====== Lab 8: Character Animation ======

===== Creating new character animation for Panda using Blender =====


  * This lab will not be a regular programming lab.  Instead, you will be working inside of the Blender 3D modeling and animation package and then just quickly test your results in a simple Panda 3D program (see below).

==== Before We Start ====

  - Make sure you have downloaded and installed Blender from [[http://www.blender.org]].  
  - Make sure you have the [[http://www.ru.is/kennarar/hannes/share/chicken_export1.0.zip|Chicken EGG exporter]] downloaded and set up in your Blender script directory.
  - Unzip this {{public:t-vien-07-1:g_char.zip|Blender model}} into your model directory. 
  - Create the following python program in your working directory (it will not run yet because the model is missing):
<code python>
import direct.directbase.DirectStart
from pandac.PandaModules import *
from direct.actor import Actor # To use animated Actors

bender = Actor.Actor("Models/g_char")
bender.reparentTo(render)

base.disableMouse()
base.camera.setPos(0, -15, 0)
run()
</code>

==== Now Follow Along ====

  * Now we will go through the process of preparing a very simple animation for playback inside Panda 3D.  Just follow along.