Run2: a fluid bound with front legs that reach
The bounding run was rebuilt to flow: the body rises and falls on one smooth curve, the front legs stretch forward in the air, and four-legged creatures get good settings out of the box.
Run2, the bounding run, did not hold up. Even with every dial reset it stuttered, the front legs folded up under the body and never stretched, and a longer stride made it worse. We rebuilt it:
- One smooth curve. The body's rise and fall, the rock and the back flex all run on curves without a sudden change of speed, so nothing jerks between frames.
- Front legs reach. In the air, the front legs stretch forward to catch the ground. In the stance they stay as straight as you set them: the new dial Front legs stay straight (0 lets them fold like a cat's).
- Stride decides the flight. A longer Bound stride now means a longer time in the air, not legs sliding further on the ground, and the maximum stride no longer stutters.
- Good defaults for every four-legged creature. Rock, crouch, hop height, stride and weight now start from values we tuned on our own fox, so a freshly rigged quadruped bounds well before you touch a dial. Your own settings still win.
- Ear flop is off by default. Ears no longer flop unless you ask for it, and Run got its own Ear flop dial (it pinned the ears back with no way to change it).
Creatures pick this up on their next bake.