Negative TimeOffset for SlowParent?

Support Animation and Rigging
1

I have a character with eyes that TrackTo an Empty called ‘Focus’. Focus is parented to the character’s head bone, ‘Head’.

I put a negative value in Object > Animation Settings > TimeOffset for SlowParent so that Focus would anticipate the movement of the head bone. For example, his eyes would starting looking left a few frames before his head starts to turn that way. I’ve tried it with and without SlowParent selected, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.

Is there a way to have a child object anticipate the movement of the parent?

Thanks.

2

Set the current head to invisible, then delay-parent a second head to the first invisible head. This way, the eyes should follow the focus empty wihout delay, while the visible head turns moment later.

3

Thanks mpan3! That’s a clever idea. If I understand it correctly, I can:

  • duplicate the head bone (name it HeadMaster) and make sure the mesh is parented to the original Head bone
  • parent Head to HeadMaster set with SlowParent
  • parent Focus to HeadMaster set with no delay

When I rotate the HeadMaster, the eyes will follow immediately and the mesh will turn a few frames later. Cool.

4

Yes. Exactly. I havn’t done it before, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.