Fuchur

A null is most often used as a placeholder for Constraint-Targets. If you want to let a character look in a certain direction for example, it is wise to use AimAt-Constraints for the EyeBall-Bones with a Null as Target. A null behaves like a Bone would do, but it looks different and can be better sorted out if you are using many bones in a project. Furthermore a Null-Object is a own object, so you dont have to make it in a modeling-window but you can add one in a chereography -> Different to a "normal" bone. That can be usefull, if you want to let to characters look at the same point/direction, etc. Another exception to a normal bone is, that you cant assign CPs to a Null-object, if I am not wrong. *Fuchur*

Looks cool... He reminds me of the "good" aliens of The Fifth Element *Fuchur*

Hm... you may think about using a decal for the wall instead of a patch-image. Right now I see no reason why the wall should look like that. And you should give the monitor/TV a bit more details... I like the look of the game-console. It could use some bevels but it looks even great yet. The hinge at the flooar cupboard bothers me too. I would try to make two of them and way smaller. It should be places in a way, that the one side finalise with door. *Fuchur*

Whatever I can see it quite well, even if the pictures are a bit washed out through the darkness. I like the camera-views... seems to be very dynamic. *Fuchur*

So it's just me... Thanks for showing the prints+wireframe off. Very nice work! *Fuchur*

Hm... Very good job. Anything is not feeling right but I couldnt point my finger at it. I found a image of the 307 here, which is quite the same perspective as your image... http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4274/dsc02725bis9ed.jpg Only a impression... if you worked with blue-prints I am just wrong... *Fuchur*

You have to be a bit carefull. A:M will open a new window for quite everything you do. For example a new action, model, material, etc. If you dont close the windows, there will be many behind eachother. So even if it feels strange because you could think the changes will be lost (they wont) close all the windows (NOT A:M, just the window). That will help you to run A:M more stable (sometimes you will run into trouble if too many windows are open) and you will keep the overview of your project better. I ALWAYS only use 1 window if the possibility is there. If you model and want to animate: close your window. If you animated in an action and want to transfer it to a cheoregraphy, close the action-window, etc. You can always access everything you did through your PWS. I only have one exception of this rule: Smart-Skin-Windows. There it is not really useful to close the modeling-window because you will go back very soon. *Fuchur*

*grin* Inspired by Ratatui? *Fuchur*

Thank you! Actually I dont now yet... I have several ideas in mind: 1.) I could use him as an old professor who built a submarine and a "make things smaller"-maschine and go on a journey through the human body... (that was the first intention I had, when I draw the first image of him with a pencil, but even the pencil-images doesnt quite look right for that now) -> the submarin is already built, as well as some viruses, blood-cells, etc. I started this project a couple of years ago and never finished it. 2.) A nordic-walking-parody where several characters "carry around their sticks" and he is the only one who really needs the stick... and the only one who can use it. 3.) A story where a children (his grandson for example) asks him about life, the universe and the whole rest he tells him about it and the thing with the frogs. So I am not quite sure now... We will see if I have enough time for one or all of the ideas I have Thanks for your comment. *Fuchur*

I made a walkcycle with him. Have a look at it: Walk-Cycle-Animation (-> ->save target as) *Fuchur*

@ Stuart Rogers: It's a combination of the skin-shader, a bump-map and a material with a checkermaterial with very big spec-highlights. @ Drvarceto: I will rig him at the weekend and then he will get in motion See u *Fuchur*

Try it again... I changed the link above. *Fuchur*

Hi! I just wanted to pop in and show off my new character. comments, tipps and critic welcome! LINK TO IMAGE (1280px X 1024, 25 passes, on my Athlon XP 2000+ with 768 MB RAM, about 1h 20min) See you *Fuchur*

If you are really after liquid-effects like some people archieve with metaballs: Blobbies can properly help you... Perhaps they can, but their power is limited. But a really dynamic fluid system is not yet available for A:M. *Fuchur*

There is although the possibility to group and translate objects in the Cheoregprahie, but I think this is not animateable... The much better way is to use constraints, where you can let a character lay something down, etc. A tip for the future: Compensate-Button is your friend You will know what I mean, if you are learning to use constraints. (Short describtion to constraint to objects together...: In chereography-mode: 1.) Align two objects how you like them to be aligned, for example a hand near a ball. 2.) Go to the first object and rightclick on it. 3.) Choose "New Constraint->Translate to" -> your mouse will turn into a picker. 4.) Activate the compensate-mode (-> it is most likely located at the top of your screen in the same toolbar as your translate/rotate/scale-manipulators are located. The button looks like a leg built of boxes.) 5.)Go to the second model and click with the picker on it or use the "target"-attribute of the constraint in the PWS/Attribute-window. 6.) Move the second object around and you will see that the first will follow. *Fuchur*

I dont know how it really goes, but I think, that the Prop isnt touched at all... I think A:M renders the Polygones somehow and because of that, it can render it well. If you import it to a mdl, A:M tries to change the polygones to splines and that makes the problems. The advantage of that: You can change the geometry and use bones, etc. on it, because A:M "knows" how to deal with splines&patches, but not with polygones... *Fuchur*

Somehow like a Rancor... nice thing! *Fuchur*

It has many advantages to render first to a TGA-sequency, because you wont loose anything when A:M shuts down or anything else is happening. And you can use the uncompressed data to use other compressions, etc. *Fuchur*

Okay... an *.mdl-file is a file to save models. That is right. BUT you can although save a model in a *.prj-file if you want, and this is the standard-way A:M does it. (*.prj-file is the project-file, where everything will be saved in the standard-way, IF you dont import other models, actions, etc. or save a model out of it...) An *.mdl-file has some disadvantages and some advantages: pro: - You can go and use the same model in another project - You can save certain backups. - You can better share your model. con: - IF you use your file in another project and you change it in the other project, that will although have an effect on the first project. - You should make some backups now and than. If you now save your project like this: "Project1_a.prj", "Project1_b.prj" and so on, you dont save the *.mdl in different files... that means... if your *.mdl gets anyhow corrupt, your model will be lost. If the model would have been embedded, you would have saved the model in different project-files and you could go back to one of the backups and start from there again. -> That means a higher hd-requirement but it is much saver. EDIT: -> Open the PRJ in A:M by loading it as a project. Right-Click in the PWS on the model you want to use and choose "Save as" *Fuchur*

Maybe it is a problem with the stand-by or screensaver? Maybe A:M doesnt handle that and so it is unexpected and will result in some strang things... *Fuchur*

You even can download the stuff from A:M with any version, but you need a dongle. Dongles are available as a USB-Drive- or as a CD-Dongle... One of them is neccessary to run A:M. (You dont have to leave the CD in the drive, if you started A:M, but you need it, when you start.) To chare your stuff, there are several different possibilities... one of the best would be the network-harddrive., but that can be more expensive... An even easier and cheaper way is, to make a LAN and allow your lan-partners to write and read on your harddrive. This is possible in windows and I think on a Mac it should be easy to. For this, both computers have to be on, but it will cost just a few bugs for the ethernet-kabel/maybe a second ethernet-card(costs 20 Bugs or something like that). Another one is, that you use an USB-connection... you will need a special cable for that (it wont work with a normal cable) which costs about 30 Dollars. There will than be a virtuell drive, where you can put the data on (size depending on your harddrive and the size of the files you transfer), or you can do it like with a LAN. You could of course buy a server and set it between both computers, but that is very expensive and not neccessary... Have a nice start with A:M and welcome in the community... *Fuchur*

I didnt have any problems on my AthlonXP 2000+... It's a great idea, a good cameratracking but the most important: a very skillful presentation. The music is very good chosen. *Fuchur*

Ever tried to make a asteroid? Lets say, it would have a high patch-resolution-sphere and now you want to deform it. There are two possibilites to make that, and one is the distortion-mode. (The other is the soft-translate-tool for CPs). Or lets say you have a toon-car. Now you want the care to stretch and deform. YOu could now try to deform it by hand or with the standard-scaletools, but the distortion-box will be more efficient and faster for that. *Fuchur*

As Kamikaze already said... are you sure your book and the examples of it are for v12? V13 has a new file-format and you cant load v13-files into v12. There is for example a chapter which will handle OpenEXR-Images but v12 doesnt have this feature... Maybe the others doesnt have that too? Did have a look at the CD in your file-browser manually? Was there a *.mdl-model with that name? *Fuchur*

You need to activate the custom-size-feature. There you will be able to tell A:M exactly how big your output-image/animation should be. Type in what you need and do it again. Best would be, to render TGAs out and than make an animation of it with a cut-program or with A:M. That will give you full resolution without losing any quality and you can play with the compressor-settings. It is possible, that you need to activate the "advanced"-option at the rendering-settings under the OK-button. *Fuchur*