heyvern

I would suggest starting smaller. Start with the tutorials or a very simple project. If you use a complex prebuilt project or model that you aren't familiar with there is no way to figure out what might be causing the trouble. That project you are using is pretty complex as I remember. It was on the first AM Extras CD as I recall. A project included from the image contests. I don't think it was intended for animating if that is the case. If you are set on using this scene then you should delete each object (models, lights, etc) in the chor one at a time and render each time until you figure out which model or object might be causing the trouble. Sometimes it could be a "funky" image decal, or a really "slow" material. It could be some issue with constraints in a model rig. I had that recently with a circularity constraint "user error" that wouldn't allow me to render. It could be due to a whole bunch of raytraced shadows choking the computers resources. It might be due to rendering a MOVIE instead of an image sequence. "Movie" or AVI format rendering may require more computer resources. It might even be a codec or compression issue in your optional settings for the movie format. -vern

Here's the final results of the dynamic/streaks combo: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?act=a...st&id=41819 -vern

Yes, there is some sort of conflict with a dynamic constraint and streaks/sprite emitters. The real time display was inaccurate which caused me to make incorrect decisions . I got around all this by getting the dynamic constraint right first, simulating springs, removing the constraint THEN turning on particles, got the particles right and BINGO success. My next option was to try using a Newton "chain" somehow for the cable but... ick... wasn't looking forward to that. Alls well that ends well. The effect was very short but very... "effective". It reminds me of all those fx guys who spend days or weeks doing one shot that lasts a few seconds. -vern

Ha! Weird. Here's the scoop. For some reason turning on "Draw particles and hair" causes the dynamic constraint to go twice as fast. Seriously. It speeds it up. If I turn off draw particles hair in the render settings suddenly the whole thing goes zippity doo. What the heck? Are the streaks actually exerting some "force" on the dynamic constraint? I don't think so because the chain goes real slow... like through molasses. When the particles are turned on it follows the same motion but in half the frames... very odd. -vern

I'm so confused. I created a dynamic chain for an electrical cable. I have a streak emitter attached to the end that shoots out sparks. I did this in s separate choreography and project. Exported the chor and imported that chor into another chor in a different project. I didn't change anything after importing. Everything is the same in the dynamic settings. Now the dynamic chain swings really really slow. At least 50% slower than the original. In the original I had timed the streak sparks for certain points as the wire is swinging. Now they don't line up. I'm curious what might cause this. Does the dynamic constraint rely on the "speed" of the playback? The final project file is quite "loaded" and so real time playback is slower than the original. I did the whole thing with simulating the springs... uh... crud. I could just bake the action in the original chor and save it out. Then the key frames will be the same and won't change on import... hmm... Still though a valid question as to why this might happen. -vern

To use a path from a model with the MMop pluging you need a group. Select a spline in the model and make it a group. Click the "show more properties" dohicky for the model in the chor. Right click on the path group in that models chor shortcut and select the mmop plugin. On another topic, a path constraint from a model works with actions and action objects. If you create an action you can use a path constraint on a bone to a separate spline in the same model or another model as an action object. I too wish that model paths could be accessed as path constraints the same as in an action. I don't understand why it can't be. -vern

I'm such an idiot. So silly... so silly silly stupid stupid. Here I am working with the Thom character and the OLD 2001 rig and all this time there is Thom available with this rig... . Well, I still have a small bit of animation to do with Thom so I could switch to the new version. As was indicated in the first post "old actions" are not compatible with this rig right? -vern

In many ways I agree... however there is one thing I love about those poses... they make "moving holds" so easy to do. Shift the hip bone just a tiny bit and you get a whole bunch of subtle movement. Otherwise you have to move/rotate a bunch of bones. It can save a lot of time when you're in a hurry. I usually just turn them up a tiny bit. Just enough to get that subtle movement. -vern

Here's the result of all your help Robcat! Couldn't have done it without you. This is the latest update in the Change Your Pants topic. http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=292518 -vern

Yes, third action worked... uh... sort of. I had a problem getting the "balance" poses to "reactivate". What happened was all the bones would get keyed on the new action. Some of those bones were "locking" the feet IK bones. Moving the foot target wouldn't work. The legs would be "stiff". I had to delete a bunch of bones ENTIRELY from the third action to get that working, but I never could get the balance pose constraints to work in the third action. This probably has to do with "hold last frame". That caused problems. I turned that off on the second action but if I turned it off on the FIRST action the whole thing went kablooey, the model jumped to the default model position and it was too much of a pain to get it lined up again. I think the 2001 rig has seen better days. I should have thought to check if there was a new version of Thom with an upto date rig that had better IK switching. Or maybe I could have stuck in some nulls and new constraints "on top" of the existing rig to add more control. I only had a very short bit to animate after the IK switch at the end of action2 so I went with what I had. It turned out great. Very funny reaction as thom goes over backwards and stands up. All in all a very satisfying result. Thanks for the help. Will be posting the results in "Change Your Pants" thread later after a render. I have to do some more physics simulation because I didn't set it long enough on the first go so I had to continue it to fill the time range. Bouncing stuff suddenly "froze" in mid air . -vern

Robcat, Another stupid question. I got the transition from action1 to action2 working great. I want to switch back. Any way to do that with the existing actions or should I just create a third one? Here's the problem, I turned the foot IK back on in action2 but now the foot targets don't work because I suppose all the leg bones are keyed now. I did something wrong I'm sure. -vern

Robcat, I noticed in your video that you had that bone rotation display issue for a moment. Could you click on the top project folder in the PWS and check the plugin properties for Newton? I would like to know if your issue is related to the same thing I figured out. Check to see if "use extended materials" is turned on. -vern

Robcat you mad genius thank you thank you thank you. I have a few critical "IK transitions" for Thom in a couple of scenes that have been kicking my in the arse. Those points in time would benefit from IK switching... but I spent more time fiddling with it than animation so I just left everything the same and did it the "hard" way. So I'm at the point where he falls down and has to get back up. That is proving very difficult using IK on the feet. The falling down is especially painful due to the "balance" and "balance rigid" poses set. One of the other problems I had is when the bones get all dicombobulated I have no choice but to revert the project because I have no idea how or where to fix those bone rotations. I finally finally finally get it. I get I get it I get it. It just works. The "key" is the "keys" (please DO NOT forgive my pun, it was intentional). When and where and how many channels, the filter buttons etc and how the chor actions are "active" or overlap etc are all very important. Once I got the process it just works like a charm. You think at first it's complex or difficult but in reality it's quite simple if you "do it right". It's like setting up a new computer... and it just won't work... until you realize that everything must be plugged in... to a socket... that actually has electricity coming out of it (this happened to me. Took an hour to figure it out). Thanks again dude! -vern

I've tried everything and I just can't figure it out. Is there anyway to turn IK off for that rig without messing up all the other key frames? I tried adding a second chor action. This worked but then I can't key the bones. Is there a way to key all the bones at the point the second chor starts? I'm very desperate for a solution. Time critical. -vern

I'm so far behind the curve... There are features that have gone all the way around and are trying get past to go around the curve again. I can't see that curve anymore due to all the sub surface scattering blocking my view. It might as well be an infinitely straight line I can never reach the end of. I fell into a pool of liquid someone left in front of me and I don't know how to stop the simulation. I have to use a Newton Physics high velocity object setting just to keep up. I thought image based lighting had to do with black lights and funky posters. I'm occluded by all the ambiance. .. uh... did I take that metaphor too far you think? -vern

DXF can also be "flat" files that don't have 3D information. That maybe why they don't import. -vern

Can't you just temporarily connect the "offline" computer just to install? How is your laptop connected? Is there anyway to just use that connection on the other computer for the one time? I don't remember the whole activation process but I do recall that I needed a new activation code recently for my subscription when I switched PCs. Although my PC is connected to the internet I don't use it for email or "crazy" web browsing to avoid "infections". I was sent a new "activation code" on my Mac and typed it in on my PC. I don't remember the exact steps that followed but I'm sure it probably does need a connection to the internet but for only that one time. That code is checked on their server to determine if it is legitimate but AM continues to work even if the computer is not hooked up to the internet... as far as I know. -vern

I think the TaoAM is to get your feet wet with some of the concepts. It isn't going to get too sophisticated or highly realistic. If you REALLY want to bend a leaf or petal and maintain the proportions a series of bones would be the way to go. That exorcise in the Tao gives you the basic ideas for expanding to bigger things. I think the plug in that measueres spline length actually does get the length of the spline including the curvature but basing length "by eye" would work too. The problem with point motion is that it's linear motion so the movement between the motion might not maintain length proportionally like using bones. The length of that spline might match at the ends of each motion might be the same but you would need multiple key frames between those points to maintain that length. -vern

You would need to step away from this tutorial and start looking into particles. Basically that step covers an entirely separate "tutorial". -vern

It might be easier to use bones to maintain the length of the petal. A bone never changes length unless you key that property. I assume smart skin is for when it bends in some way or the flower opens? A different approach might work better. -vern

So what part of that tutorial is not clear? -vern

Here's my stab at it. I wasn't able to view the original sample movie example so I don't know exactly what effect you're after. This file is similar to to what Paul did. I eliminated gravity so it's more of a "coalescing" of Thom from particles. I did have to reverse the rendered sequence for the movie. The project file is "backwards". With some more tweaking of the particle colors and transparency and fiddling with glow and other effects this could look really cool. thomparticles3.mov thom_particles.zip -vern

It took me several minutes to figure out what you were describing... I'm slow today... haven't had my coffee. Now I get it, the translation constraints are based on the models orientation so if it is rotated constraining won't let it move in the "correct" direction. Even with bones if they are rotated constraining movement with the keys or using the translation mode is based on the orientation of the bone. There is of course a "magic button". At the top of the screen look for a button with a "globe" on it. This is the "world space" button. Clicking that will now change how movement constraint and "nudging" works. Instead of moving in the direction of the model or bone's orientation the movement is always based on the orientation of the choreography, straight up and down, back and forth etc. I hope this helps. -vern

I looked at the tech ref and only found the max/min volume setting for a sound. Is there any way to key frame the volume? -vern

Hah! I have to use the "Manipulator Options" and type in the translation. You know? The gizmo thingy that pops up next to selected items? I don't normally use that but it seems to be the only way to move multiple selected objects and preserve their previous locations. Any other method just puts all the objects in the same position. So for example I have a bunch of items all selected. There is one item "highlighted" in the chor window. I turn on manipulator options hit the "N" key and type in a new number. The numbers displayed are obviously for the selected object but if I change say, the Y translation from "10" to "9" all the items move relative to their original location. Using any other method just jams them all together. -vern