itsjustme

I didn't find 3D Flash Animator hard to use at all...I'll admit, the only thing I've actually made with it was a guitar tuner, but, I didn't have a problem. Try the downloadable version and see if it's something you can use. Here is a support forum for it that has links to online tutorials...I'm sure you could find other places online as well. Whatever you decide, good luck.

A low cost alternative to using Flash, you might try 3D Flash Animator...I think it's $50 (and you can try before you buy).

Well, I got stopped by the clock today...I had the arms in pieces when I realized I had to wrap up for the day. So, I had to look through a few versions to find one that didn't have things broken (at least I didn't find anything wrong in the time I had to check). Updates in this version are: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can squetch the legs while using IK or FK using pose sliders (the other squetch controls are still there in addition to the sliders). If you squetch the thigh and calf to different percentages, you'll have to adjust the foot using the null squetch controls when using the IK controls (the toes stay pointing if you don't). The shoulders follow the arms a little when using IK, they can still be adjusted when in IK manually as well. I fixed the forearms and adjusted the CP weighting around the hips, it deforms a lot nicer now. You can use IK on one leg if you want now...I figured that could be useful. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still lots to do, I should have the arms finished in a day or so if I get the free time I'm expecting.

I like it so far, Elquintojinete001. It would be fun to see it with some patches distorting...maybe put this rig into a head you have or one of the models on the CD. What more did you want it to be able to do? It looks like it would be great for a cartoony character.

Thanks for taking a look, Mark. I'll try to have an update posted by Monday (my schedule is easing up a bit). Oh, I finally got a chance to see your video of the Osipa-style face controls...very nice. Anyone not familiar, it's located here. That's something I'm thinking about incorporating eventually, it looks like it's fun to mess with.

Thanks for the feedback, Drvarceto. I still have a lot of things to tweak and add, but it's not a bad start. I like Mark Skodacek's rig as well, John Keates' rig is also nice. Both of them are in this thread in case anyone hasn't seen them.

This is just a quick update, I haven't had more than a few minutes here and there to work on this for a while. Things different in this version, when you turn off the IK legs, the FK controls are visible, the upper torso can be manipulated using a non-squetch method, the biceps flex with the turning of the wrists in addition to the flex when bending the arm and I've added some shoulder controls. I still have a lot to do, including fixing the forearms, scaling the IK controls to match the squetching, adding shoulder movement to the IK arms (you have to manually adjust them at the moment) and a few other odds and ends. The best way to use the squetch right now is to move everything using either the IK or FK and then add the squetch.

That's one of the things on my to-do list, I've got some possible ways to do it that I haven't had a chance to try yet. I might have to rework a few things to get it done. Yessir, I just haven't gotten there yet...I get caught up in the little stuff sometimes. I'll try to have a new version up sometime on Monday. Thanks for taking a look, Mark.

It still needs some work, but, this is once again a good stopping point for this evening. He's got some flex in his biceps now, however there are still some minor things to tweak with them. I'll tackle some more tomorrow.

I forgot to fix the hands in v4, this version has the hands and forearms working better.

Another snapshot...the arms have a switchable IK setup of sorts, the squetch operates as an addition to the IK stuff (if you reach a limit of the IK setup, you can continue the movement using the squetch controls), I added a bicep roll target and rearranged the pose sliders some. There are still a lot of things that need to be done, but, it's more useful than it was and it's still got the squetchy toys to play with...it'll get better.

Once again, a good stopping point for the day. I went through all kinds of complicated crap and then realized a method that would probably do the job that I'm after easier. I wanted IK, so, here he is with a mangled version of David Rogers' IK leg setup (thanks for sharing, David). The squetch is still there, just unhide the controls in the pose sliders menu. What I did on this would be an ideal way to put standard muscles in a character as well...I'm sure it has already been thought of.

The knees and elbows should be scaling 50% of what the bones on either sides of them are scaling...at least I think it's in the second version (depending on the angle, sometimes the knee/elbow needs to be rotated using the null though). What I'm doing now is putting in a more standard setup so that you can animate him normally and then just distort the body part you want with a null, I should have something new posted in a day or so. Thanks for the input, Mark.

Very nice, Jin! The only thing that I'm wondering about is the window on the door, it looks like one piece of glass from the door into the body behind the door (I'm not familiar with how this car's windows look, so, feel free to ignore me)...I could just be looking at it wrong. I'm definitely looking forward to the tutorial!

Okay, a few improvements on this guy. I've got a lot more to do (and several things will probably change), but this was a good stopping point this evening. Anyway, something to mess with.

I just got a chance to watch the Expressions Tech Talk (124 MB download) and this is something I used to try my hand at it. Not a conventional rig, but fun to mess with. If you need an extremely squetchy character something like this could be useful. Just move the visible nulls around in an Action to get a feel for it.

Jim Talbot has some tutorials you might be interested in here. ---------- EDIT ---------- This tutorial might also be helpful.

Ouch, I double-posted....well, I'll split it up then. There's a Tech Talk on hair located here (201MB...pretty big file) that might help.

Very nice work, the only additional crit I have is that I would use a couple of hooks and/or route a spline from going to the lip to going under the nose to meet it's counterpart to reduce the number of splines in the top lip by a couple...I'm thinking you could get rid of two on each side. The lower lip is perfect though.

Very nice start, Madeline!

John, it looks like you're using Camstudio to generate the SWF and HTML...just a headsup, Camstudio puts an error on the size of your SWF in the HTML. If you put in the right dimensions it will fix the problem. When I set the width to 911 and the height to 690, it appears to be close. Also, if you record the tutorial as a Camstudio Lossless Codec encoded AVI, you can edit it using Virtualdub, save it as an edited AVI with the same Codec and then use "SWF Producer" (should be part of the package with Camstudio) to encode it as an SWF without any loss in quality. Very cool tute.

What Scott said...looks like it's turning out nice, is there an entire gas station?

That's very nice, Tom! Very generous too.

For anyone interested, I've posted a project with a rigged (and unrigged) head in it that will be the subject of the tutorial that I'm still putting together (I know, I'm taking forever). You can find it here: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13963 I will have the tutorial done soon.

Thanks for the thanks, I've improved this rig some since I made it and (hopefully) I'll have the tutorial up in a few days. I'll include a rigged head as well, that'll give you a better idea of the weighting and such. Sorry it has taken me so long...it's been hectic. For organizing your poses, select your model in the PWS, go to the "Properties", expand the "Users properties", right mouse click and select "New Property/Folder"...that'll give you a sub-folder to put things in. You can drag the poses around in the "Users properties" to suit your needs by grabbing the box with the arrows on it to the left of the pose name. Hope that helps.