the head
and/or hips swing out from their original vertical alignments when the biped
bends over.
Results when balance factor is set to 0.0, 1.0 and 2.0 before the spine is animated to
make the biped bend over.
The Balance Factor parameter can have any value from 0 to 2:
■ When Balance Factor is 1 (the default value) and you rotate the spine
forward, both the hips and head swing out from their original vertical
alignment to a similar degree to compensate for the shift in weight. This
value is suitable for times when the biped leans forward while standing.
■ When Balance Factor is 0 and you rotate the spine forward, the COM keeps
its original vertical alignment, and the head swings forward. There is no
movement in the hips to compensate for the shift in body weight. This
setting is good for animating a sitting biped who leans forward, to prevent
its hips from shifting backward. It can also work well for characters with
tails; the tail provides weight in back of the biped, so the hips don't have
to shift backward to compensate when the character bends over.
■ When Balance Factor is 2 and you rotate the spine forward, the head retains
its original vertical alignment while the COM swings backward. The hips
compensate strongly for the shift in body weight. This setting can be useful
for violent or acrobatic motions.
4216 | Chapter 17 character studio