skeletal animation using algorithms and not key frames

[svero]

If anyone has a link to some sites or information on walk algorithms for skeleton characters that can be varied by tweaking parameters like body weight, speed etc.. then please let me know. I'd like to read any info I can find on that kind of algorithm. For instance I once saw something on the web which I cant find now where they had a 3d walking skeleton figure (ie some sticks stuck together) that could walk differently by sliding some drawbars around. (some kind of flash or java web plugin displayed it)

[Dan MacDonald]

I beleive this type of thing is typically done with bone constraints and inverse kinematics. Search for "Inverse Kinematics walk animation" in google and that should get you pretty close.

[HairyTroll]

For instance I once saw something on the web which I cant find now where they had a 3d walking skeleton figure (ie some sticks stuck together) that could walk differently by sliding some drawbars around. (some kind of flash or java web plugin displayed it)

Although not in a java web plugin or flash, the Cally Demo (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=26281) that shows off Cal3D (http://cal3d.sourceforge.net/) allows exactly this. It even has the skeleton character model. Look at the screenshots at the bottom of the page.

-Luke