1. A method for animating a character figure in a video image memory responsive to stored motion data, said character figure being represented in said memory as having a first plurality of joints and a plurality of links coupled between respective pairs of said first plurality of joints, said plurality of links representing respective limbs of said character figure, said method further responsive to an input goal to animate said character subject to at least one constraint, said method comprising: storing a representation of each of said first plurality of joints in said memory; storing a representation of each of said plurality of links in said memory; storing a representation of the respective positions of said first plurality of joints and said plurality of links in said memory; computing, responsive to said stored motion data, a first set of motions derived from said stored motion data for each of said first plurality of joints respectively; computing, responsive to said input goal, a second set of motions subject to said constraint for each of said first plurality of joints respectively; combining said first set of motions with said second set of motions to form a combined set motions; modifying said stored representation of the positions of said first plurality of joints and said plurality of links in said memory using said combined set of motions; and rendering said stored representation of said links as the limbs of said character figure in said video image memory.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said constraint is position.