In Sprite animation, the state that “A Sprite follows movements of another Sprite and is affected” is said that the “Parent-Child Relations” exists. The affecting side is called “Parent”, and the affected side “Child”
With the “OPTPiX SpriteStudio”, this relation is called “(the relation of ) Inheritance”.
For example, the human right hand possesses:
the above parent-child relation.
In principle, there are following rules of the “Parent-Child Relation”.
- The “Parents” possessed by “Child” is singular, but the “Children possessed by Parents” are not always singular but plural (In the above example, like the parts of the “hand” there happens to be plural children.)
- In case Parent possesses plural children, Child is affected by Parent but not affected by children one another.
- Parent never directly affects “Child’s Child” (In the above example, the “Upper arm” never directly affects the “Hand”). To the last, the “affect given to Child by Parent” will simply be inherited in the form as follows: “The effect given to Child by Parent” is simply inherited as if the Child who has grown up to Parent “transfers self’s movements to Child” in the form of the “Propagation of Influence”.
Based on these rules, in the above examples, the influences are:
- Upper arm -> Forearm
- Forearm -> Hand
- Hand -> Thumb
- Hand -> Pointing finger
- Hand -> Middle finger
- Hand -> Third finger
- Hand -> Little finger
existing respectively in the form of the “Propagation of Influence”.
This “Parent-Child Relation” becomes important factors especially when creating animations having the joints’ structure or attachments (For Example, “The hand has something.)”
With the “OPTPiX SpriteStudio”, by using the “NULL parts”, this “Parent-Child Relation” can be created effectively. Please also refer to the FAQ: How to use OPTPiX SpriteStudio: How to use NULL parts .