[New top 11 list!]

Thanks Vern, you got me laughing. Again. :P

[Inviso Shield... er... background...]

As far as I know avi doesn't support alpha. try .tga. if what you're tyring to import it into doesn't support .tga then you can search the web for programs that convert .tga to something that you can import. That is if there is a format with alpha that you can import. Good luck.

[Problems saving while using libraries]

What is happening is that the models are being linked to by the project. You can see this with the small disk on the model's icon in the project workspace. Another way not have it ask to save stuff on the cd is to "embed" the models into the project using the embedded Property of a model. This way it saves the models in the .prj file instead of linking to as separate .mdl file. You may be asking why have linked files at all? The answer is reusability. With linked models you can use the same model in many projects, and share just the model with other users. The same goes for actions, materials etc. Most times it makes sense, in that when you save the project it saves everything, but when linked (non embedded) files are on the cd it is of course unable to save them.

[Problems saving while using libraries]

When you modify a file on the cd, you'll need to do a save as to somewhere on your harddrive.

[Test Scene]

Not sure whats going on with the mirror with out seeing the project. But it may help your wood materials if you try translating / rotating / scaling them some (properties of the materials under the groups in your models) Looks good though.

[Balance or Expression]

Pelvis.Transform.Translate.X Expression =

(..|..|..|..|Left Foot Target.Transform.Translate.X+..|..|..|..|Right Foot Target.Transform.Translate.X)/2

 

Same for Pelvis.Transform.Translate.Z Expression

Depending on how your feet are rotated you may have to set y=z instead of z=z

 

Note:

you have to constrain your feet to a null or bone that isn't a child of the pelvis.

In the expression above that is Left Foot Target.

 

But:

You get more control over the balance with the balance rig from the cd, because it knows to put the pelvis back when you lift a foot.

[Hair/Fur/Grass]

Hard to say without the project. Maybe try adjusting the hair material's preroll or the choreography's Dynamics.Force

[A direct question: Animation Help]

Copy paste only copies bones with channels (at least one key).

 

What I suggest is to key every bone you plan on animating at frame zero. Then copy paste will get everything you want.

 

But if you happen to forget to key a bone at frame zero then go to the frame where you want it to begin moving, setup the keymodes for what you are doing, and shift click the force keyframe button. This will bring up a dialog where you will want to choose "all filtered channels". It will show you a count of how many keys you will be making.

 

In your example it sounds like you did some animation and then wanted to move the foot at frame 100. but not have it start moving until say frame 50. You had thought that copy paste say frame 10 to frame 50 would have keyed the foot. Instead it only keyed the items you had already moved when you copied frame 10.

Solution: Select the foot at frame 50 set your key modes to translate and key bone (this is for IK legs. FK legs you would need to key branch the thigh with rotate) then shift click the force key button and choose "all filtered channels".

[change a bone position throughout all frames]

There are a few ways.

If your hand is moving in the original animation then you can use Animate Mode.

It is the button with the A on it in the upper right (unless you moved it ).

Press it off and position the hand on the first frame how you want. What this does is offset each existing key by the amount you decide. Turn Animate mode back on.

 

Or if your hand is still then you can remove all of its keys but the first one since they are not doing anything anyways. Then fix the first key.

 

Or put your model and action in chor if they are not already. Make a second choraction. Then position the hand how you like on the first frame. If the initial animation was done in a choraction and you want to change some other element of it then select the first choraction to make it active before animation something other than the hand.

 

Hope this makes sense

Noel

[Simple question]

Sure, add a key and switch the rotate driver to euler.

See

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=738

[Embedded Model Notes v10.5?]

They can be found under the FileInfo property.

 

[test Light in AM]

Looks cool, one thing that might help is to assign some of the shirt control points to the thighs on the front character. It might take some smart skin but you might be lucky and have it look good with out smart skin.

Have fun

[I need L I O N]

Sounds like you can't see the wireframe because you are in shaded mode not shaded with wireframe. Undo doesn't undo view settings, so you just need to press the 7 key or right click in the window and pick view, render mode, default.

 

Have fun with your project, and like the others said keep it simple at first, get it done, and then redo the parts you want, or take what you learned and move on to your next project.

[where my roto go?]

Under the tools menu pick options on the general tab try switching from opengl to d3d or the other way around, and restarting the software.

If that doesn't work, make sure you have the latest video card drivers.