goodguy20k

That's the problem. I'm trying to make that animated sequence. I have frame 1 showing the first foot print, and frame 2 showing the second footprint, and ONLY the second footprint. Somehow, I need to combine frame 1 with frame 2 so that the first footprint shows up on frame 2, and all following.

Ok, Rodney's topic brought up something I've been scratching my head about for a while now. I'm rendering out displacement maps for footprints. The displacement maps render fine, but now come the next step. I need to combine the frames so the footprints "add up". I'll try to say this simple and clearly. So, you have the first frame: ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- No footprints. Second frame: ---------------- ---x------------ ---------------- First foot print. Third frame: ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- Nothing. Forth frame (and so on): ---------------- ------x--------- ---------------- Now, I need frame 3 to look like: ---------------- ---x------------ ---------------- And frame 4 to look like: ---------------- ---x--x-------- ---------------- Adding the first foot print to all frames after it, and so on. The method I learned this from used some imaging program that supported scripts and handled it that way. I don't have that program (but do have PhotoShop and Paint Shop Pro). What are my options for doing this? The more automation, the better, as, for my short, I'm going to be looking at LOTS of footprints! (YES, I know I'm looking at horrible render times. ) Thanks!

I wasn't sure I wanted to post this, as... It's very rough, but to give you a hint of what I've also done... XizorStandWalk.mov

Well, here's my first rev of the walk cycles. It's pretty much "textbook", but I think I over emphasized the stepping. The arms need to be more conservative as well. And then there's the robe... :shock: XizorWalk.mov

Michael gave the link to the tutorial I was thinkin' of. When I learned that, it opened so many... Windows.

Nice work! Only comments are: Chest looks a bit... Boxey. Squeeze the diaphram a bit, I think. The pants are distracting. Either they shouldn't flare so much, or need to be longer. (Or maybe his knees are too skinny?) The uh... Boots like like girl's boots. If that's intentional, it's funny. If not, lower the heal and make the toe bigger. That's all I see, right now. Keep up the great work!

What the SPCA doesn't know... Can't hurt me. I'm waitin' to see the renders!

Gee... I feel like I've seen this before.

I was watching Tron just last night. I agree, simplicity is key!

Vern... Decaf.

SWEET MOTHER OF PEARL! :-O That so totally rocks!

And that you should always shop Belle-Tire!

Ethan, somethin' like this: skipping I was trying to save that for a bigger "update" to give, but... Why not show off now?

Thanks Caroline. That tutorial should do in the worst case. While searching this up, I saw this thread: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...mp;hl=footprint I wish that plug-in was 1) available, 2) worked in v13/14. Oh well. I'm going to really want an automated method, so I think I'll play around with it a bit.

Ok, PB's setting off on his first film adventure... But I need some thoughts on it technically do-hickies... How would people suggest tackling footprints/depressions in a sand ground? And the foot prints are going to stick around... For a while. Through many "scenes". Any thoughts?

It really depends on the hair you use. If you give me 1) the approximate size of the mice (so I can create a test object to scale), 2) the maximum allowable time you'd be happy to render it at, 3) the resolution rendered, 4) and what the base render time is (render time before hair added) per frame, I'll see if I can create a material for v13. (It's not too bad in v13 anyways. )

Bruce, you MIGHT want to try v14 for hair. The render times are shorter, I've found. If you want, I could try and get you a nice hair material. Just let me at de mice. But it looks awesome as is!

Depending on when and what, and how strict you need me to commit to a timeline (like, project timeline), I might be able to squeeze in a little animation for you. Walk cycles are something I love.

Definitely! Just a few reworks and I'll update. (Animated ones, if I can do it. )

Very cool, John! I'll put a prj up when I can.

This, I gotta try. Great idea, John!

After fiber optics, then what? Fireworks, of course. firework2.mov

Ok, you knew it was next... Color. And animated. Sorry about the file size. I tried and tried to compress it without it looking horrid, this is the best I could do. And Dhar, I'll try a basic tutorial when I have time. P.S. So far, there IS one flaw. I color using a hair color map, which is overridden by the hair colors, if set. As there isn't such a thing as a ambiance hair color map, it requires you use a diffuse color map. As far as my little brain can figure, that means having a light shine on it, in order to have the color show. *Wonders how hard it would be to program in a ambiance color map* color3.mov

Ok, so I was playing around with hair yesterday, and I messed up the order of my transparencies, which sparked an idea... Fiber optic hair! Simple, make most the hair transparent, and solid at the tip. Throw in some glow, and viola! I tried it, and my mouth dropped! (What I can use it for, I haven't got a heck of a clue. ) It's probably already been done, but I thought I had to share.

So, I finally came up with a way to really tax the render system. I wanted to do an overnight render, so, with a nice pose, a wind force, and 100,000 hairs at 9 pass, no soften, this is what I got. (Sorry, I wanted to see it high res, so it's 1280X720.) hair.mov Now, that was pretty awesome to me, but the wind needs work. Anyone know of an expression formula for wind amplitude?