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A:M Forum Rules
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.
4,149 topics in this forum
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- 4 replies
- 616 views
Heya! I've been using Hash for years, and still pick up on pretty simple stuff that I've been overlooking from time to time. One thing I've never bothered to look into is how to do a fully seamless decal. That is; usually you decal the front, then decal the back, and you'll get a seam down the side (unless you make the texture line up absolutely 100% perfect by hand). Normally, I've just worked around this, but now I really do need to do it properly. Is there a way to flatten an entire model (not just one side/area)? Could I use alpha channels/transparent backgrounds to "fade" one decal into the other? Thanks a bunch!
Last reply by heyvern, -
- 1 follower
- 15 replies
- 1.2k views
Hello, all. I am new to the forum. I have a problem getting a good transition between a walk cycle (as example) action, and the continuation into more choreography. All I have tried so far is to make the character pose and wave at the end of the action. I have been using 'new/choreography action' then starting the continuation from there. Buuuuuuuut...it keeps making all sorts of strange things happen like: changing my character's position, moving his foot in contorted positions, and even switching the moving leg. Can you tell me how to fix this? It must be possible (and easily so) to make smooth transitions into a new action or choreography. What settings am I…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 5 replies
- 567 views
I have an elaborate choreography with several different characters walking and talking, one is even flying. As one character walks near another, I want him to wave hello to the other. But, when I try to apply the keyframes for the hand, that hand removes itself from the walk cycle and no longer swings by his side, from that frame on. Is there a way to throw in this quick series of keyframes and then return that hand to the walk cycle?
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 5 replies
- 511 views
Hi all, I want to create a simple action to place on a treadmill model so that the treads rotate around. Unfortunately, the treads are not perfectly round so using muscle mode and rotation isn't going to work. Any ideas for me? Thanks, Mike
Last reply by nimblepix, -
- 11 replies
- 628 views
hi everyone. i'm in need of some serious help as it seems as though i've fallen at the first hurdle. no...not even the first hurdle. i've tripped over at the start line! i've just bought and installed a:m v15 and its not letting me actually open it! it keeps saying to insert the cd into the drive. its already there!!! this is my first pc and as a result my knowledge of everything to do with computers is at best very limited! if anyone has any help they could offer i would be forever grateful. have i installed it wrong? i couldn't find an obvious serial number on the box or cd so i just entered what i thought was the erial number, would this be it? thanks in anticipat…
Last reply by matt_stanford, -
- 3 replies
- 421 views
Hi all Is the Animation Master 2006 book by David Rogers a good resource for those of us who are new to A.M in additon to the great information you can find on these forums. Thanks!
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 10 replies
- 683 views
well, i put a skelliton in my model, and i was all done rigging it up, i opend the action window and the pose slider window and made sure i clicked on the action window first so i can see some thing in the pose slider window and lo and behold theres still nothing in the pose slider window, u know, it supose to say, hands rig,setup, ect. whats wrong with this picture? and please dont say do it all over again its my 3ed one, it takes a long time! ths paul
Last reply by LIGHTBEING, -
- 2 replies
- 225 views
ok i know that its going to take a sprite based effect to pull of the plasma bullet effect im going for , what i want is to have a spining gloing bullet shape followed by 2 rotating plasma trails , thats the part i cant figure out , i though i could use 2 splines but have yet to get them to actualy work with them
Last reply by Master chief, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 296 views
Cant find the feature focus page
Last reply by jason1025, -
- 3 replies
- 345 views
Im trying to use the Translate to constraint to pick up a pencil and draw with it but whenever i try to use the constraint thing, it shifts before being constrained to the hand how do i fix this? ---- should i be using a different method where there are 2 pencil objects, one visible and one invisible and when the hand reaches to pick up pencil, the visibility flops from the stationary pencil to the one attatched to the hand?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 24 replies
- 1.6k views
Hey, i really dony quite understand the concept of rotoscoping, does anyone, by any chance, have a tutorial that could help me all about rotoscoping and how to do/use it.
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 5 replies
- 563 views
ok iv been doing some pretty good materials over the holidays but one still eludes me , which its the water one, the best that i came up with was a ball that had what looked like a liquid form on the bottom and then become encased in it but not flow like water should , can some one post the settings to make water flow as if from a hose please.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 3 replies
- 419 views
I imported the 2001_skeleton to a robot I modeled, adjusted the bones and assigned points to the bones, but when I open a new Action to check the model's movements all the bones below the pelvis disappear. Any ideas?
Last reply by mtpeak2, -
- 1 follower
- 1 reply
- 467 views
I see a lot of how do I questions and try to answer a lot of them but if you want a quick answer to most of these questions you can search the forum and find them and many times a lot of different answers the search in the upper right next to help click then more search option then you can narrow your search from there Just another method to get a quick answer
Last reply by Caroline, -
- 13 replies
- 920 views
I have created a 3d model of a fatty acid in a chr using diffferent colored sphers and cylinders and I want to make 2 more of these but they take alot of time. I thought I just export one into a mdl file then import that file and save time. When I Export the multy objects fromt he chr into a model it loses he colors how can I keep hte colors? I should have created this is an action but I aleady but alot of hours into just on fatty acid model and I need more for my assignment.
Last reply by heyvern, -
- 1 reply
- 335 views
OK as many of you know i import models from 3dmax (game 3d designer) to work with them in AM , this however has a effect similar to a blender as 3D uses polygons while AM uses splines , and during the conversion process AM assigns splines based on the polygons points and while the outcome resembles the original models it does have the aforementioned blendered effect. one thing that might help clean it up would be the ability to select several current CPs and then make a line between them automatically possible removing the previous line segments. is there a hot key command or something of the such that will do this or will i need to use the old fashioned manual method?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 4 replies
- 325 views
i need to make a authentic looking spider web any ideas?
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 24 replies
- 1.1k views
I just got Animation:Master 2004. And I know everyone is going to tell me to look through the tutorials. But my question is... what do I do after that? I want to know how to create my own animation, whether still frame or music video, but I'm a complete newbie. I know next to nothing about animation but I really want to know how to design cool things. Could someone tell me how to do this? I was looking at Thom in the wireframe mode and I moved all his segments around and everything. Which project do I go to to make things like him? How do I create segments? Can someone please help me with this gigantic challenge? If you could, it would be greatly appriciated.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 10 replies
- 961 views
Hi! In the ideal, I'd like to render a scene at 13200 x 10200 pixels, by my calculations, but A:M crashes when I set a render at that resolution. Is there a way to only render a portion of a size like this, and then piece the parts together in a program like Photoshop, later? I feel that if I try to move the camera and render only parts of a scene, the perspective would change for each section. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tim
Last reply by Gerry, -
- 4 replies
- 336 views
I'm back. Bought A:M at Siggraph in 2006 and started then. Now I am back giving it another shot and more time. I do have some selfish reasons for restarting my A:M education as I need to create some FX for a short I'm working on and the 2D aspect of AE is killing me. I'll be stiching together a 3D face of one of my actresses (like the girraffe tutorial) and using it as a base for some 3D sludge that comes out of her pores. Wish me luck. I was just rereading some of the posts and It still seems to be a friendly place. One quick question, Will I have better luck using the newer version or will the 2006 version serve my purposes untill I can upgrade? …
Last reply by largento, -
- 6 replies
- 856 views
HI!- I've always added Hair to my characters by creating a group and dropping the hair.mat onto it...now, I want to try using a decal with an alpha to control where the hair emanates from. I've realized i have NO clue on how to do this... I've read Holmes hair tutorial which covers using decals AS the hair (feathers) but I want to use the decal as the emitter... I've done a search too. Do I--- Apply the decal, change it's type to 'other' and then apply the hair to the decal? How does the hair know the decal is controlling it? Where do I put the hair material? Thanks for any help-
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 0 replies
- 294 views
Alright, so anyways, im still working on the fighter modeling tutorial, and im coming across a really anooying problem. I cant see the scaling box, i did before a second ago, when i decaled the left side, but then i made the decal again and i cant scale it at all. any help please? this is a photo of the decal thats showing, if i put my mouse on it, yes i can move it, but i cant scale it. Edit: alright i was messing around a bit and it seems i can see the scaling box, on the left view (numpad 4) but not on the right side (numpad 6). also on numpad 4 i cant exactly see the little control points on the scaling box, and the only was i can s…
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 951 views
Alright, so anyways i was modeling, and ive notced that my Control Points are black, and my lines are white, and this gets insanely annoying, expecially for when i was modeling an eyeball (black and white) lol. Also one other thing, my graph seems to be really small when im zoomed, out. Im doing Excersise 10, the fighter modeling one, and the thing that you have to zoom out far, it just makes the graph looks like very many Teeny Tiiiny small square, and it really gets in the way, does anyone know how i can enlard these graphs?
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 4 replies
- 414 views
Alright so anyways, on the characters, when im trying to move their bones, or pose em, on choreography, there is this huge bone at their feet getting in the way. I saw it a while ago, then didnt see it, and now im seeing it again. Heres a picture of it do you see that large black bone right at his feet, it is really blocking the view from bottom view, side views, top view, birds eye, and even camera view. and if i accidentally click on it, it rotates my whole character. Can anyone lend me a hand?
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 1 follower
- 6 replies
- 619 views
The issue occurs when I use the render mode and depending on the detail involved, it will cause the program to show a 'not responding' message at the top of AM program's title bar (where the project name is listed). This issue also occurs in renderring lock mode, however, it works perfectly fine when renderring to a file. Working with AM v15.0 I disabled desktop composition. System Alienware Custom M17 Notebook Video/Graphics Card: Dual 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3870 - CrossFireX™ Enabled! Processor: Intel® Core™2 P8400 2.26GHz (3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) Chassis: 17-Inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD (1200p) with Clearview Technology Operatin…
Last reply by Paul Forwood, -
Expressions
by TNT- 3 replies
- 384 views
How can I write an expression that will keep the "Y" position of one CP exactly centered between two neighboring CP's "Y" positions? "(Y1 + Y2)/2" I want to try to control a few individual CP's so that an area will not crease. Thanks,
Last reply by TNT, -
- 4 replies
- 421 views
Alright so anyways, im using my laptop with the subscription on, and i think this character is coming out very nicely, looks smooth, awsome eyes i made with help from a tut and some stuff just learned recently from some awsome people here. Anyways, i just am having a blockage, i cant figure out how to model some spline's into making some shoulders, some legs, and arms. Does anyone have a tut or just some hints you can give me on how i can creat the arms, legs and shoulders??? Im most stuck on the shoulders btw. Just cant seem what'll fit for this guy. Anyways, heres a snapshot of him (in render mode) Character_in_progr…
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 1 follower
- 11 replies
- 708 views
Hiya am a beginnner to this so please bear with me, i want to use a live video as a background, could you give me some advice to this using version 13 as it seems difficult to ad it and when using a rotoscope or layer it doesent seem to work. pete
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 reply
- 351 views
How do I slow an action to a halt?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 4 replies
- 420 views
Alright, anyways i got my subscription to work without the weird clock problem. So i tried modeling something out to fit my style. Anyways i came out with some cartoony looking eyeballs. But i want them to look good. How do i get the textures on and stuff. Also how can i make a black pupil on the eyeballs. and then how can i color it.??? Heres the picture of the eyeballs in progress
Last reply by AMkyle, -
- 2 followers
- 8 replies
- 876 views
Anyone know a good tutorial to model a simple building? Thanks.
Last reply by jweinrub, -
- 13 replies
- 579 views
Hey, im really confused. if there is anyway to make it come back or something, but when i go render to file, or anything that brings up that list of types of renders, its got all of em, exept for Final render, which i cant find and want to use. Also another problem, when i have a test render of the frame im on, on. then i go to the real render, it pops up an error box and the only button on it exits out of AM. The last problem i have is with my subscription i bought, it is not letting me on. it says system clock set back -30 but i dont get that, is it talking about the computerss clock down at the bottom right of the screen? and if so why is it doing th…
Last reply by heyvern, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 507 views
Hi folks There was a thread with a hasher documenting a way to attache a grid within a grid for added resolution on particular patch. I cant seem to find it. and I also cant figure it out on my own. Could someone please let me know what the link is?
Last reply by rusty, -
- 1 follower
- 1 reply
- 402 views
Hello Newbies I just finished the Tank tutorial that can be found here http://www.patchwork3d.de/html/deutsch/wha...eating_tank.htm Although I am not new to AM I have much to learn and I feel this tank tutorial covers Some very important features like UV mapping decals.
Last reply by TNT, -
- 5 replies
- 680 views
Hi; I am a full time performer. I present live shows in schools and churches around the country. I would love to add animation to my abilities. Unfortunately I can't draw to save my life, I can barely write legibly. Can someone with my limited art skills create watchable animations with hash? Thanks, and merry Christmas! Jedlie
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 455 views
Greetings everyone, Merry Christmas to all. Have a question, I was checking my normals to make sure they were all facing correctly when I ran up on at least 2 that wont flip. Any ideas on how to get these guys to flip around? Wally
Last reply by Walter Baker, -
A:M on EEE?
by Bryce- 10 replies
- 649 views
I use to use A:M on my desktop a lot back when I first got it, then I started slacking off. Recently, I found Anim8or and started playing with that and decided I wanted to install A:M again. Problem is, my EEE doesn't have a CD-ROM. I'd like to know if there is a legitimate way of running A:M without the CD (aside from a volume license). If A:M and Anim8or shared any format, it'd be a non-issue, but I'd prefer to use A:M. Like I said, its been a while since I used it. I have "Sorserez" version CD. (Old, I know.) My brother and I bought it at a computer show because the guy giving the demo showed how simple everything was. I don't remember exactly why I stopped using …
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 5 replies
- 482 views
Is it necessary to have Photoshop to develop my own cartoons in A:M ?
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 6 replies
- 547 views
Once you have brought an image into the library, how do you turn it into a model that you can manipulate ?
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 5 replies
- 503 views
I lost my tutorial disk and can not figure out how to bring my cartoons into the program. Can anyone tell me how?
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 0 replies
- 280 views
Last reply by vanatoru, -
- 8 replies
- 536 views
Ok, I should have been paying more attention to Dylan at Momentum, rather then dreaming about the beautiful Stephanie Giles ( Work Experience chick - while I was doing my " internship" ) . . .Ahem. Can some one give me a quick break down of key frame animation in AM. For instance when I create a walk cycle according to the AM book, how to I translate this to another action ? Also on walk cycles, if I have a walk cycle, how do I loop it JUST USING KEY FRAMING in choreography ? I have got this to work when I constrain it to a spline path - the cycle loops properly - when I adjust the keyframes - the walk cycle is accelerated - or 25 frames are stretched into say 3…
Last reply by KenH, -
- 9 replies
- 761 views
Hi. I am slowly learning the "burn" tutorial, and I can bet the material to work, but I am wondering how to get more comtrol over it? By that I mean, can I attach it to a slider, so it burns at the pace I want? Also, can I set it so it only burns certain groups or models, not everything?
Last reply by johnl3d, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 814 views
Does anyone know what happened to the free models page does it still exist Also where are all the models kept on the ftp site.
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 2 replies
- 458 views
After modeling and rigging a character, I decided to test it on the walk cycle from TaoA:M. Having spent so much time in the Project Workspace, I got use to double clicking on an item when I needed to start something new... I did this for a new Choreography Action as well, thinking I could do the walk cycle that way. However, near the end of the process I discovered that I did not have access to the "Has Stride Length" setting. Can this be turned on somehow inside a Choreography Action? I decided to render what I had, even though it isn't constrained to a path: SarahWalkTest2a.mov Also, I need to enable the Neck and Finger bones for the 2008 rig, but I'm no…
Last reply by Bendytoons, -
"Escalated"
by danf- 21 replies
- 1.4k views
There's 2.5 months of work, INCLUDING learning A:M! I set out working on this before I knew a lot of the basics, and got people relying on me to finish it (like a sound effects crew who were using it as their final project for school), so I had to drive ahead rather than learn some parts. While I'd nailed the TAO:AM, I knew little of character animation, or the many advanced features of this diamond-in-the-rough of a software package. Thanks to this forum, I was able to gather as much knowledge as I needed along the way. I've learned there are very deep levels that one can learn to animate characters on, and I had to rush over them to finish this. In other words,…
Last reply by NancyGormezano, -
- 9 replies
- 721 views
You know, I'm finishing up my first animation and all, so I'm a total pro... hahaha. But I've hit hundreds of hurdles, and I've got to say there's some basic stuff that would be well to place in the TAO:AM routine. Call it my A:M wisdom to this point... call it me venting my frustrations. Either way, it's healthy for me, it's healthy for new students, so drink milk: While Lesson 1 does a good job of introducing one to the "talent" pool, and notion of a "pose," I think it fails to properly represent the workflow intrinsic to the design of A:M. When understood, the design of A:M is a beautiful thing that puts everything at your fingertips. When not understood, yo…
Last reply by Gerry, -
- 6 replies
- 371 views
Ok! I'm definitely a newbie! I have a lighting project where I have multiple characters, each with at least one light focused on it. During Cho I am turning lights on and off during the music score. There are thirteen lights added beyond the basic key, background and rim. Apparently I have hit a limit and I can't figure out how to get around it. With several lights on at a keyframe I turn another on and it does not illuminate in the cho view. If I turn another light off at that keyframe my new light comes on. How can I fix this?
Last reply by johnjohn, -
- 3 replies
- 298 views
OK I'm using a 4 point tube to try and make a antenna looking device , and why the main part looks good the end points which do get quite small and shape looking are getting weird artifacts , is there a way to correctly close off a tube? heres a pic
Last reply by heyvern, -
- 19 replies
- 1.6k views
Looking for some insight into speeding up my productivity and am going after the machine, and the person using it... Been on a mouse so far but considering a graphic tablet. Anyone offer some advice/ suggestions/ direction? Next Question: I'd appreciate some input on speeding up the machine. I recently read a forum entry leading me to believe that more RAM will speed up rendering. I figured it was simply a function of processor speed but am wondering now that I stumbled across the post.... Thoughts, experiences? Glider
Last reply by danf,