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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).
-Post links to your work, or where your art is being used online (on websites, in games, toons', etc.)
-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!
-Do Not be rude or disrespectful or mean to other forum members in any way. Personal attacks will be removed.
-Do Not post bug/crash reports to the list (send bug/crash reports to http://www.hash.com/reports.
-Do Not complain about forum content. Complaints or suggestions can be sent directly to hash@hash.com
-Do Not reprimand other forum members for violating forum rules, that's the moderators job, which (unless you are a moderator) you are not.
-No complaining or whining on the forum or distribution of misinformation.
-No flames of any kind.
-No Off Topic posts. (Posts in the Off Topics section should be related to A:M in some form or fashion or benefit the A:M community as a whole).
-No soliciting of any kind without prior approval.
-No threads or comparisons related to other 3D Applications.
-No "Wish list" or feature requests, they should be sent to www.hash.com/reports for categorizing and prioritization (User requests define the future development of the software).
-No "me too!" posts
-No discussion of Hash Internal Affairs (finances, advertising, PR.)
-No posting of private email to the forum unless permission of the author is granted. (Private correspondence should remain private)
-No very general questions like: "how do I make a good 3D model" make your questions as complete and concise as possible.
If you have questions as to whether it's appropriate, send it to: support@hash.com, We'll be happy to let you know whether it is, or is not appropriate.
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.
4,166 topics in this forum
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- 9 replies
- 833 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
- 1.1k 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
- 943 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
- 872 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
- 806 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
- 885 views
Does anyone know the best tutorials for photo real skin using material and pictures.
Last reply by UNGLAUBLICHUSA, -
- 9 replies
- 1.1k 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
- 697 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
- 916 views
Hello do you know the best style for rendering cartoon.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 replies
- 601 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
- 1.3k 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
- 1.5k 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
- 615 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
- 2.8k 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
- 1.2k 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
- 636 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, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 794 views
another one of these very, very fundamental questions. here's my decal with leaf-type shapes. leaf pattern saved from PS as TGA 32 both as color map and as bump. but what's the white frame doing here? TGA's appear with white frame even in the hierarchy, object > group name > decal > image. i'm thinking this wrong but where? (i first saved TGA's as 24, seeing the white went back, resaved over the old - could this be a problem? rebooted a:m twice.)
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 1 follower
- 9 replies
- 644 views
I think I am going to have to set up smartskin for my penguin, because for some of the more extreme positions of the joints, the model starts to look like absolute trash the way the skin pinches. Anyone have any tips for working with smart skin?
Last reply by zandoriastudios, -
- 5 replies
- 514 views
Has anyone else ever noticed that occasionally, AM will not display a model when opening a project or choreography back up? For instance, lets say you have a project with only one model in it, and you open it back up, all AM will show is a gray screen. Then if you close and reopen it, the model will display. I'm not sure if its a problem with the graphics driver software or maybe I need to click on the model once in the Project Workspace in order for it to appear. Sometimes when i do that, I can see the model, sometimes I can't.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 5 replies
- 866 views
don't even know where to start. to the left, a render with an object with a decal appointed as displacement map, 200% to the right, a model view with said decal as color, just to illustrate here. there are so many things going WOW! so just pick one.. any one.. what is UP with this render? been following a tut on the xtras dvd, a battleship side. didn't seem difficult. hoping this is not of the "turn the lights on!" type of problems? does the decal have to cover all of topography to render? didn't even bother to position it for testing - and the round gaps will have modelled detail eventually, without displacement map.
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 34 replies
- 3.2k views
I'm working on this exercise today, and it is just brutal trying to get this character into the proper pose. I must have spent a good 20 minutes just getting the initial pose down. Is this something that gets easier the more familiar you are with the character? I'm wondering if there is something I am doing that is making it more difficult than it needs to be.
Last reply by Roger, -
- 7 replies
- 1.4k views
For the last day or so I have been trying to render a simple scene with a decal. But I cannot get the decal to render correctly. origenal render
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 558 views
think i read the techref "Export Action As" chapter once too many cause i've gone all Linda Blair. is this how it's done: i've animated Eugene's legs&hips in an action. now i want to work shoulders, head + one arm and keep them as a separate action. > chor > shortcut to Eugene > add the lower body action > animate away on the upper body > delete lower body action ? > save remaining chor action "export action as" ?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 replies
- 700 views
Just wanted to verify that I'm not doing something wrong here before I throw up an AM Report. I'm using the Mac version of v16 and can't get spring systems to work. In an action, selecting "simulate spring systems" does absolutely nothing. In a choreography, the option is grayed out. I hopped back to v15 (same project, same actions, same chor) and "simulate spring systems" works perfectly fine in both acts and chors. I also tried creating a brand new action in v16; same result. Anyone else have this issue? Thanks!
Last reply by Meowx, -
- 5 replies
- 824 views
Hi everyone, I was wondering if it was possible to render a spline as a line. The image below is where I would like AM to draw the line, but I'm not sure if I can get it to: Can I get AM to draw a line on a spline? Thanx everyone.
Last reply by johnl3d, -
- 1 follower
- 4 replies
- 570 views
sorting out weird patches i run into one that refused to get covered. then i realize this could have something to do with the shape of the piece; it could be interpreted as i kind of tube. and i know for a fact there's a page about this somewhere but i can't find it. what is the logic here; if i have a hole - well, two holes - with 4 or 5 CP's then it's not doable (=a patch) in principle; i need to plan around and model more to make the piece more of a mesh formation?
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 739 views
i need to ask something but i can't make an image to illustrate... i can't render in the model mode, in the model window. trying a jpeg, tried particles ON if that was an issue; wireframe; i need an image that shows normals, my actual question is about those. help please?
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 1 reply
- 520 views
I would like to use some of the Math Functions that AM has to offer - but I need to know what the Functions / Variables are so they can be used - I dont see any Help. Tom
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
- 4 replies
- 1.2k views
In Hash pressing Shift + middle Mouse button will give you the "Turn tool" for rotating in the scene/ model/ action/ view, etc. HOW can you customize this to be Alt + Left Mouse button? I haven't learned that golden knowledge during my last 11 years of Hash use. Anyone know how? I Know how to change short cut keys via the "Customize/ Keyboard" window.....but I haven't figured out how to make the "Mouse buttons" work in combination there in order the re-customize the view interface ......(Turn, Move, zoom)
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 replies
- 525 views
I'm a bit confused on how to use onion skinning. I'm animating a character and would like to see frame 15 as that's the mirror of a walk cycle. I know about paste mirrored for characters but the way this character is setup it's not an option. So I'm trying to match frame 45 with frame 15 except mirrored (to some point). My problem is that I can't make the onion skin feature JUST show me frame 15... Any help would be appreciated. Thanx everyone.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 11 replies
- 1.1k views
Hello Working on the "move it" tutorial, using the Rabbit. I've noticed that sometimes when I select bones, only the rotate and scale manipulators are available. Why is that? Shouldn't the translate manipulator be available as well? Am I clicking on the wrong part of the bone? I am in skeletal mode, so that's not the problem. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 10 replies
- 1k views
Any Ideas?
Last reply by UNGLAUBLICHUSA, -
- 9 replies
- 858 views
(This topic has been split off from another discussion.) I would like to see a basic discussion first of how A:M uses percentages. I am of the old school that says a percentage is a fraction of something (and that 0 and 100 are the min and max.) So I would like to know the basis that A:M is uses for each property. Same for numbers. Some are easy like particle count or size (cm default but whatever the unit.) But velosity - is it furlongs per fortnight or what? I know it is probably just me, but it would go a long way to helping me be a better animator.
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 11 replies
- 1k views
Somehow my choreography settings are going haywire. From one day to the next they change. I have been working on a fluids project for several days. Last Saturday I thought I just about had it right. When I started again on Monday, nothing was the same. Real-time rendering slowed to a crawl. I could not change the size of the particles, Nothing was the same. I started from scratch by creating a new project. Last night I left it this way: Fluids7e.mov When I started again today this is what I got: Fluids7f.mov Even though I had changed the size in the channel (by dragging the key frame marker) it did nothing. I then opened the the property pane…
Last reply by bubba, -
- 1 follower
- 5 replies
- 1.1k views
Hey everyone... I remember something like this happening awhile ago. I've searched, but the "solutions" I've found didn't work. I recently purchased the 1year subscription (vers 15.0 J ). I downloaded the complete "data" folder also, and per the email instructions, placed it in the program files / hash inc / ver 15 folder. I have other models I've used in other version of A:M. I copied the one model folder (toon shark) to the same destination directory, but placed the "Toon Shark" folder inside the Data - Models - Aquatic folder. When I boot up A:M, I don't see that model or the others I placed in that default DATA folder. What am I missing? Tha…
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
Fluid model
by bubba- 15 replies
- 1.4k views
I have been working with this project for some time and cannot seem to get it to look any better. Here are the settings: and here is the output: Fluids3.mov
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 4 replies
- 540 views
Would some one look at this picture and tell me why the red blob appears in the model window? It has no CPs, there is no way to grab it. If it is the fluid material then I would think that it should only appear in the choreography window.
Last reply by bubba, -
- 5 replies
- 661 views
I'm a bit stuck on my personal project right now, and waiting for a new license key, so I'm back in v13 at the moment and thought I would go through the tutorials. My thinking is it is better to be doing something than nothing. I sort of glossed over the earlier tutorials in favor of the modelling tutorials, as that is what I was having problems with at the time. I loaded the Keykat model and noticed there is something a bit off about him - his eyes look like they are too far back in his sockets and one of his fingers has a CP jumping way off it. Is this normal? I loaded him directly from the CD. I can fix the eyes simply enough, by moving them forward, not sure…
Last reply by markw, -
- 1 follower
- 12 replies
- 2.2k views
has any one ever had this happen. I'm trying some new stuff using the dark tree materials ( dsts files) when i get this at the basic material render screen. i have tryed loading 6 different mats all encountering the same effect. noting that this has only happened after my system upgrade( win7 from vista) but as far as i know i set up AM the exact same way and everything else is more or less working
Last reply by Master chief, -
- 6 replies
- 1.6k views
Has anyone attempted to make a animation of a welding torch raining down sparks and what not?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 5 replies
- 754 views
A strange problem is occuring when I try to render a QT to preview some animation. Working in 15J on an Imac under OSX 10.56 If I render the view using the Q ( quick render ) option, the image appears. If I try to render the same view to a QT file, I get a black blank. No image. This problem has not happened before. I get the same problem if I try to render a choreography from the camera view. ??? The shadows only option is turned off in the buffers. The other settings are standard. Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be going wrong ? Also, I don't know if this is related or not but, In my project I h…
Last reply by jimd, -
- 10 replies
- 1.8k views
Alright, kinda fundamental modeling question here. Typically, when modeling something round that needs to be capped off smoothly (and no hole/point from lathing), I'll do something like this: Unfortunately, this always seems to create creases - particularly in the three-point patches - that no amount of bias tweaking gets rid of: I've included the model in the screenshot; it's just a 2-second deal with no polish or anything. round_cap.mdl Is this just a fundamentally bad way to model stuff, or is there a way to get rid of these creases? Thanks!
Last reply by Malo, -
- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
Discovered while messing with something else... this is made with a grid combiner, animated in the chor. The actual mesh never moves. DomePanels.prj Dome.mov
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 16 replies
- 1.1k views
Hi y'all! I hope, my thread won't get deleted, i dont mean this offensive, just out of curiosity. Animation:Master was my first love in the 3D World... Well, actually the third after Ray Dream 3D and Softimage 3D on the SGI Workstation of my father... But i always loved the ease of use of A:M, but have since moved on to Blender and a little App for the Mac called Cheetah 3d. I haven't heard much of A:M on the other Boards or in 3D circles in general. The Website isnt very informative either. A lot of Message Boards are dead silent which saddens me a lot espcecially, since i already thought about maybe buying a subscription. I think A:M has still a lot of go…
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 1 follower
- 18 replies
- 1.8k views
Hey Everyone, I've worked with .obj export & import many times, but I have run into a new question: I have a very smooth obj imported model(Must have been created with Quads rather than triangles ...... Anyway, heres my problem: 1.I want to use the UV map that the model has in the other App. 2.I exported it as an obj 3.I imported it into Hash 4.The model mesh is awesome....but no texture/ UV map. 5.How do I know if the UV info is still there and How do I get the stamp onto the model in AM. BTW: I know some may be thinking that I should use a .3ds instead, but I can't get a .3ds to export from the other App. William
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 replies
- 652 views
I got AM a couple years ago at comic-con but I haven't had much time to mess with it, but I'm pretty used to making the models and rigging them. I was recently asked to help make a little game and stuff, so I need to send them the files, but they're useing blender, and I think the files I need to export are either blend, dae and fbx I looked around but I'm kind of at a loss. I need a plugin to export them like that right? I can only really do the basics with this program. I need to be able to send him the model with it all rigged.
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 2 replies
- 523 views
I'm not sure if I'm blind or something, but where can I find the info on a model after I'm done with it. I'm required to tell my superior the vertex amount and.... well, don't know where that would be. Or if there is one... Or I might end up counting them...
Last reply by omtay, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.9k views
planning stage: what's a smart way to have jewels reflect light? i'll be making crowns, they have different kinds of stones in/on them. the light won't be that of the sun or lamp, cheats are sort of built in. i'll be compositing excessively, no problem to add a layer or three. but how to think/plan/execute?
Last reply by dblhelix, -
- 3 replies
- 778 views
alright this ones a bit out there but bear with me. thanks to the help i have been getting i have managed to get some of my AM skill back and have rendered a few short animations to my liking ( again thanks guys). my main concern now is that i want to put these in a web page, but try as a might i cant find an option to render as a animated gif. that said first question is does AM have this capability. second question is that if AM does not, does any one know of a way to load a small movie file into a web page to auto run and repeat as if it where a animated gif? hopefully with out the pause paly bar?
Last reply by Xtaz,