Obnomauk
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Posts posted by Obnomauk
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Strange thing happened… I was working on a face model last week in AM 13 Alpha 5 and it was working fine. I download and install Alpha 6 and try to open the project (which for some strange reason had .prjb as it's extension) and AM says 'Can't read Binary Files'.
???
I tried opened the offending file using text edit and it was… in binary, not ascii format. Will try using Alpha five to open it at home.
binary format can only be read via Hamer. not A:M this is to make projects streamed by hamer safe for web releasee by protecting the intelectual property of the owners.
Unfortunately save and save as dialogs have been defaulting to binary format since multiple project formats is not somethig we normally expect we just don't pay much attention at the save dialog.
On the upside I believe Hash is aware and working on this to prevent accidental binary saves.
-David
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so null shader... PC only then?
-David
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- Diffuse Shader : Null Shader
- Specular Shader : Null Shader
- Ambiance Shader : None
Where the heck does one find a Null Shader?
-David
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Great to hear, so you've reported it and submitted data then?
-David
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Yes, luckbat's right. I still don't really get smartskinning. I use fan bones (added at the point the TSM says, and labelled accordingly, not to be confused with their nomenclature) and CP weighting. Every character is different, but the TSM is an excellent general rigging system. One size doesn't fit all, but it can be tailored to most.
This was about spline popping (which I still get sometimes...)
should we move to a new topic/area?
best,
S.
Popping due to gamma is an issue that hash addressed i think around 10.5 (but it could have been earlier or later) you can get popping in the model window but it should remain stable and 'locked' during animation. I think you might just be seeing a re-draw glitch, especially since you say it goes back to normal when you enter muscle mode.
I'd render to file (final quality) to make sure that this shows up. if it does you might need to file one at http://www.hash.com/reports
-David
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Well considering any pages past the limit in the contract results in a charge to my advance.... I think I'll just stick to the page limits. If you guys want to gather your nickles and send me the $4 per page they will dock me over the 600 then we can talk
Printing a production for an additional 400 pages would not be inexpensive for the publisher so I can understand their stand point on the matter.
-David
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I notice with most 3D instructional books, that the directions are grouped together into paragraphs. Listing each step of whatever is being taught, in it's own sentence, on it's own line, rather like a recipe card. This would be more visually accessible. At least for me, that is.
but it would make the book about 5X longer which for a comprehensive A:M tome would ratchet the page count up into the 900-1000 range easy; which most publishers aren't going to do, as it will have to cost you the consumer in the 80-100 dollar range. We writers are pushed down with page limits so all the clarity and step by step with each step illustrated type tutorials wind up just cutting into the amount of the software that can be covered.
Also, generous use of illustrations, in full color, particularly when color choices are being discussed, would be appreciated. Never understood why color 3D renders are so often just in B+W.
I'd love full color as well, the only publisher I've seen do a real good job on this was New Riders, the remiander of the feild is pretty cheap. They give the author the option to have a set of 'color plates' but those are so far removed from the text that it needs to relate to that it does very little good. I opt to put the color versions of all the figures on the disc instead....
All that being said, as I am currently writing the update all this discussion on what people want out of a book has certainly been distracting
and helpful . I too look forward to whatever Georgia and her author have for us!
-David
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I'll still be rigging her, a rig is a rig is a rig
I'll play with some dynamics for the curls, but overall i presume they will be fairly stiff, maintianing volume. will be the more difficult bit but I've got a trick or three somewhere for that. Just a matter of finding them!
/me roots through his piles of coffee beans...
-David
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THis is the one I use (in the attached zip) and this is from the book:
The directory structure starts with a Root folder named after the entire project. Keeping in mind that an animation project might involve a large number of individual project files (.prj), it is important to have a base directory in which to house all the separate pieces a large project might generate. This keeps the base of the structure clean.
Next a set of directories holds all objects that can be saved externally from a project: Actions, Choreographies, Image Maps, Lights, Materials, Models, Project Files and Sound Files. Each of these directories is composed of several subdirectories, broken down into logical chunks as best suits the project.
Separate character models from props. Break props and other models down by scene and shot number. Even if it means duplicating models in multiple folders this makes it easier to share an individual scene of a large project without the worry of leaving anything behind. If a project only has one scene this can be ignored.
It is very important that the project (and all files for that matter) is saved in versions. This is just a good work habit that will prevent a lot frustration. The mantra is “Save Early Save Often,” but should be more accurately stated: “Save Early, Save in Versions.” Save to a new version any time it would take more than an hour to duplicate your current progress. That way if a change is made that is not wanted there is always a prior version to fall back to. Or if a crash or some other problem occurs with a file, the most work that can be lost is one revision. On an active project there can be as many as 20 or 30 revisions in a day.
it doesn't really matter as long as one is set up and everyone adheres to it,
-David
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I noticed in the rigging forum that Martin broke the news that the Squetch rig has been adopted as the standard rig for TWO. The question I have is this - Does the TWO directorial staff intend to adopt a standard facial rig? On a related note - why is it that "rigs" don't seem to include facial rigging?
Just curious
Bill
Facial rigging and controls will likely be standardized after the gross controls.
"rigs" don't typically include facial rigging because the spline layout for faces is fairly unique most of the time and not easy to encapuslate into a simple transferable sample. hence it gets set up on a per case basis with the same basic set of controls. This was especially true when facial animation was primarily driven with muscle motion in pose sliders, but remains the case with bone based solutions.
David has a pretty nifty face set-up technique based on the CP weigthing techniques passed around a couple years back
-David
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Anyway, the poster turned out pretty well, I think, so here it is.
Looks fun! My only question is: where is shaggy?
-David
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Yeah!
but older codecs tend to be more pervasive. good old mpg1 is fine with me (although I have a pretty fast connection at home) -David
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and it took more than 12 hours from time of download to be able to watch.... surely that colors my opinions.... standard codecs are good things. if the viewing instructions start with "download the following player/codec" then perhaps we should re-consider it...
-David
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we'll see about that
Looking good jim
-David
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I'd love to take a peek at these but they are in a Win Specific Codec MP42 can we re-compress them in something not so esoteric? a nice .mov perhaps?
thanks,
-David
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Hey David,
Great looking rig so far. I do have one critique to offer on the leg control set-up and the complexity thereof.
Specifically on the ball pivot/rotation of the foot. what I'm looking at here are basically three working bones + smartskin for what I would think is basically a single bone/heriarchy+expression solution. It also does one of those things that I just don't like
it places a control in a position that seems unrelated to it's function. I know you have the bone named in the PWS but the animator is just going to want to grab a bone and 9 out of 10 of them won't think that the bone floating in front of the leg has anything to do with heel lift or ball-of-foot pivoting. just my opinion of course.I have attached a simple leg (basically my same standard leg rig from my tut but with heel lift and secondary pivot controls added in.) that shows where I would put the control and how it can do the job pretty much 100% with hierarchy.
I didn't on this example but I would also add an expression to make the toe manipulation bone rotate in opposition to the heel lifter at least in the X axis, allowing the natural hierarchy to control the Y axis needs.
Give it a look-see and see if you agree, or not
(P.S. sorry it took so long for me to get back to you with this!)
-David
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If it's not bad form I'd like to stake a claim on rigging this one, great design.
-David
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This pretty much finished with what I can do with the sceen until I here back from David about the Heron Rig.
Have I mentioned that wings are hard to rig
it's been on and off the burner for weeks now and while I think I have a fairly manageable solution for just wing and feather happiness in general, folding a wing is a very complicated maneuver, lots of feathers sliding over and under other feathers. But I do love a challenge! I hope to have something substantial to report soon(ish)
-david
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I've already told Zach (at the bash) that I was available to do rigging when that time came so i suppose I can just lay that out here as a general statement.
I don't personally like the set up machine rig, as I tend to prefer simple (when it breaks down simple is easier to fix
) But am willing to rig with whatever the needs of the project are in mind. Squash and Stretch is actually pretty easy to apply to any base rig with some scale to reach, CP weighting and the tools that currently exist in A:M. You can Squetch pretty much any portion of a character that you like without any difficulty for the animator. Squetch itself is pretty independent of the control rig, and something that can be worked out after the basic rig is applied, but should really be in place before animation starts (although you could say block out your shots and then go back and add squetch after that portion of the rig has been finalized.) If you need to see the importance of squetch to every part of a character go and watch The Incredibles again.
A base control structure would be identical (ie you have the same sliders and the same bones in the same places) for every character that has the same physical structure (i.e. quadrupeds will be different than bipeds, but the same as all other quadrupeds).
It should provide the following to the animator:
1) simple and direct control over all aspects of the character
2) isolation of body parts as needed (i.e. heel and toe should be moveable independent of the foot controls but also be under the foot controls.)
3) easy switching from one set of requirements to the next (i.e. FK arms to IK arms)
4) the ability to turn off any portion of a rig at any given time.
Ideally a rig is modular and easy to apply, so that once you have your base control structure the majority of the rigging process is simply importing the bones and creating a pose from an action containing the constraints.
Any character specific features for a rig (say you have a special need for a steam vent on tin man or what have you) should fit neatly into the base rig without changing any of the global controls.
As a person who loves bones more than he loves coffee (and that's a lot) that would be my basic rigging manifesto. I guess it can be summarized as such: Simple, Flexible, Consistent.
-David
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see now that is what I'm talking about
Thanks for the project Steffen when I have a chance to get to cloth (still pushing on composite) this will be a big help.
-David Rogers
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Keen little egg, and for three bucks a steal!
I for one am glad to be welcoming eggprops back!
-David
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Top Ten "features" of the 2005 subscription CD:
Number 10: Finally, a CD in the mail that's not from AOL.
Number 9: Now loaded with even more real citrus flavor!
Number 8: There is no number 8.
Number 7: "it goes to eleven!"
Number 6: not upgrading makes baby elvis cry.
Number 5: You can continue to laugh at all those dorks using polygons.
Number 4: Will can buy another Train.
Number 3: Steve won't come to your house and steal the beer out of your fridge!
Number 2: THe warm and fuzzy feeling you get knowing that you have kept Ken Baer off the streets for another year.
and the number 1 feature of the 2005 Subscription CD is: Access to all versions and updates released in 2005!
David "with apologies to vern" Rogers
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Well i haven't gotten any complaints from the apprentices I assigned, or from the mentors. So from my end it seems to be a smashing success!
My apprentices and I are moving at a slower pace but I think we are covering some solid ground and with any luck we will be up and animating actual shots in a few months time. (life and schedules permitting)
I hope that all the apprentices are finding their experiences rewarding.
-David Rogers
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No.
and in all honesty no 3D package does this for you automagically. It would just cost too much CPU time and in may instances would be a pain in the but any way.
I'm afraid your only solution here is learning the tools that make this kind of thing easier.
-David Rogers
Test Animation, trying to build a rig (AM Complete Guide)
in Work In Progress / Sweatbox
Posted
http://www.am-guide.com/SetUp/
of course you can always buy the book...
-David