Rodney

Nope, I'm not smart enough to try that! Here's how to do it. I'll post pics if necessary. - Maintain your base but move it slightly above the 0 plane - Delete the target thingies (I keep forgeting their names) - Create a grid and place that as your target * Hide the parts of the grid where you want the roots! - Engage the Treeez wizard Note: For some reason the plugin drops the hidden areas to 0. I'd guess because they aren't really there but the information says create them so they're created at 0. *It's imprtant to note that this method might not work forever as Marcel's updates may eradicate this particular *feature* of Treeez. I'm experimenting with creating a whole forest with the click of one button but no good results to post just yet.

Sorry for the OT here but Animation Master is one of the reason's why I bought a PC rather than a Mac so many years ago. I wanted to buy a Mac. 'cause Mac's could draw pretty pictures! I saw them all the time in magazines, etc., etc. When I was debating whether to buy a PC or a Mac many factors weighed heavily on my mind. Money, compatibility, etc. I was leaning heavily toward the new Macs... I knew I wanted one but wasn't sure where I was going to find the money for one. I remember seeing an add for Animation Master and it mentioned something about Hybrid technology or somesuch... in short... A:M could run on a PC as well as a Mac! I might not have made my decision that day... but my 'note to self' held sway on my decision... the price of a used PC did the rest. I guess sometimes I can see the forest through the trees! (Hey, whaddya know back on topic!) Want to know how I made Marcel's plugin automatically create roots?

You and me both, Chris... you and me both. There is so much (information) I miss every day. I'd love to compile a lot of the stuff that I run across from time to time into another reader friendly form. Never seem to find the time... Are any of you out there writer's? Any people well versed in the art of interviewing? Product reviewers? Ad men/women? Editor? Publishers? Fanzine/Ezine contributors? Website copy writers/maintainers? I think there may be a need for you. Show yourselves!

Good Grief! I leave for a couple hours and come back to this!!! You guys are rocking down the house. Marcel, Your about to pass the 2000 hits mark for this post... with 100 replies. As a matter of fact, this post is the 100th posted reply!!! History in the making. I'm so proud!

John, You can extrude the base! Just make sure that click on the Model1 tag in the PWS. As long as you remain in the Action you won't be able to extrude. With a little luck I'll post a few shots of how NOT to use Marcel's plugin... while they were failed attempts they hint at interesting possibilities with a little ingenuity and the Treeez plugin! Has anyone done any toon rendered trees? Am I missing those as I quickly scroll throught the forest of posts here?

You sure seem to be having fun! I like your bear!. Keep on posting.

Wow again! Your posts really explain the process... and the results are truly impressive. I especially like your tip of reusing/altering your basic splines to create other faces. Now that is a useful and time saving tip! Keep inspiring us! There may be hope for us 2D types yet.

If there is a lesson to be learned I guess it might be... Animation Master users are born... not enlisted. A moment but a memory by Rodney Do not think to finish this work for the man's hands won't work with you Rather, Let it remain as appearing here in unfinished form an eternal work in progress. Er time and fate allow return unto this place in solemn remembrance what might have been still could be when we renew belief Dedicated: 23 Mar 04 Damn. Now he's got me writing poems... and cussing without emoticons

Ah... Zach! Not that Zach but that Zach! I must have been really tired when I wrote that as the last time I remember England (&Britain) and California weren't nearly as close as I might have imagined them to be! Wonderful kid? Didn't he call his Mom a vampire... and us old....

Don't let this guy fool you! His english is good enough to chat on a Thursday night for hours and hours and hours... David, 1) Glad to see you posting here. 2) Sorry to see you haven't got your Valkyrie converted yet. 3) Learning Animation Master at school?! We should all be so lucky! I'm jealous! I think I went to a website that might be related to your school last week... maybe not though... This young man... (26) - Remember now I'm psychic(!)... is the editor of an online animation magazine! Post a link please! At least I think you are... How many other spanish speaking-types have 40+MB movies of Macross mechs flying around? When I saw you post here in the forum, I IMMEDIATELY heard the theme music playing in my head... strange... I think you may have damaged something in my brain... Either that or I AM psychic and I woke up this morning with the music in my head. Critique: I really never got the chance to say it while chatting but I think your movie would look much improved if you added some quick cuts from image to image. It would 'flow' with the music, which is very fast paced in comparison to the images. You might not even really have to cut the length of the film. Maybe just zoom in on parts of the current shots, rotate a closeup here... and there... adjust the color... vary the variety a bit. Just a few pesos thrown your way, my friend! Welcome to the forum and the Animation Master community. You are going to have fun! Edit: Unless I'm mistaken, David is the editor of an animation magazine (not specifically 3D)

E tu Artbox? Not you too John... Can there be no secrets among friends? When I saw your post I summoned up the strength and typed out the whole 'explination' ... the big reveal! But I couldn't post it... I've just got to post at least one or two more pictures before the secret is revealed... the mask removed... forever. You'll find strength in simplicity my friends, "...a threefold cord is not quickly broken" Eccl4:12

Good job Frank! Let us hope that COOOL Darktrees + COOOL Treez Plugin = 1 or more COOOL candidate for acceptance from Marcel! To everyone: Awesome work! I'm really enjoying the different types of trees that can be generated with the plugin. Each just as unique and the personalities behind them. Too much fun!

Thanks for that motivational speech! Even those of us fully committed to the cause may stumble along the way... together... as a team... We Will Prevail! I think Nancy lives close to Mike... perhaps she can recon the AO and return will the intel we need. Wasbabi Woman Wonder... come in... ... (Need sleep... gotta go to work... drat, no choice... work it is)

Seriously, thanks for the comments. High praise from the two of you is worth the effort alone! When I get something going I'll post info and a project file, honest. I'm trying to learn not to post things too early as it kills the self motivation and I get distracted into something else... TIP: I did say I was faking this variable line stuff via line rendering and toon rendering so it really is nothing special. Note to self: Particles might work well too. Find out who did those cool writing animations with particles.

Nope. ...and flattery won't work... (or will it? I'll have to think...) *Added image: Lines with no (or little) variation

No one... gets left...behind. Arrrrgh.

Victor, I almost cussed when I saw your 'test'. (That's a good thing) Wowsers! Incredibles(!) Pixar has just gotta hire you! oh... um... nevermind then... disregard. Anyway, that is one sweet looking character! *and character test. Glad I could be here in the night to see it first. And we all thought you couldn't top Blitz! "Rough"... he says... "test"... he says... That's it. I'm giving up 3D... (Not!) You remain an inspiration to animators everywhere. Especially those here who love A:M!

Here's another test. Sorry for the delay. I was trying to get the perfect fade from grey to black and kept breaking my "perfect" settings and getting junk. The attached is all A:M except it was converted to .gif from .avi rendered out of A:M and the gif frames 'timed'. Both processes done in Corel Photopaint v11. Next step will be to show how it works in 3Dvision.

While the Hash Fellows attack the subject of variable toon lines from the high ground I thought I'd post some tests I've been working on here. The idea (for me) is to fake the variation of line thickness to achieve a line like that from a brush or pen. I've got some pretty satisfactory results with toon render but won't be able to post them for awhile. This very basic example uses Render as lines on object(s) with no patches. The toon render version uses patches. I expect to post a more complicated character "drawing" soon but have forgotten most of my toon render settings. I had a few renders but haven't the first idea where I put them. The effect looks better (IMNSHO) with the toon renderer. Well... here 'tis...

Found the thread. Lots of junk in the thread by some guy named Rodney but the gem is at the end. Bill Young retains his guru status and demontrates the improvements in bias adjustment: Bias Adjustment then and now For people that don't want to go link chasing here's what Bill said: And the specific quote we are after:

Mike, You still there? Any progress?

Zach, That's suppose to be old news since v11! Honest. Unless misinformed, we can adjust bias to our hearts content. Added: NO MORE POPPING! There's a thread with pictures and everything. Anyone remember where we put it... If you re-read my post with that understanding it'll make a lot more sense. (Since I never adjusted any biases I have no paradigm to shift)

Please go on... you have my interest. A lot of folks are afraid to adjust Bias based on thier experience and potential problems with animating with them in previous versions of A:M . Now that Bias can be adjusted without the hit in productivity/render time this is an area more than a few might want to explore. Say on my good sir... say on... *BTW - Nice logo!

He did qualify his statement with the word "COOOL": So we need to up the ante and make sure we hit him from EVERY possible angle boys and girls! In addition to some fine initial renders we've also established: - The plugin works in earlier versions (v9.0 confirmed) - The base CPs can be added to (with care) as long as they are part of the "base" group - V11 hair images make COOL leaves!!! What have I missed thus far... Someone hit him with a Toon Render from the right. You... hit him with a jab with A:M enhanced! There... hit him there again with the massive forest via flocking... Try another angle... no not there... nothing below the belt dude!!! Now... prepare for the knockout! (Need coffee or sleep here, guys... you can decide) *Added: Nice one, Phillip!

I like! A nice clean well done animation. In otherwords... you don't stand a chance. I'm just kidding, but kindof of serious in a way. I want to provide some advise here and I'm really not qualified to do so. Since I think you'll take it as I intend it I'm gonna give my 2 cents. (Watch the number of votes for Rodney is a jerk climb!) I expect that good character animation isn't enough to win these contests. When I read the discription "With a 10 foot pole" and saw the lead in I imagined something from a different angle perhaps... something conveying the difficulty in overcoming gravity... something... with a humorous punchline. Not sure what that might have been in the case of ... a ten foot pole. Personally I think you did a really good job. Just not award winning... It's not easy to do a self-contained story in 10 seconds but that seems to be the challenge your are faced with every month. I applaud your efforts and have been looking forward to your posts and entries. Keep on posting! Question: Why does he look off camera as he gets to the top? If the audience doesn't know and if you don't either that might be a possible flaw in your otherwise excellent efforts. There is a need to find some circular elements in the scene to reemphasize a theme or action. Squash and stretch, anticipation some of these I've seen in your past efforts. You are improving with every entry! Please don't read these typed words the wrong way! You are doing MUCH better than anything I could put forth. My desire for your success just overcame me. Best, Rodney