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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.
4,160 topics in this forum
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- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.4k views
I tryed starting a new topic about 5 mins ago, the post hasnt shown yet so im gonna post again an hope for no double post. Hello all, I would like to make this look like this but fade the transparency out, or in depending how you look at it, overtime. The problem is when i adjust this to lower the opacity of the decal in an action or chor i get this in other words the patches that are stamped with the decal disappear. i'm getting something wrong along the way even after reading quite a few alpha channel an decal tuts . i'm using AM 11.0t. heres the decal decal any help greatly appreciated. Jungl…
Last reply by ronburk, -
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
Maybe this will help me with some of the other questions I have been posting... I am trying to just take a character (i.e. KeeKat) and lifting the right arm at frame 5 and the left arm at frame 10. I do not want the left arm to lift until after the right arm is done (frame 5). However, the left arm begins lifting at frame 0. I have tried to nudge the left arm at frame 5 (by the way, you can only nudge with the mouse cursor...moving by arrow buttons on the keyboard doesn't make it recognized as being moved) to set it in the same position as frame 0 but that doesn't seem to work. I have done several of the tutorials but it seems that I may be missing some basic…
Last reply by Kurrykid, -
- 13 replies
- 934 views
Starting with the basic three light setup, I began adding lights to my chor. At first, the additional lights did what they were supposed to do, but after about five or six additional lights, my keylight seemed to turn off with the other lights doing all the work. Turning off the last added light, turned the keylight back on. I figured the last light was somehow defective, so I deleted it and created a new one. The same thing happened, the keylight, although the chor said it was on, was actually not doing anything to light the scene. Another test confirmed this. Instead of deleting the last added light, I just turned it off in the chor and the keylight immediate…
Last reply by Eric2575, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
Help!!! I've seen on the forum that quicktime with sorenson 3 is great, but when I render the .mov its all black. What do I need to change? Also I read that only newbies render directly to quicktime. What is a good step by step process for rendering. I also see that everyone recommends rendering to .tga , why? How do you use it after its rendered to .tga? I know its a lot of questions, but I want professional results, and I'm not getting them yet. A:M 11
Last reply by lkwebb21, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
Im trying to understand how to make custom particle for use as my jets after burner and a hot air baloons burners. Also need to understand how to make a missle blow up into pieces upon impact with an object. I guess this program is easy if you understand the jargon. Noganite
Last reply by HomeSlice, -
- 13 replies
- 805 views
Hello - I am working on an animated Fan Character for a client and I need to be able to have the blades of the fan rotate. I created a bone facing forward in the center of the fan and attached all the CPs to the fan blades, so that is set up fine. I started a new action and between frame 1 and 5 I tried to rotate the fan 359 degrees to the right, but it set it rotating to the left at -1 degree (the programs quicker way to get there). Any ideas on how do I do this? Here is a pic of the character, so you can get a visual. Thanks - Eric
Last reply by John Bigboote, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 961 views
Hi - I have no idea what I am doing, but the fire tutorial and a couple hours of playing around got me to the point of having the jet engine fire for my fan character I'm working on. It didn't come out half bad, but and suggestions to make it better would be more than welcome. http://www.flashanimationwebsitedesign.com...urningFan3.html My question is- I have a choreograph scene that I put my character in and also the object "smoke" which has the "fireMaterial" dropped on it. That is what I rendered 5 seconds of at the above link. I used the "smoke.mdl" and images for the sprites that goes along with the fire tutorial. The idea is to have the characte…
Last reply by flashawd, -
- 13 replies
- 601 views
Hi - is it possible to add a video clip (.avi) to a chor scene - have it playing on a plasma screen tv somehow? Thanks- Eric
Last reply by flashawd, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 954 views
hiya please dont take this as a moan, I am new to animation master and am trying to get some answers to queries i have, I am used to lightwave. After purchasing animation master i have found some queries which i just cant find the answers to. I am in the uk, I hope some friendly americans can give me some advice. First of alli have a problem in that having done the tutorials on the website several functions seem to be different, on dragging a image onto an object, which is on the tutorial, I am asked if i want a rotoscope or layer, this doesent appear on the tutorial, in this it just moves across and you can move it around, is there any way i can give a cho…
Last reply by leptophis, -
- 13 replies
- 920 views
everytime I load a rotoscope on my laptop all I get is a blank box. The project workspace says the rotoscope is there but there is no actual picture in the window. Anybody know what setting I need to change? Thanks.
Last reply by Stronghorn, -
- 13 replies
- 939 views
I'm working on a short film using AM and I'm interested to know how people organize their projects and chors. My short, like most, has a number of shots that need to be animated using a fairly consistent group of objects (characters, props, scenery, lights etc). I've started by making each shot a chor in one single project: if I was to have 12 shots, I would have 12 chors in that project. I am rethinking this since I've noticed that each chor seems to get stuffed into memory whether I'm working on it or not. So my question is, how do you take your scenes and shots and organize them into projects and chors? Thanks, Alan
Last reply by alano, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1k views
Hi All Since the main reason for my getting A M was more as a suport tool for my 2D Illustration and Cartooning then for the animation I jumped right into the modeling tutorials perhaps biting off a bit more than I could chew. Anyway wanting to start right away to create 3d versions of my own characters I started trying to do the faces using my own design instead of a photo Anyway It went easier then I expected I do a bit of real sculpting so the transition from papermache and clay to a view screen wasn't too dificult, other than an inability to smooth out some of the creases and don't get me started on the nostrels. Anyway this is what I've gotten so …
Last reply by thefreshestever, -
- 13 replies
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There are many dilemmas we face as we try to learn any given subject. Animation is no exception. Where should we focus our attention? How much about a given subject should we learn? How many processes must we master in order to reach our goal. The questions you ask and the solutions you discover will vary based upon your goals. To the animator Lighting a scene for instance is often a secondary or perhaps even tertiary goal. But if you are the one who will eventually light your own project its still a very important thing to learn. Animation is our primary focus here in the forum. But others aspects are important too. Should you try to learn i…
Last reply by frosteternal, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
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I'm probably missing something obvious. I have a downloaded file called "AM2005.exe" that I downloaded years ago. It is apparently the installer for AM version 11.1b (which it announces on startup). It is the latest version I have been able to use with my original AM Orangutan CD. I'm installing on Windows XP Media Center on an HP a1600n computer. It does install and successfully start up. However, there are no models, choreographies, actions, images, etc. in any of the libraries. The library droplist includes: All Libraries Hash Installed Library My Library Under the "Hash Installed Library", in the Tutorials tab, there are two tutorials:…
Last reply by Caroline, -
- 13 replies
- 1k views
Hello - I have a client that wants an animation project for a website - and she also wants it put on a High Definition DVD - Does anyone know anything about that, and if it would be rendered at a different setting or something? I have made DVDs, using a render of the animation from AM and making a DVD from it with Premiere, but wasn't sure about HD DVD. Any info would be great. Thanks, Eric
Last reply by flashawd, -
- 13 replies
- 903 views
Hi - I have a client that wants a steel looking ball smashing through glass - landing on the ground violently shaking and turning different colors while smoking and then blowing up into his logo. I figured I could do the changing colors with a pose slider, but doesn't seem to be working - anyone have any ideas? Thanks - E
Last reply by flashawd, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1k views
i just did a short animation that I need to send to a publisher so i can get a job.... the file is only a minute long and consists of one character and a table. the sound file didn't seem to render with the file. the size of the file is 46.1 mb Is that normal or did i do something wrong? and if it is normal, how am i going to e-mail it when noone will let me send a file that large?
Last reply by TRN, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.3k views
Any suggestions as to how I might be able to make sprites glow?
Last reply by Tom, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1k views
How do you make liquid i knoe their is an easy way in v15 but how do you do it in v14
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 13 replies
- 1.1k views
I made a monster head and tried adding bones. when I added a bone to the lower jaw and moved my model into a chor and tried moving the bones the whole model moved instead of just the lower jaw how do I fix this.
Last reply by animation man hi, -
- 13 replies
- 945 views
i was wondering how to make it so that something can be completely invisible, yet you can see reflections and/or specularity on it clearly.... and i have no clue how to do it, can anyone help?
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 2 followers
- 13 replies
- 874 views
Hello to all, I'm new, just bought the program from the demonstrators at Comic-con San Diego. This looks like fun and not too hard to get started. Don't know if I'll end up doing something great but I'll have fun trying. I hope to meet new friends along the way.
Last reply by Blue, -
- 13 replies
- 728 views
Whenever I render something it turns out fuzzy. In the quick render is is crystal clear, but the actual render is pixelated. Any ideas as to why this is happening?
Last reply by MasterFunk, -
- 2 followers
- 13 replies
- 905 views
Hi all, I have a question related to setting up a project. I'm building a set that will be used for three or more animations in different parts of the set.(different camera set ups) What I want to know is would I be better off to copy this choreography several times and set up my cameras for the different animations or just keep building off one timeline? I was debating because copying the three choreography's would add to the project size, but so would adding to one time line. I was also thinking that if I used 3 sets, I could eliminate (or hide) different parts of the set that were not visible to help decrease the render time. Just wondering what the "P…
Last reply by bighop, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 846 views
Hi, After much trial and error I managed to complete the face portion of the Cooper tutorial... using an alternate subject. In the tutorial, the initial central spline was only carried down to the bottom of the upper lip, so by the time I finished the face half, the central spline was not continuous. Using "Shift + }" I could see that it traveled up the center spline, around the outer face (is this normal?), but stopped at the bottom lip. I tried unsuccessfully to make it continuous. Anyway, I could not get Copy/Flip/Attach to work (read some really good posts about it though), so I copied, pasted then manually broke and connected the splines from the new half to th…
Last reply by Gerry, -
- 13 replies
- 636 views
I searched tutorial section first before asking here. I am making a film and at the point where I am I need to switch to camera two from camera one in a single frame. any quick answer on how to do this? Thanks
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
Hi all Sorry, very newbie question here. I am trying to make a short film with two different camera shots, but I'm having trouble. Can anyone tell me how to get two cameras to work and how to render them at different points of the film. I would like to have the first camera slowly zoom in one my actor then change to the next camera that is in a different place and continue the shot. Then may be go back to the first camera again. Hope this all makes scene to someone. Thanks for any help from anyone, if you could be as simple as passable because I'm not that up on tect talk. Thanks again Jeff
Last reply by Jeff B, -
- 13 replies
- 976 views
All the sudden when I try to render something it just renders a blue color any idea on how to fix this.
Last reply by Rodney, -
- 13 replies
- 786 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, -
- 13 replies
- 1.2k 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, -
- 13 replies
- 6.3k views
After very carefully placing the second decal, I realized that my targa file somehow did not keep the transparency mask I made for it in photoshop, so the "transparent" mapped white over my previous decal. I have a feeling the answer might lie in the "spherical" decal application method, but since I don't know how that works, I figure it can be part of the same question if it's the answer.
Last reply by NancyGormezano, -
- 13 replies
- 708 views
Hey, you know how if you click and drag on the ruler it creates a line and an arrow for placement reference? The arrow is showing up on the left hand side but the line isnt, that seems useless. does anyone know how to fix it? (also when i drag it down or up it basically turns everything white in a straight line, for example if i drag up from half way and go allth e way up, the upper half of the screen will turn white, but hwne i relese it goes back to normal but still no marker.... help plz -Tony EDIT: correction, it only not shows up on the side veiw... but i kinda need that veiw
Last reply by Tanvarian, -
- 13 replies
- 1.4k views
I want to convert 3D files from other CAD programs such as Pro Engineer. More specifically i want to convert a file format called IGES that is commonly creaded by Pro E into MDL that can be pulled in by Animation Master. What application do you recomend for converting CAD formats such as this?
Last reply by Jeetman, -
- 13 replies
- 1k views
This is for a school project. I want to export a rendered image from a choreography. I need a very specific file size, so simply using "print screen" isn't going to work for me. Does anyone know what to do? Thanks.
Last reply by photoman, -
- 13 replies
- 1.3k views
I just got around to checking out the chat room for the first time and there was no one home. The last few messages were from some dude plaintively mewling for help with rigging and a bit of a troll correcting his spelling. LOL. But those were days old. I'm surprised such a neat feature gets so little use. Does anyone know if the Hash, Inc. reps still do a once a week chat in there or not... and if so when?
Last reply by Fuchur, -
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
I noticed a few posts scattered around where folks have offered up models for use free of charge for any purpose but there didn't seem to be a dedicated area for such philanthropy. Did I miss it? Is there a section for free use models? Has the community as a whole ever gotten together to create a free use library for anyone in the community to pick from? I've got big plans and a lot of work to do. I'll need all the help I can get and will take whatever I can get so I'm obviously curious. Thanks.
Last reply by TheSpleen, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
Error when editing CP Weights Manually. Computing cp weights using bone falloff works fine but when ever I try to edit them manually I get these errors and notice my 4arm bone comes up twice. Any Ideas?
Last reply by jason1025, -
- 2 followers
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
I've been working with Gene, the Spleenage, on his problem with putting the head of the "Myron" model on the body of the Santa Lion model from the Extra's DVD. File info says the model was made by Hash Inc, and Last Modified by Steve Sappington. Though I've seen his name about, and have admired his work, I don't recall having noticed his presence on the forum since I've been here (June 08). The Santa Lion Model has a glow about the whole model when rendered. Both in the model window with progressive render and in a final render to file. In the Materials folder in the PWS there is a rimlight listed as a material. I've gone through this model step by step deleting …
Last reply by TheSpleen, -
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
OK hopefully simple answer to a irritating problem . is there a way i can change the texture on one surface to that of another. OK what I'm trying to do is sort of a nanite eruption. theres a grass filled valley that gets hit with a missile of sorts, from the missile metallic lines radiate out wards eventually turning the entire valley into a metallic version. i already have the mats/textures for it i just have yet to find a application method. i know that Boolean cutters can create a new texture into what ever they cut in but i need something that mearly changes it not remove it out right
Last reply by Master chief, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 2k views
Hi Folks I have been studying Cloth and Newton Dynamics. I have been very productive results and am amazed at the power behind both of them. I have a puzzle I am trying to solve. For a few short shots in my presentation I have a parachute carrying some cargo to the surface. I was thinking because the cargo is very heavy and large that instead of cables connecting the cargo to the parachute I would use chains. I have been practicing creating chains with Newton and its very easy and works great. You get a huge payoff for little effort. Another reason why I want to use chains is they are visually stimulating more so than newton driven cables. I am not apposed to cabl…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 977 views
Can Material Effectors be isolated to effect 1 single group? or specific groups?
Last reply by jason1025, -
- 13 replies
- 1.3k views
As some of you know, I had a few problems in December with files going awry. Fortunately I haven't had a recurrence of those problems yet but I have noticed a curious factor with the current iteration of AM. If I work in the current project, save, close the project and shut down AM. When I reopen, there is a little asterisk on the actions folder indicating there has been a change which needs saving ? When I open the folder it varies as to which action has the change indicator showing. Has anyone else noticed this and, has it given any problems ? Pt two Working on an action file I noticed that there is an option to 'Smooth' the interpolatio…
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 13 replies
- 716 views
I have an IK chain of two leg bones. The knee has a null target. I noticed in a chor that the null does not follow the knee as it moves forward. Because it doesn't, I believe that it is causing the knee to bend inward somewhat. Here are three screen captures of what I am talking about.
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.8k 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, -
- 13 replies
- 1k 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, -
- 13 replies
- 1.8k views
Hi, A real quick question. Is there a way to hide the distortion boxes from the modeling screen after you finish using them ? Thanks for the help.
Last reply by NancyGormezano, -
- 13 replies
- 1.3k views
At one point I modeled an old-timey padlock, but now can't find it. So I'm doing another one. Problem is, I can't quite close up front of it so it is a solid surface. The part that is giving me problems is the upper-right. I thought I was going to be able to have a 4 point patch and a 5 pointer, but the 5 point patch actually has six points, so I don't know how I'm going to fix this without creating a buch of extra patches. Also, it just kind of looks odd the way it is right now. I'm not sure that the splines are laid out right. The other thing, now that I've learned about beveling, I really don't have a clue how to bevel something like this. Its fairly …
Last reply by Roger, -
- 13 replies
- 1k views
I'm not a new user but am unsure where to ask the question so ...? I am doing a little character test for a figure and have it sitting on a stool but I keep getting positional drift on the hip null. I tried using Hold for the interpolation method to no avail. I tried using zero slope, again no joy. I deleted all the key frames for the hips except the one on frame 0, still no luck, It keeps drifting I have deleted the keyframes for the foot targets too so neither they or the hips should move after frame 0. ~Still the hips keep drifting position. Is there something I am missing here ? regards simon Mac OSX 10-68, V15J,
Last reply by Simon Edmondson, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 1.4k views
Hi folks, I am following the flower tutorial and want ot duplicate the paddle. I have it grouped and when I right click on it, the plugin is not in the context menu. Any clue what is wrong? Besides some texture plugins, AM shows no other plugins. For an exmaple, there are no export options at all. Cheers Michael
Last reply by robcat2075, -
- 13 replies
- 1.6k views
I want to groom hair on a model and i went to "new"- "pose"-" percentage" in the modeling window, then I go to "view"" toolbars" and check "grooming" and close. The box appears when I check the box but when I close the window it disappears. I just downloaded the new version after not working with the software for a while and am a little rusty so Im not sure what my problem is, but I didnt see any other posts about it so it might just be me, any help would be appreciated
Last reply by richard m peplinski,