You can create advanced, complex crowd simulations with motion synthesis, which lets character studio adjust the simulation results dynamically to account for differing conditions. Two different forms of motion synthesis are available: one for non-bipedal crowds, and a second for the more exacting requirements of biped crowds.
The biped crowd is a special case of crowd simulation necessitated by the complex nature of legged animal movement. Biped locomotion exhibits intricate dynamics and exacting IK foot constraints. As such, the smoothly curving trajectories computed from delegate motion parameters, while suitable for birds, fish, insects, and snakes, are not rich enough to animate the microstructure of bipedal motion. Therefore, several features in Crowd are focused on the special needs of bipeds.
Motion synthesis lets character studio derive character motion from a combination of crowd behaviors and either motion flow networks, when animating bipeds (see Biped Crowds), or clip controllers, when working with non-bipedal creatures. In the latter case, using the Global Motion Clip and Master Motion Clip controllers, you can animate groups of creatures such as birds, butterflies, schools of fish, and insects. You can create clip controllers either as block controllers in Track View, or, more directly, with the Crowd helper controls on the Global Clip Controllers rollout.
