When you include bipeds in a crowd simulation using a shared motion flow, you usually don't want them all walking in lockstep formation. You can avoid this by setting different start frames to vary the animation frame at which each biped starts moving using its initial motion clip. In most cases, you would set start frames in the same order as priority, so you don't get bipeds with earlier start frames stuck behind bipeds with later start frames. The Set Start Frames dialog lets you automatically assign start frames to delegates in the same order as priority.
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Create panel > 
(Helpers) > Object Type rollout > Crowd > Priority rollout > Set Start Frames button
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Select a Crowd object. >
Modify panel > Priority rollout > Set Start Frames button
This dialog assigns start frames to the delegates selected via the Delegates To Prioritize control. In general, you should first use a non-random method to assign priorities in the Priority rollout, such as the Pick/Assign button or one of the Proximity options, and then assign start frames with this dialog. You can use the dialog to set a start frame for the highest-priority delegate (that is, the delegate with the lowest Priority setting), and then have start frames incremented randomly between two limits for the remaining delegates, based on priority order.
For instance, if you set Lowest Start Frame to 0, Minimum Number ... to 1, and Maximum Number to 3, you could get a start frame sequence like this: 0, 2, 5, 6, 8, and so on. If you want more regularly staggered start frames, set Minimum and Maximum to the same value. For example, with Lowest Frame=0 and Minimum/Maximum both set to 2, you'd get: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.
Interface
- Lowest Start Frame
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Sets the start frame assigned to the delegate with the lowest Priority setting.
- Minimum number of frames between consecutive start frames
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The smallest value character studio will use to increment assigned start frames.
- Maximum number of frames between consecutive start frames
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The largest value character studio will use to increment assigned start frames.
- Delegates with the same priority get the same start frame
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character studio assigns the same start frame to any delegates with identical Priority settings. When off, character studio randomizes the order of same-priority delegates' start frames. Default=on.
- OK
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Assigns start frame values to selected delegates based on the dialog settings and priority order and closes the dialog.
- Cancel
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Closes the dialog without changing start frame values.