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GENERAL FORUM GUIDELINES
The A:M Forum is for technical support and the sharing of tips and ideas between users/prospective users of Hash software. It is moderated constantly by technical support representatives.
DO'S!
-Ask questions about the software.
-Assist other users... everyone was new at this once.
-Inform people of your version/platform when asking for help.
-Share resources; tutorials, models, textures, tips and techniques (link to useful websites).
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-Search the A:M Forum and FAQ. The question you are about to ask may have already been answered.
-Organize and inform others about user groups, IRC chats, image and animation contests, job opportunities, etc.
-Discuss what you are working on and let everyone know about magazine reviews and articles that relate to your projects.
DON'TS!
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User Led Forum Considerations
Firstly and foremostly, please remember this is Martin Hash's forum and that it is every A:M User's primary resource for information about A:M. In order to remain relevant we need everyone's continuing support and interest.
Secondly, understand there is a distinction between A:M (the program) and the A:M forum. There are some topics and issues that are outside the scope of this forum and most can be deduced by reading through the forum guidelines. These include such things as Hash Inc internal policies, business practices, trade secrets, and specific plans for the future not yet publicly released. Each of these would be fascinating topics of their own but are better reserved for private communications with a representative of Hash Inc.
Related to the second, is purchasing, customer service and other areas outside the purview of the common user who may have no interest in such things; subjects relating to money exchanging hands are beyond the scope of the A:M Forum and often can lead to conflicts of interest between users and/or Hash Inc. (If Hash Inc cuts you a deal on volume purchasing it's really no one else's business). Likewise, individual complaints about a product or service are best remedied by going direct with Hash Inc representatives empowered to make decisions. Please allow them them the time necessary to resolve your specific issue and consider the cost of customized solutions.
This last area is likely the source of much confusion because many see the A:M Forum as the official outlet for Hash Inc... and it is. But the forum is not designed for conducting business and private matters best resolved by going to Hash Inc directly. Similarly, bug reports are best resolved by entering them directly into the A:M Reporting system.
Many problems can be easily addressed at the user level just by asking fellow users in the forum. If someone at Hash Inc suggests the forum as a source, it is very likely a problem can be easily resolved. For tougher issues there is even more reason to take the issue directly to the source... you don't want the issue discussed... you want it resolved quickly.
Finally, remember that we want to pass this forum on to future moderators and generations of A:M Users in the absolute best condition possible. A:M is just that good a program and is worthy of our consideration.
Thanks for making the A:M Forum a great community.
4,149 topics in this forum
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- 9 replies
- 1.4k views
hey guys long time no see i have been trying to get an effect similar to this not the crystals them self but the cracking pattern on the ground, making ground is easy enough but the few methods i have tried so far don't quite work for the cracks as its ether virtually impossible to get the lines to match the terrain grid or it just doesn't line up. additionally i cant seam to make textures blend into each other vs a hard line.
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 788 views
thinking out loud here: we'd need a tutorial on surface constraint on the site. please nobody say techref, i did look *HURTS*. long enough to know we need a tutorial. how about a fun penguin sliding downhill, up a bump, in the air, then down again and sliding on. no fancy animation, just the direction change, constraint on off, basics.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 reply
- 514 views
im using ver16 all of sudden my rotoscopes are invisable. did i turn something off?
Last reply by sir fen the usa, -
- 0 replies
- 437 views
Like it says in the title, I saw this post when I first got Animation Master. I have been so glad I followed this advice. The Second best Money I ever spent. ( A:M was the first}
Last reply by MJL, -
- 6 replies
- 527 views
I've seen in tons of video games, movies, and other things that use streaks. Usually there is a glow applied to them. Is it not possible to do that in A.M. because I have tried adding glow to the sprite streaks and nothing happens. Just wondering if there is a way
Last reply by captainrex, -
- 13 replies
- 838 views
hi there i now am the proud owner of AM v16 i did lesson number 2 the chorus line but it wont let me save the animation, i keep getting ( aviFileCreateStreamError ) then i get ( unableToSaveFile ) anyone know why????????? thanks Mike
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 653 views
First off... I'm new to making 3D things. Classes in 3D start in the fall, and I spent a bit of the summer trying every trial available to me. Including, Maya, 3ds max, Shade12, Wings, blender, ProjectMessiah, Modo, Milkshape, Moment Of Inspiration, AC3D, Silo, Hexagon, SketchUp, Houdini... and probably some others I don't remember. I don't know of a trial for Animation Master so that's why I'm asking this silly question... and maybe perhaps making a feature suggestion for a future update. I've noticed Collada import and export is now in blender, wings, mirye shade, google sketchup, sidefx houdini, and luxology modo for sure. Is Collada import and export in Anima…
Last reply by Paul Forwood, -
- 6 replies
- 461 views
sorry to bother but does anyone know how to upload a short move file. i have tried to upload lesson 2 short avi file of 13.5mb but it tells me this type of file is not allowed. thanks mike
Last reply by mouseman, -
hi all ok i am running a windows platform with the v16a version and i bought the extra cd.there is no direct link to the library but i do want to put these in my library. i did copy and paste the cd into the v16 folder but still doesnt show up in the libray can anyone help on this subject. thanks mike
Last reply by markw, -
- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 558 views
So right now I am working on learning smartskin. I'm in bones mode, I right click the bone that I want to drive the muscle motion, then go to New smartskin (I didn't see an option to choose x, y, or z rotate though - this was listed in the technical reference, and the copy I have is pretty old so something may have changed). AM then brought up a new Action window. I then moved my bone where I wanted it, and went into Muscle mode to adjust the control points at that extreme position. It seems to be working, when I move the bone now the points follow. Is that more or less how it is supposed to work? Also, in Muscle mode, the points that make up the smartskin t…
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 1 follower
- 5 replies
- 565 views
this is so weird i'm almost excited. 15j+ (no that's not the weird part); Tools>Customize>Toolbars> clicking the box for "Grooming" brings a tool set in view immediately. clicking OK makes it disappear. going back clicking the box brings it back, but only till i click OK. seriously! anybody? makes me want to write a camp fire song. second, slightly less exciting incident; hairing up an ostrich feather all's well, tweakin'&learnin'. wanted to test "cull hairs" what it does and turned it to 100%, hairs disappeared. changed it back to 50%, they did not return. rebooted a:m, hair's gone. hmm? any thoughts?
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 650 views
hi! this is a bit outrageous, but i'm wondering whether you remember writing about your bus stop project and feathers? someone complimented you on your materials in particular, you answered in generous detail, and then there was talk about the way feather "hairs" cling together; of every hair having more "hairs". i seem to remember an image of a white feather, but all of this could be faulty - i could be connecting details here that were not connected. on a couple of occasions i've done searches for this, coming up with nothing, so this is a bit of a last resort. have to ask.
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 3 replies
- 526 views
Character customization is a big thing in games, specially role playing games. Through sliders, you alter/modify body parts making them large, longer, thicker, etc. I was wondering if something similar could be achieved with in AM, to reuse a model and modify it through sliders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EVVPmnU484...tailpage#t=171s
Last reply by wildcard, -
- 2 replies
- 384 views
I downloaded the bevelled prims off Yve's site since for some of the work on my buoy I figured it would be simpler to take an existing primitive and work it over to get the structural members of the buoy that I need. I tried scaling the cube primitive to get a long, thin bar but I ended up with something that looks more like a dog bone. I don't think the bevels were reacting well to scaling. Is this something I would probably be better off modeling from scratch?
Last reply by Roger, -
- 7 replies
- 661 views
Not sure if there was a plug in for this and where to get it if it existed but I'm trying to calculate the volume of an object that is a closed shape.
Last reply by pixelplucker, -
- 41 replies
- 2.2k views
Ok, I'm going for a real simple IK leg rig. Here is what I've done so far: 1. Moved the left and right foot to the same level as the pelvis (hips) 2. Kinematically constrained the left foot to the left femur and right foot to right femur When I move the hips, the feet don't move, which is good. However, when I move the feet, the legs don't follow. I know I must have missed something but am not sure what it is. Is there a constraint I missed? I have 3 poses - one governs the fan bones in the body and neck, I'm not worried about that one. The other 2 poses are set to on, so I'm not sure why the legs aren't following the feet. Seems like ther…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 37 replies
- 2k views
When ever I do Copy, Flip and Attach to a model, depending on how complex the model is, I'll end up making minor changes to fix things. Correct some splines re do some patches, nothing major. Pretty much everything that wasn't modified is still nicely working with Mirror Mode, but those control points I modified are no longer mirrored. Once my model has been made whole with copy flip attach, I've to worry about making adjustments to both half's Mirror Mode takes care of that. So, is there any way I can get control points back in sync again with there mirror control point, so they work again with Mirror mode?
Last reply by Walter Baker, -
- 4 replies
- 478 views
I am working on a buoy and am trying to create an array of rivets around the outside edge. I have my single rivet I modeled, it seems like there should be some way to array it around the buoy. I checked in plug-ins but I don't see anything listed in the default plug-in list.
Last reply by Roger, -
- 6 replies
- 657 views
I know when you are pulling points you can constrain them to a specific axis, x, y or z but what I am curious to know is can you constrain a point along a single spline and adjust its position on that spline?
Last reply by Roger, -
- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 1.5k views
considering a final addition to project; maybe making one Eugene a mummy. for the most part the skin would just sit there, but have a couple of large holes and not cover hands but end in a hard crusty formation. like a long sleeve. however on the face the skin should have prominent tearing at the mouth, with both hard and flexible behaviour - there'd be a nice, disgusting piece over the molars between a hole in the cheek and his mouth. this piece would stretch when he opens his mouth and have hardened crusts at top&bottom angles. the Eugene will be sporting the gentlemen's classic cloak with no sleeves. i've no idea how to plan, what to plan,…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 8 replies
- 1.7k views
I look to see if there was a cylindrical mapping tutorial and could not find one. I ahve problem mapping a seamless image onto a cylinder. first of all, i want to know why it always default to a repeat of 3 in the x !!! it is seamless so i want the beginning to match my end around the cylinder. Then, about the normals. Should they be pointing out of the cylinder or in? Sometimes, my map shows up as a mirror image... Any tutorial out there? Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by mouseman, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 519 views
I often use Bird's Eye view when modeling, rotating parts to make sure they look ok, etc. However, since some parts are far away from wherever the pivot happens to be, its often difficult to use Bird's Eye to rotate around a single part. Does everyone else move the pivot to do this, or would I be better off using the rotate manipulator?
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
- 15 replies
- 1.2k views
I’ve played around with Boolean cutters several times now and I’m pretty pleased with how simple they can be used for cutting shapes. However, I’ve been digging through the project files on the A:M Extra DVD and I’ve not (yet) found a project that makes use of a Boolean Cutter, instead, I only see very skilled spline modeling of which I can only dream of. I did a quick search hoping to find a possible reason why I don’t see it used often and if there are any downsides to using Boolean Cutters.
Last reply by wildcard, -
- 10 replies
- 1.6k views
For me, working with bones and there tool set of constraints is confusing and frustrating. I know what I want and how I want it, but getting that actually setup in AM is still beyond my skills and understanding of logic. I've got a bird shaped mechanical foot from a Mad Cat I'm trying to model. Played around with Euler/Spherical limitations and Limit Manipulators, turning off the axis I don't want it to move along. Setting up restrictions of -15 to 15 degree along the X-axis rotation for the toes. When manually manipulating/adjusting bones, I'm restricted to follow those limitations. But when I use the Aim at Target, pointing at a Null, it seems…
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 506 views
not the right forum but you've made my sky, http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=352938 i've this meteor crashing down, followed by a "time lapse"ish sequence where the entire sky is cast over, lightning strikes, clouds move left->right. while my resources are pathetic and by no means just, it's clear this is one of them Coincidences and i want it, just don't know where to e-mail!
Last reply by dblhelix, -
Thought I might try a bit of tree planting this weekend, using the TreeZ plug-in and HomeSlice's excellent PDF tut for reference. Also thought I would try for some hair leaves as well. However the plug-in seems to fail to generate the additional groups/levels in the model after running needed for the hair leaves. On starting, the plug-in tells you how many levels its going to make but once its run, it soon becomes evident that it never actually bothered to make them. So my question is; is this a new problem with TreeZ in AMv16a or a problem with TreeZ & Macs or a combination of the two maybe? Has anyone else noted this? I'm on a Mac running 10.6.8 with A…
Last reply by mtpeak2, -
- 8 replies
- 780 views
I've done plenty of cubes or other 90 degree shaped corners and beveled them, but when dealing with shapes that don't have those corners, I'm lost. The plugin called zevel has it's use, but it's far from perfect and has it's limitations. I'm currently trying to do some trial n error bevel tests on a pentagon, but am struggling with my patch work, even tho I can get the corners better looking the surface that should be flat has a curve and there are other patch/curve problems. Did a quick search, but ik keep running in to cube bevel tutorials. These I can do, but a pentagon or octagon I'm unable to get looking good. Are there any guides that explain how t…
Last reply by Gerry, -
- 1 follower
- 19 replies
- 2.5k views
I do not know if someone has already done. That. I am trying to simulate a coin that is rolling on its side then it spins around, wabbles and stops flat. I can make the rolling part but the stopping part is tougher. Should i create an action and make it spin and fall by interpolation or should I use muscle? Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by largento, -
- 5 replies
- 624 views
How do you model perfect angles/shapes. I know I can create a pentagon or octagon with the lathe tool very easy. Pentagon 5 cp's or octagon 8cp's lathe and then peak those points. Free hand guess work I don't consider to be accurate. So how do I measure/set a perfect angle manually?
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 6 replies
- 803 views
I captured these pictures from " Hezarfen the movie " for study how to render like this with A:M. This is the linked. How to render like this? Is it a Toon Render with good painted Decal? Did they use Fog? (notice at far distance) Have AO in the scene or not? I tested Toon with multiple lights and Fog without decals and AO/off. It's not good enough. Please guide me how. This is my test and my setting. This is the project file. DogAndDude_Test.prj Thank you
Last reply by mouseman, -
- 2 replies
- 602 views
I have an object that has a decal applied to it. I would like to know if it is possible to make it fade away over a period of time. should i use an action? Should i set that up in the choregraphy? I am kind of lost on this one. Any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated. Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by pierrotsc, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 405 views
I'm having a problem with a model I'm working on, some of the points in the model are unselectable(ghosted). I don't know if there is a button or feature that locks the points. Any assistance will be appreciated!
Last reply by ovni1, -
- 4 replies
- 657 views
I'm having some difficulties with 5 points and turning them in a 5 point patch. Either i'm doing something wrong (most likely cause) or have a problem in my model that that I'm unable to spot. From what I know, to create a 5 point spline you need 5 splines connected to one another forming a closed loop. This is a portion of a hand, or where the fingers meet the hand. 3x 5-point patches between each finger on each side of the hand. A few of those 5 point patches are not working. I got 5 points selected, but the button remains grayed out. Normally, I select the 5 points by manually click on them one by one. If the button fails to light up, I hide ev…
Last reply by wildcard, -
- 9 replies
- 642 views
I find it a tad annoying how the camera rotation works when modeling. When adding splines you have to re-select a CP in order to have the camera rotate around it, else AM reverts back to the center XYZ coordinates and rotates the camera around there. Depending on the size of the model and how far away you are from the X or Y axis, when having nothing selected, camera rotations feels clumsy and some what disorientated. Does AM hold an option to rotate around last selected CP or CP group or some manipulation key to have AM not fall back to the center XYZ camera rotation.
Last reply by Fuchur, -
it looks funny but its real .... please where and how can i remove a constrain from a bone.
Last reply by petokosun, -
- 8 replies
- 873 views
OK you can tell from my profile and A:M version I've been around for a while - but I've had my second loong hiatus from A:M so I think I count as a newbie while I'm getting back into it. Just need to know what I'm doing wrong here - this is what I'm seeing in the camera view in the choreography but this is what happens with the render
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 4 replies
- 740 views
I purchased the web version 15.0j and recently noticed there is a version 16. Can I update my software to version 16 without having to pay another web "fee"? Is it a free update? thanks. Just getting confused by this web fee and CD version updating...
Last reply by Steven547, -
- 6 replies
- 690 views
Running ver. 16 and have been trying to add video to cloth sheet. (cloth not added to model yet) I import my image/animation, now when I go to apply it to the model I am unable to find 'Add Decal' I see 'Add Image'....... Any way when it is applied to the model it looks like below. Why is it placed in each section? Why is it flipped, flopped, right side up and upside down? Maybe I never noticed it before?!?
Last reply by Walter Baker, -
- 1 follower
- 6 replies
- 663 views
(my best headline yet. yay.) it's about cloth. spring systems are in the past? what is the new fabric making technique called, i don't know what to search for here? is there a date/version nr to search by as well - as in, newer than?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 replies
- 758 views
Does anyone know the best tutorials for photo real skin using material and pictures.
Last reply by UNGLAUBLICHUSA, -
- 9 replies
- 849 views
Let me ask another question. I have my objects set to be rendered as wireframe. They look like they are drawn as vectors although they should not be. The edges are straight and not curved. So when i look from my camera, i see a square object with straight lines. If i rotate the object, it becomes rounded. How can i make the wireframe not look like vector through my camera view? Hope i am making sense? When i go in the modeler, the object is all rounded, no straight lines? I checked all the settings and they are all set to wireframe. Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by pierrotsc, -
- 1 reply
- 521 views
Hello does any one out there know the best tot-rials for explosions and were they are im kind of new to the hash forms I always had the software and im kind of stuck on a few think.Thank you everyone lololololol
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
- 1 reply
- 773 views
Hello do you know the best style for rendering cartoon.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 replies
- 490 views
I would like to make a wireframe render of my object but i do not want the teal background of AM. I would like it to be white with the wireframe to be black. I tried to change the background color under the camera settings but it still gives me a teal color. Can that be achieved? Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by pierrotsc, -
- 1 follower
- 12 replies
- 1.1k views
transparent Glass text look Can someone talented in Material create this look? You can do it easily with Pro animator but I of course want to use my favorite program. This look is very hot right now so I think it will come in handy for all of us. It has a high production value, in my opinion. Kind of reminds me of something apple would do. glass_text.mov
Last reply by jason1025, -
- 16 replies
- 1.2k views
I would like to make a 2 seconds animation of a simple object rotating. I would like it to start as a wireframe and as it rotate becomes fully textured and then back to wireframe. Is that something possible to do? If so, could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks. Pierre
Last reply by NancyGormezano, -
- 2 replies
- 494 views
I know that when you rotate a camera, the sprites in the choreography rotate with the camera, always facing it. Is there a way to get sprites to not rotate to face the camera at all?
Last reply by captainrex, -
- 26 replies
- 2.3k views
but I can't get it to look like the water is rippling over the leaves. Here is the project. I hope someone can help. Water_B.prj
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 11 replies
- 960 views
(is there something the matter with the off topic-forum - it only appears occasionally?) this sounds more complicated than it is; made a model, saved it. made others, saved them. started a new model in order to assemble these previous models into one. when assembling, ideas take progress back and forth in basic workflow - i make changes in components and expect them to travel to the end product. and they don't. i've just decaled the headband of a crown, but the headband of the assembled crown didn't update. is this a group dependent thing? = when i initially dragged the "headband" into a new model window, all that comes up is the group "headband"…
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 3 replies
- 505 views
Not a biggie here, but I get a lot of crashes on copy/flip/attach. No more in v16 than previous versions, but no less either. Can happen on big things or things that are only a couple patches in size. Is this an issue a lot of people have? Is this AM Report worthy? Like I said, no biggie; I typically save before I CFA. Just wondering if other people fare the same. Thanks!
Last reply by Meowx,