Help with Character Animation.

Hi all,

I'm currenly the character modeller and animator for a little games project I'm undertaking with some friends. I know how to 3D Model, Rig and Animate, in 3D Stduio Max, to a basic degree, all skills I'm hoping to further and advance as our project progresses.

However, what is bothering me, is the method of actually animating game characters so that they react to the players, sometimes odd key combinations when animations have to play.

For instance; the player wants to preform a right-to-left slash attack... Now, thats fine, but what if he wants to move whilst doing it, in any number of say, eight directions, or do so whilst crouching or jumping? There lies my problem, and concern. I have been looking around the internet, to no avail and can't seem to find the answer to my question.

Another example would be in an FPS. If the character wanted to circle strafe, whilst aiming, firing and throwing a grenade all at the same time. It is all very alien and confusing to me.

At present, the way I -think- that it is done, is by animating the lower body (Legs, groin, feet) and upper body (chest, arms, stomach), and finally, the neck and head, all seperately, so that I can play any leg animation I please, such as walking, running, crouching or jumping, whilst syncing it with an upper body animation, like waving, pointing or punching, though I am not sure.

Could anybody point me in the right direction, as I will be ready to start animating my first character soon and I would like to have some vague idea of what it is I'm doing.

Thank you ever so much for any help you can contribute.

Richard.