rusty
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Posts posted by rusty
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I think you can model it faster, just model the right/left side, then copy/paste flip in x axis and then join it, this way works well for me...greetings
There are dozens of good reasons for doing it this way... or perhaps I should say for making the left side the mirrored image of the right side and the above is the absolute best way to accomplish this as it cuts the modeling by 50%. Same with the bones!
The main reason beside cutting the work by half is that dozens of cool tools and plug-ins require this (mirror smart skin, mirror bones, mirror splines, mirror mode, paste mirrored, and so on).
I routinely delete the left side of my model and then do copy/flip/attach just to make sure the splines/bones are mirrored exactly.
There are reasons for making the left side slightly different then the right side -- it has to be this way for some reason, you just don't want the left to be exactly like the right -- however, the advantages of keeping the model mirrored while developing it makes it good sense to make these changes when the model is complete.
I love the character you doing! Good luck!
Rusty
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what is the significance of this? I have seen this in other projects
Its a model and a light and it looks like the model uses the light and is probably a sky dome or other lighting rig
r
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I'm working my way through installing the lite rig in the little girl character I'm doing for my Christmas animation.
I'm working on doing smartskinning before I activate the Install action, but when I open the model in an action window, I can test, for example, the elbow smartskinning because the arm bones are visible and I can manipulate the forearm bone, but when I want to test the smartskinning at the knees, there's no shinbone visible. the Hide Bones switch turns on some bones but not the ones I think I need. How do I make the shinbones visible in the action?
Is there a step I'm missing or a better way to do this?
There are a host of ways to make the bone visable. You can:
a) Temporarily make it visible in the model window (Just select the bone and do
J) 
In the action is a bit harder as the bone is not found in the PWS/action sectionJust use (a) cause its too hard to explain how to select an invisible bone in the action window.
Rusty
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Hi,
Is it a way to view all Falloff's bones, in mode bones?
Is it a keyboard button to move a patch along the normal as there is one for X (1), Y (2), Z (3) axis?
thank you in advance
Malo,
Not sure if this works but if you open one bone exposing the option to display the falloff then select all bones in the PWS then change the setting, all might change... it works that way with a lot of other settings.
The keyboard keys that control the movement of the CP are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. I think it is 4 you want but you can try them all.
Rusty
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Jumbotuna,
I've used AM since 2002 -- as a general rule Hash comes through. I think moving forward you'll find that this mishap is the exception to the rule.
Rusty
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I just saw this in 15f
If you set a cup in the chor at 000 and then constrain it to a character's hand bone and that character walks off to the side and sets the cup on a table, the moment you deactivate that constraint the cup will jump back to 000. If my guess is correct, checking this one frame before you deactivate the constraint will set a key frame on the cup right were it is so that it doesn't jump back to 000.
Rusty
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My first guess after reading your lengthy reply to Nancy (please review again and check for typos) and seeing no image of the problem is that either... you have a warped computer screen or bad eye glasses. :-)
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Hello - I have a project (cartoonish - not realistic) that I have a cloud that I need to have rain coming out of it raining on a character - then have an umbrella come into the scene and block the rain. Does anyone have samples of rain that they have done w/ fluids that they could post a link to? It's cartoonish, so the rain drops could be pretty big. Thanks for any suggestions - Eric
I got some fairly good rain effects using streaks, the 'raineffects' plug-in and particles in the first part of the Horrorthon book-trailer (john3d helped with a lot of this). As you can see there are dozens of small details from upward drop spashes to caustics window and shadow effects to water falling off an umbrella. Streaks did especially well in the 'look down' shots and particles again aced the splash off the top of the car and falloff from the umbrella. This may give you some ideas.
Hope this helps,
Rusty
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Like the title says, I've created a model, and from what I've read, the program is lagging because there are so many cp points. I have an uber fast system and would think that it could handle a model like this. does anyone know any good optimization methods for AM?
My specs:
Quad-core 2.6
8gb DDR2
ATI 4870 X2
Thanks
Yeah, jakerupert is right. I too have a mean machine (well, it was when I bought it) but at certain patch counts things get real slow in the modeling window with certain operations... I'm talking 30 minutes to copy/paste some geometry (the duplication wizard can do the same copy in a second -- that tip from Martin). However, in addition to jakerupert's suggestions make sure you do not have a bunch of windows open in AM. Other then that, I split my models up into 3 or 4 models and I have 'hook' and 'catch' bones that have 'translate like' and 'orient like' constraints on in the chor with nothing else in it but the model. I save out the chor then when I need the model I import the chor. Works okay except for pose sliders which can be on several physical models. This has been reported repeatidly but no fix yet.
Cheers,
Rusty
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Anyone figured out what to do if your libraries disappear? I upgraded to 14.0c, and all my libraries are gone. I thought (and I could be wrong) there was a file that was released that would put your libraries back in order. I've tried the methods mentioned and nothing seems to work. I really don't want to go through and do one at a time. Is there a simpler method?
Yes there is a much better way... search the forum for 'library manager' or 'lib manager'. This is a very flexible program with documentation on how to use it that I helped Glenn Anthofer develop (I helped him with design and documentation, he did all the programming). Because I depend on the old NetRender dongle I'm still back on and use AM V14.0C (which works fine for me) This program has not been tested in any higher version to my knowledge.
Basically it takes a folder structure that contains library items (i.e. models, materials, actions, images, sounds, etc.) and creates a lib file for it replicating the folder structure in the AM libraries. In this way you can organize your models, materials, etc. in a folder structure and this is replicated in the AM Library.
I added several items to my resource pool and ran this program just the other day so that the AM library contained the new items.
Just so you know, in AM's options, the folder tab, the location of the library files is specified (i.e. myresources.lib) -- the physical locations of all your resources is specified in this file and AM reads this file to create the library(s). If there is no valid lib file or AM does not know were to find it then you have no AM libraries.
Hope this helps,
Rusty
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What you describe and show is confusing -- when I paint in projection mode I get what I expect to get when I accept the projection mode changes. However, I have seen display errors -- that is, you do not see what is really there until you close and reopen 3DPaint.
As an aside, if you lock and/or hide a part of your model (I refer to groups) and believe that this will prevent you from painting on it you'll be wrong if the locked and/or hidden area has the same decal as the visible/unlocked areas. I believe the hide and lock functions are only useful for applying decals from within 3DPaint.
Only at the decal level can you control what gets painted and what does not.
Rusty
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I saved the video as a Targa, and got a bunch of individual frames instead of a single video. Is that how targa's work? How do I use them?when I use video captured by Premiere, the video doesn't even show up.Do you mean "Doesn't show up in A:M"?
Video for A:M needs to be either a Targa sequence (Premiere can export that) or in Quicktime. Some quicktime codecs do not work well with A:M.
PhotoJPEG or "Animation" would be good first tries.
Targa sequences are usually best, however.
I do it this way sometimes when I want to minimize data loss -- be sure to import it into AM as an image sequence so it will 'play'. Usually though I import it as an avi or mov video file.
Rusty
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Always welcome!! Thank you!!
Rusty
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Either the format that Premiere saved it in (usually avi) is not supported (and avi is... I do this all the time with Premiere Pro captures) or, it's you video card drivers or, computer resources. Sometimes I have to open the video properties and set the first frame to '0' and then the last frame to whatever it should be.
Keep playing with it! It works.
Good Luck,
Rusty
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If it weren't so perfect I'd suspect a hoax LOL! Real nice! I assume the background is real otherwise that would be more impressive then the truck!
rusty
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Belated Happy Birthday! And, I have a present for you!
Great job on the Cathedral! Doing projects like this will really hone your modeling and texturing skills. When I was talking classes at the Academy of Digital Animation we had a project which I believe was the 'inside' of this Cathedral. It was done in XSI and all I have left it seems are the two pictures below (the first one was used in a project and I broke out some windows).
But I also have the class materials which I believe you may find interesting and perhaps even useful. These are in the zip file.
Happy B-Day!
Rusty
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We're starting to delve into biometrics - here's a couple of "starter sites" which deal in gait analysis:
Introduction to the study of human walking
'We'? A class?
Thanks for the links (going to make me look for it huh... well if I have time)!
Cheers,
Rusty
Edit: Despite the fact that my work is realistic, this is more than I need (I think). If going this extra mile bought you a more realistic walk cycle I might get excited but I see no evidence to indicate such a thing and even if it were true, I do 'trailers' and these offer mostly quick glimpses that go by too quick for subtle tweaks to be noticed. BTW, do you have a walk cycle (or straight ahead walk) you can post -- I'd really like to see something.
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The 10% overlap you mention is not clear to me and I don't think I know about this. Can you elaborate?
Human walk cycles are usually broken down into several distinct phases, with the top-level division being between when a foot is in contact with the ground and supporting weight, and when a foot is in the air and progressing to the next contact point. We'll label these
Stand (or Support) = foot in contact with ground
Stride (or Swing) = foot in the air, progressing to next contact.
In the process of one complete cycle, each leg progresses from Stand to Stride to Stand and does so in an alternating manner between left and right. All basic stuff - nothing new here.
The overlap I was referring to was the point when a leg switches from Stride to Stand, and the heel of the foot makes contact with the ground. At this point the other leg hasn't yet transitioned from Stand to Stride, so you have a section of each half-cycle where both legs are in Stand and neither leg is in Stride. This segment serves to transfer support weight from one side to the other and comprises approximately 10% to 12% of the overall cycle (if memory serves me correctly). The measurement of respective heel strikes gives you the length of the gait.
Once the foot contacts the ground on a "normal surface" - we'll ignore ice-covered lakes, sandy beaches, and other slippery or unstable walking surfaces - it does not "slide" along the ground relative to the bottom plane of the foot. Weight transference cause the Stand leg to "rock" from heel-contact to toe-pushoff in progression, but the overall foot position relative to its landing point does not change. Any amount of "slipage" in the foot's "grounded" position which isn't explained by the walking surface or overall circumstances is immediately recognizable and is what gives an animated character that unrealistic "video game glide" appearance.
In addition, the human walk is distinctly non-linear in its forward velocity, although inertia of the torso mass tends to dampen the variations to a degree. A:M's cyclic action was designed around repeatable movement with a CLV (constant linear velocity) along the path axis, and determines the current and any interpolated path position by using the primary model bone as a reference point. Since a walk cycle's reference really needs to be the Stand contact point and any interpolation should be performed using NLV motions defined by keyframes, this makes it very dificult - at least for me - to construct a decent walk cycle using the cyclic action.
Thanks! I get it. Is there more information anywhere on 'human walk is distinctly non-linear in its forward velocity'. I'm not entirely convinced that AM can't handle this in an action cycle/stride-length that follows a path but I can imagine some potential problems. Anyway I'd like to know where this variation(s) in forward speed takes place and to what degree(s). Of course I can deduce this from video of walks by some number of people (male/female) but I'd rather not take the time right now.
Rusty
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Hi Gaijin,
Another thing easily missed is that there's a 10% overlap between stride (foot in the air) and stand (foot touching the ground)The 10% overlap you mention is not clear to me and I don't think I know about this. Can you elaborate?
...and that once a foot is in stand it doesn't move off the spot. This is especially difficult to do using the cyclic action in A:M.As far as I know, this is pretty easy to do in AM using the curves editor.
Rusty
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Great job... a few tips to improve it... maybe LOL.
When the back foot pushes off it should go up and back (or, if not 'back', just a pause) -- you need to have the 'pushing off'. Also this push off causes the body to start to fall forward. You need a little more -- you're almost falling back in that part.
Also, before the forward foot's heel touches the floor, the foot should raise up a little before touching down.
Something many people miss is when the forward foot's heel hits the ground, there is no ease -- like the old bouncing ball it doesn't stop or slow down at all until it hits the ground.
The shoulders need to come down in the passing pose.
Also it sometimes helps if the hand swinging forward moves faster in the last half of the swing.
All of this stuff is subtile but needs to be there or at least a little more 'there' then it is now.
Finally, your character needs to move up and down a little more; high point is just after the push off and just before the passing pose (the 2nd highest)... low point is where the weight is transferred to the other foot (the knee should bend here as well as it takes the body weight).
Rusty
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mtpeak2,
Much better! Do check the zero slope on the first and last key frames in the cycle. There is a little too much jerk somewhere there.
Now, I think you've neglected to move the shoulders down and forward from the 'T' modeling pose the character is modeled and rigged in. The shoulders look good for the back swing but look unnatural for the rest of it. Does this make sense?
Also, as your foot/lower-leg swings forward, it does so in slow motion. Look at it. Don't you think so? The foot swings forward faster which gives you time for the following. Just after the push off (when the foot is back and which pushes the body forward) the foot/lower-leg rises upward before coming forward... and at the end of the swing, just before the heel touches down, the foot/lower-leg kicks forward. All of this is somewhat subtle and allows you to move the foot/lower-leg forward with more gusto.
Along with the above is some toe action which I can't get back to your videos to check on right now... you may or may not have it already. It is logical stuff though... in the back position before the push off the toe is bent lying flat on the ground ready to spring the body forward. As the foot lifts from the ground and rises upward the toe returns to straight again. Likewise in the forward position when the heel hits the ground, as the foot slams down the toe can raise up then flatten upon hitting the ground... this adds to the slam down effect which adds weight to the character.
My wife is attempting her first walk cycle right now and, at this point, is very discouraged. She is following the tutorial from the 'Character Performance' CD from Barry Zundel which is very good. I also have the tut on the Angevin CD Animate! also very good. In fact I have and have studied every walk cycle tut in existence (well OK, probably not, but every one I could find)! I've come to believe that I have accumulated too much on the subject LOL.
My two cents anyway.
Rusty
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Looks good Mark!
You took a realistic model for a start, those are hard, our eyes are experts with those guys.
Do you have 0 slope on the first and last frame, there seems to be a break in the cycle.
Is he walking along a path, or just cycling the action?, since there are no shadows or other reference
object, it's hard to tell. Anyway, I think it is nice to try on a path, this way it is easy to try a cycle at different speeds.
We build cycles with 24 frames most of the time, but everything is not happening in 1 second.
I think with this action, he could move faster since he seems to be putting some effort with his arms forward
and head rotating. Our forearms don't go very far in a relaxed walk.
I wonder, since you have a rig handling BVH, is it possible from there to bake a cycle, get rid of the Bvh link,
clean it up, match the first and last frame match and create a cycling walk action from there?
I am very interested in BVH, but had very poor success with linking the skeleton.
Michel
Michel,
BTW, I'm using the TS2 rig (but I've also linked the Squetch rig) and I have had very good luck in linking BVH files but this is for another post.
Rusty
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Hi Chris,
If you plan on animating this model (and btw it looks great) or have it in an animation, I'd try some quick thrown together tests ASAP. Hair can do funny things (at least in version 14 and below) when moved or... if just the camera moves. This seems to happen where there are 5 or 3 point patches or where there are hooks. By funny things I mean move when it clearly shouldn't, strains or small groups thrusting outward and/or shimmer. I believe all of this can be corrected by taking various steps.
Rusty
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I thought I'd try some real animating. Started with a simple walk cycle.
It is not a bad walk cycle -- especially if it is your first attempt (in this case I say A+ too). I believe that a person 'could' walk like that but to me it doesn't look very real. I can see the subtle secondary action -- good work. It's not bad though I can pick it pieces but I wouldn't dare because despite my many years of study on this, I'm lousy at it. In case you haven't noticed, walk cycles are a bitch. I develop mine by trying, tossing, trying, tossing (repeat half a dozen more times) then accidentally getting it right.
Okay... I lied. I will pick at it a bit. There's no sense of weight (quickly bringing the foot down after the heel touches helps as well a the knee bending a tad for a frame or two when it takes the weight). The back foot does not 'push off' enough. After it pushes off it speeds up and comes forward a little faster. Right after the push off is the highest point in the cycle (for the character or head), the cross over is the second highest. It doesn't seem to move up and down enough. Walking is basically falling forward and catching yourself over and over... the body should seem to lean forward after the rear push off. I can't see the front but the shoulders and hips move in a figure 8 opposite from each other, that is to say, they both rotate from a top view and also from a front view and do so opposite from each other (I really can't tell if this is happening for sure). The hand moves in a subtle figure 8 as well from a side view. Again I can't see the front (or a birds-eye) but... from the front view... the center of gravity shifts back and forth over the leg supporting the weight and, the foot bends outward as it comes forward... and, the hands come inward when in front and also when in back to a lessor degree.
The human walk is a very complex affair... some people can get them right every time in just a few seconds and... I hate each and every one of those people LOL. ;-)
Rusty
Opening Space Scenes
in Work In Progress / Sweatbox
Posted
Very nice! Much lot like my own efforts (http://www.virtualmediastudios.com/wip/) which, now that the book is finished (well, book one of a trilogy), I plan to return to. I feel I know where you're coming from... definitely a kindred spirit. And, I know how much fun you are having -- too cool huh! Look forward to following your efforts.
Rusty
Edit: You have a very nice effect going on the solar flare... I'm sure you've looked at real ones for reference and know it's going far too fast.