sb4
-
Posts
140 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by sb4
-
-
It is exceedingly rare that you would want to enter Modeling mode while animating in the chor, as this makes changes to the model and doesn't merely repose it as you do with skeletal mode.
I have some videos on "keyframing basics" in the tutorials link in my signature that may be helpful to you.
Thanks all - that helps get me oriented.
I've noticed that occasionally while fooling around my "play range" button grays out, though I can still single step and scroll through the animation. Not sure what I'm hitting that does that or how to get it back. Once I right-clicked and selected Edit a couple of times and it ungrayed, but maybe concidence.
-SB
(boy it would be nice if these forum messages defaulted to left-justified...)
-
I'm wondering: when you are editing around in an animation and tweaking key frames, is there a way to "reset" a keyframe to the state it was in when you visit it and before you move off it?
I'm aware of undo, but with subtle changes it seems it would be hard to tell when you get to the exact point you started, and maybe you would overshoot and undo something else you didn't want to.
I suppose you could save project at each keyframe and reload it if necessary; seems cumbersome though.
-SB
-
Hi - I'm just restarting learning A:M (V11.1i) after years of fallow, so I have some really basic platform/environment questions.
I was just fooling around with Keekat in a choreography window.
I started in Chor mode. (Standard Mode was selected the whole time.)
In Chor mode, it seemed there is only one selection I can make, the entire Keekat object, so I found a handle and tilted Keekat so he fell like a tree in one second (using 3 key frames) and was horizontal. It played back fine using the "play range" button.
I tried clicking the "Modeling Mode" mode button and then "play range". It also played back the same animation, albeit with a different looking wireframe.
Now I continued in Chor mode to extend the animation. This time, I reversed the original action, tilting Keekat back to vertical in 3 key frames. But this time at each key frame I went into "Skeletal" mode and moved the tail some. I could not get to those "bone" controls in Chor mode.
Ok. Back in Chor mode, pressing "play range", the animation played as expected -- Keycat fell over like a statue, then tilted back up to vertical with his tail showing some life.
Now I simply switch the mode to "Modeling Mode" and "play range" again. This time, the animation played, but the tail movement was omitted. Same thing true for "Bones Mode". However, "Skeletal Mode" would play the animation the same as Chor mode.
So I'm just wondering what this means; what is the concept behind these modes during playback of an animation?
-SB
-
When I run V11.1i, with the CHM from the orangutan CD installed in its program folder, and do Help>Help Topics i get a window with this is in it:
The little purple books are expandable by double-clicking on them and have expandable sub topics. Isn't this what you want?
Yes, that's what I get with the original 10.5 CHM too -- and I'm OK with that.
Just wanted to check if you also have trouble using the more recent CHM (downloaded) with your V11.1i. If so, then I know it's not my installation that is the problem. I don't know if there is a V11-specific CHM anyway.
Thanks for looking into it
-SB
-
I probably should retract my story on the CHM. I see that Microsoft now offers a tool to create them.
So I'm not sure what the reason is that the current CHM is just links to the tech ref.
I verified that the current CHM has the same behavior with A:M 2004 V10.5 (Orangutan CD), so it is not the 11.1i upgrade that is the problem.
Maybe the version I downloaded is not the best one. Can anyone confirm the current Master.chm works as expected and what link they used to download?
Regards,
-SB
-
To use a decal to drive the old hair, add the decal and change the map type to "other". right click on the properties driven to add a property and you can control all the shag parameters
This is great stuff for us older version users (V11.1i).
(It would be great if there were a way filter these threads for topics that still apply to older versions -- don't know how to do that easily (unless each post had a min version tag somehow connected to it).)
-SB
-
No, there isn't a way to put simcloth into earlier versions.
There was a cloth capability in A:M before simcloth and I think it is in v11. It involved a wizard that you applied to meshes. I'm hazy on the details.
I think if you look in "The Art of Animation:Master" booklet for v11 it has a "wave the Flag" tutorial for that version of cloth. But I don't have that booklet with me so i can't confirm that. If it isn't there, it isn't there.
Yes - the "wave the flag" example is in the booklet that came with V10.5. I'll work with that.
Thanks,
-SB
-
I think I saw that the simcloth feature was introduced with A:M V12.
I have the 11.1i upgrade to AM:2004 (Orangutan). Since this seems to make it technically AM2005, I am wondering if there is a simcloth plugin that would be compatible with my version.
Simcloth seems like it would be a very useful feature for my current goal of using my old A:M for concentrating on efficient 2-D animation, emphasizing storytelling rather than virtuoso animation technique.
I'd also be interested in hearing ideas and experience from anyone focusing on 2-D animation with A:M.
Regards,
-SB
-
I dimly recall there is a problem with making new .CHM files
Martin told me it's a proprietary format and the company that creates these CompiledHelpManuals went out of business. Sounds crazy to me but that's what I recall him telling me.
However, it occurs to me
that you already have the the proper CHM file on your Orangutan CD. Look in the Documentation folder and copy the master.chm file to your AM v11.1 folder. That should work. i should have thought of that sooner.Thanks, that's what I'll do.
I was hoping to have one that included any new features in 11.1i, whatever they might be. But I'm sure the10.5 sure will do the job for now.
-SB
-
Are there archived versions of the Help manual to best match it to our particular version of A:M?
I don't think so.
If you were to copy the one from your v10.5 to your v11 folder that would probably be the most relevant. But most of the changes in later versions would be the addition of features rather than changes to existing features.
One significant feature change I can think of since v11 is that displacement mapping no longer requires a dense mesh to work. It works on any mesh now.
I hit a snag with using the latest Help file. I downloaded that "current" master.chm referenced above and copied it to my Hash Inc/V11.1 folder.
Now although my A:M Version 11 does load a Help screen, it is not anything like the V10.5 help system (see attached image comparing the V10.5 master.chm with the current master.chm).
With the current master.chm file, there is no "User Interface and Environment" menu to drill down into -- instead, the menu items seem to be links basically to a "TAOAM.pdf" file, a "techref.pdf" file, and a link to the "ftp://ftp.hash.com/pub/docs/" site.
Should the latest Master.chm file do that, only provide links to downloads? It doesn't seem to be working as expected.
-SB
-
I have an old link in my favorites to http://www.hash.com/2007web/ that still seems active and looks like a home page.
I'm wondering -- does it have any purpose?
-SB
-
Thanks! I don't know how long it would have taken to discover that.
Are there archived versions of the Help manual to best match it to our particular version of A:M?
Regards,
-SB
-
I have the Orangutan 10.5 disk which I installed, then applied the 2004 11.1i upgrade to.
When I launch the 10.5 version, the help menu works fine.
With the 11.i1 version (2005), everything seems to work fine except the Help menu -- it gives the error:
"Failed to launch Help"
I'm hoping it is some simple file missing from some place during the install.
Does anyone familiar with old versions have an idea what could be amiss? My work around is to install and run both versions, just to access the help menu, which is awkward and space-busting.
Is there some way to view the help without the program? That could be another workaround.
Regards,
-SB
-
Any update on the status of replacement CDs would be appreciated.
-SB
Welcome back!
The replacement CD situation hasn't changed, they don't stock them. So take care of that Orangutan disk!
I'm sure you're already aware that A:M has greatly improved since v10.5 so i won't belabor that point.
However, if you have v10.5 questions go ahead and ask them here on the forum, most of our answers will still be good.
Thank you, it would be extra daunting without all the help from others.
-SB
-
Good times!
I have a version 10.5 Orangutan CD which I treasure. Every few years, I take a stab at mastering AM but so far have failed each time. I've slogged through some basic tutorials in the past, but could not sustain momentum due to time constraints and so I start from scratch again another day like Sisyphus.
I originally fell in love with the pictures in the manual of photorealisitic mermaids, heros, and dragons and felt that anything less would be a disappointment. At my rate of learning, that goal lay on a distant hazy horizon. After each failed episode of attempted learning, I would tell myself to move on to other interests. But optimism and weak memory bring me back.
Recently I happened to see a little of the "Rescue Heros" animation on TV. It is 2-D cartooning with quite limited character articulation and lighting, but the stories make totally compelling watching. It rekindled my interest in animation, and I remembered that A:M had some 2-D modes of rendering. Suddenly I see excitement at the other end of the spectrum; instead of detailed modeling, lighting and frame-by-frame posing, there may be life in super-efficient models and backgrounds, as simple as you can get away with, and concentrating on storytelling with fun, captivating animation.
I don't know how well A:M will support that mode of production, but I'm inspired to go another round with A:M with much more relaxed objectives in terms of modeling and realism. I'll see if I can record some episodes of "Rescue Heroes" and study frame-by-frame to try to see how to make efficient animation.
To the point about CDs: I worry about the longevity of my Orangutan CD. I wish there were some way to get a backup copy. I like to take it on vacation with a laptop, but the chances of damaging/losing it are increased. A subscription just doesn't make sense for me with my track record, my focus on 2-D animation, and tight finances.
If it is true that some replacement version could be had that can import the old projects and can be used the same way, that would be a great comfort. I feel that I represent the kind of market that A:M was originally marketed toward -- hopeful enthusiasts. Subscriptions seem oriented toward professionals who have a greater commitment.
I think it would be a great gesture if Hash would commit to supporting those early adopters with their standalone CDs who believed in those convention demos that made it look so easy. Those users might even finally get enough traction to contemplate the subscription versions.
Any update on the status of replacement CDs would be appreciated.
-SB
-
I have recently made this little short using Animation Master, I have uploaded it to the servers, but I understand it takes a while to be processed. So I thought I would just post a link to it to my Youtube channel until the short becomes avalible.
This is something I have been working on the last few months. It's a basic character test for a project I have in development.
The brief I set myself was to develop Albby's cheeky little character and design a world for him to inhabit. I also wanted to play around with cameras and develop a style that would suit the story telling I am interested in.
It's been a challenge...but fun.
I have no textures on any of the models yet, that's going to be the next series of tests.
Hope you enjoy it:
Feels pretty good to be able to post somethign on here again. Last time I posted a little film at Hash.com was back in 2005 (Mischief)......been a while and I noticed a lot has changed. Good to see people still using A-M though. ;-)
Really excellent animation -- great timing and overall production. You have real flair IMO. I hope you talk some on what it's like to use AM and how it stacks up for doing serious productions.
-SB
-
True! Watching the clips with music and sounds gave it an whole new dimension!Whoever is doing the sound on these examples is doing a great job and the music is wonderful!
Really impressive what you all are doing with the TWO project. I'm in awe of your art and skills, wish I was up to that.
I'll make a comment about the clips in case it is helpful to hear an opinion from a layman -- I just noticed that often a very shallow depth-of-field is used in many scenes of the clips.
My own personal feeling is that, although shallow DOF can look "cinematic" and therefore seem "professional", it may not be the best choice here.
First, for outdoor scenes in bright day, shallow DOF makes it look like we're looking at miniature models -- but perhaps that's true, I don't know what size these characters are!
Second, I just think the feel of animation works better with infinite DOF, I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's because infinite DOF is one of the magic things we can do with animation that we can't do in the real physical world with real lenses. Perhaps it's because historically that's how animations were drawn. Perhaps it's because it allows the viewer to delight in all the little details of the background and freely focus on any part of the picture. Perhaps it's because it makes it seem more magical, where we are less conscious of a camera being part of the scene. Even if it's true that the characters are tiny, I think I would rather experience it through the juxtoposition of the objects rather than my conscious awareness that I'm looking at the scene through an F1.7 camera lens, "the background is really blurry, therefore I must be close and these objects are tiny".
Occasionally DOF is used in movies for an important dramatic effect, such as a focus "reveal" of a character lurking in the background overhearing a conversation. But in animation I think I would still try to find another way to do that to keep the camera awareness out of the story. On the other hand, I admit it is a cool effect when used effectively.
Just my opinion, obviously it's an artistic choice; it just struck me that perhaps shallow DOF was overused in some of the scenes.
But really, really impressive work, especially the way it is being accomplished.
-
Never mind.... I found Emilio Le Roux's epic tutorial.
Would you post a link as a reference to the tutorial or describe where it is?
-
This is something a friend gave me. Its a chart to determine light color, depending on day and weather condition. Since Started using this my results have improved 10 fold. Enjoy.
Can someone make this a sticky? Excellent resource.
-
Very valuable discussion, thanks. Organizational concepts often hang me up. Next to tackle is the Project Work Space hierarchy...
A couple of remaining questions on this topic are:
1. Why when I create a new folder in a particular Library does it appear in all Libraries? Is this expected behavior, or something messed up on my system?
2. Why do I get two "My Library" choices after putting some models in "My Library" -- one "My Library" is empty, the other has the models. If I put models in the empty "My Library", it replaces the other one and creates a new empty "My Library". Expected behavior, or something messed up on my system?
Thanks.
-
Answer to question 5 -
1- if you hold the mouse pointer over the thumbnail in the Library, you should see a help text popup that shows the location/filename and the Library file it is in.
2- if you have a model or a model in a Project, expand the "Objects" in the PWS, click on the little triangle between the icon and the model name, click on the little triangle in front of "File Info", and the path and file name is the second entry down (unless you have "Embedded" the Model - in which case there is no separate model file as it is now part of the Project file).
Glenn
That's it! Thanks Glenn.
I've heard of "embedding" the model -- where can we find a description of how to do that?
-
Thanks I'm starting to get the picture, especially learning that:
- library files are text files with links to data files rather than holding actual data (and different libraries can have links to the same data file, so an A:M object can have a shortcut in many libraries),
- that the name of the library file is added to the Library drop-list (and duplicate names each get their own listing),
- that each library file is included in the droplist by being in a path of the "Tools | Options | Folders | Libraries" paths,
- it seems that "My Library" is special and is listed even if there is no "My Library.lbr" file -- it is created automatically in the same place as the "Hash Installed Library" when you first add a shortcut to it.
(Note: when I add a shortcut to "My Library", close and reopen A:M, I get a single "My Library.lbr" file, but two "My Library" listings -- one with the shortcut, and one without. If I then put any shortcuts in the empty "My Library", it will completely overwrite the other "My Library" when A:M is closed. So if I want to add a shortcut to my existing "My Library" library, be sure to pick the one that has shortcuts already in it (DON'T GO NEAR THE OTHER EMPTY "My Library" or you'll lose your existing shortcuts). Makes me feel like steering clear of "My Library" altogether. If this is some configuration error I have caused, I'd like to know how to fix it.)
I'm still unclear on some things:
1. When you say drag and drop, what objects are you referring to (files or objects in A:M) and what application are you in, e.g. Windows Explorer or A:M?
2. If I create a new "Folder" in, say, the Models tab, where is that folder created (or how is it represented)? Especially if I have "All Libraries" selected. (For example, I created a new Folder in the Models tab for "My Library", and it shows up everywhere no matter which Library is selected, including "All Libraries").
(I think the answer to this question is that A:M creates a "virtual folder", in otherwords, there is no folder on your harddrive, it is just an path entry in the Library ".lbr" file. In fact, the folder will not persist (be saved) unless you put a shortcut in it it after creating it (from my tests), and that the folder is just part of the path designation of an A:M object's data file in the Library (.lbr) file. So A:M must figure out what folders to display dynamically as it reads the Library file and looks at all the objects, unless it stores the folder hierarchy somewhere else as well.)
3. If I create a new model, do I put it in a library in two steps: 1) save model as file to harddrive, 2) put link to model file in appropriate Library file? (I need this procedure to save a model loaded from the CD to the harddrive so it won't interfere with saving the project -- found that out the hard way!)
4. I see now that my eye overlooked the "Create Shortcut in Library" choice on the right-click menu in the Modeling window - that's what I was looking for - but now I have a clue what it does, thanks! It simply adds an entry into the current Library ".lbr" file with the path to the data file for the object.
5. How do you reveal the location of the file for a model? I would expect it to be in the Properties, or some kind of right-click, but I can't find it. The closest I can find is to open a model in the Model window and start to do a "Save as" and see where it defaults to, but that might not be trustworthy since some applications go to the last folder you saved to...
(sorry for all the verbiosity, hope it might help anyone else struggling to understand libraries, folders, etc.)
-
An easy way to get things into libraries is drag from an explorer window into the correct folder into the library. It does not automatically pick it up.
There was a utility called Library Manager, but it has been archived. Anybody have a copy?
Tips on libraries:
1. Tools Menu > Options > Folders > change Show Folders For drop down to Libraries (.lbr files). This allows you to add folders where you have placed your own files. The files can then be dragged into this new library.
2. Often you will have multiple models, for example, in multiple sub-folders. Do a search on *.mdl in the top folder, then highlight all the found files and drag them all at once into the right folder in the library. Make sure that you actually have double clicked on the folder first, do not just drop them on top of the folder picture.
Couple of library links:
http://www.hash.com/lib/win.html
http://www.hash.com/lib/winvid/index.html
Now I have a question
I have just been messing with my libraries, created a new one called My Library pointing to My Docs\library, and added 200 models, and had difficulty in removing the library. I deleted the .lbr file in C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Hash Inc\Libraries. I tried getting rid of that path in Tools > Options. But My Library is still there in the list (no models since I deleted the library). How can I get rid of it?
Some more questions I have are:
1. What determines the libraries listed in the Libraries drop-down list in the toolbar?
All Libraries
Hash CD Library
Hash Install Library
My Libraries
How can I create a new entry in the list?
2. What determines the association of items in a particular Library selection and the paths in the Options | Folders? Suppose I want to add new paths to add models to My Library?
3. When I add new paths in the Options | Folders for say, models, which libraries are those new models added to? Are they just merged together with all models from all paths? What if there are duplicate models in two different paths?
-
How does A:M find all the Materials, Models, etc?
In "Tools | Options | Folders", if I just set a path to a Library folder, does A:M automatically find the Models, Materals, Actions etc. folders because they are siblings? I don't see any settings for individually setting paths to Models, Materials, etc.
In other words, do you have to maintain the sibling relationship of the folders for the Library path setting to work?
Mode confusion
in New Users
Posted
Interesting. My browser Help says its IE 8, although a lot of websites warn me I'm using IE7 for some reason.
All your posts look centered to me. I have to use the left-justified tags to get it to look left justified.
I just tried Firefox and they look left-justified, as you say.
Good to know! Thanks.
-SB