AnimDiff: Comparing 3D Animations for Revision Control

Abstract

The process of animating a complex 3D character can be a time consuming activity which may take several iterations and several artists working in collaboration, each iteration improving some elements of the animation but potentially introducing artifacts in others. At present there exists no formal process to collate these various revisions in a manner that allows for close examination of their differences, which would help speed up the creation of 3D animations. To address this we present a method for equivalence checking and displaying differences between differing versions of an animated 3D model. Implemented in a tool that allows selective blending of animations, this provides a first step towards a 3D animation revision control system.