rusty

The above is part of your signiture huh? :-) Yes it does help. I did study the movement of the geometry bones. Thanks!

The shoulder fan bones move 50% like the biceps, Rusty. Since the shoulder is higher in the chain, it will move everything below it 100%. Hope that helps. Oh... okay... so... both the shoulder fan and the bicep fan rotate 50% (or perhaps there is an offset) of the bicep. The different starting points of these two fan bones offer weighting options that, along with the bicep itself, are meant to assist in the cp weighting for the rotation of the bicep. I am use to the bicep fan and its purpose but I do not yet see 'how' the shoulder fan assists. This should become clearer as I use it... of course if you have any words of wisdom (or even lessor words LOL) please send them! Tally Ho, Rusty

David, The Shoulder Fan Geom bone moves just like the Shoulder Geom bone. Isn't suppose to move only 50% of it? Rusty

David, Regarding the following instruction: 4.15 If the elbows were modeled and rigged bent, set the negative side of the euler limits on the "right_forearm" and "left_forearm" in the Rig_Components/arm_constraints_folder/arm_constraints pose to the degree of bend so that the arm will be able to straighten without jumping away from the controller. In v11.1 and v12, model your character without bent arms and legs...there is a problem with euler constraints in those versions that was corrected in v13. If I have this: How would I adjust this? Thanks, Rusty

Are you in the navy or, have a day job which gives you special knowledge or access to these ships of war... or, did you inherit lots of images of these ships? r

Which do you have more fun doing? Rusty PS: A thought occurred to me; add all your stuff together to create a surreal landscape (or character) == The Land of AM.

That's an insane character model! His (or her) stance shouts personality. Do you have the varmint rigged yet? Nice sets! Love the lighting. This guy will have to have a unique way of moving. I can foresee actions with names like ThrowRightBootKnif,ThrowLeftBookKnif, DeflectKnifWithShield, etc. Is this the 'good' guy or 'bad' guy? Rusty

Great work! The model is really good. Off the top of my head, several things stood out to me: 1. When he enters his cape seems to bend in when it should hang straight down 2. As others have said, the body movements (animation) could be better -- the impression I got was that the 'arcs' were missing not right. 3. Related to the above, I also got the impression that the body parts were not staggered correctly -- I'm not putting that right... the shoulder should lead the arm, the upper arm leads the lower arm which leads the hands which leads the fingers (were talking frames). This is just the impression I got, perhaps I'm wrong. Nice job over all! Cheers! Rusty

Now you should animate it drawing something on a sheet of paper! What? How about the storyboard for the animation. r

Very nice. Once you have this much variety built you can make copies of stuff and scale it and combine it in different ways to extend the set forever. I remember a class assignment were we took something like this and, simply by putting formulas to produce random values in x, y and z scale and x and z translation we extended the set pretty much off into infinity! It looked real good to. We were using XSI. I wonder if AM can do something like this. Rusty

Nice!! Just a few weeks ago my wife and I spent the day touring the "Midway" -- its here in San Diego now a museum its absolutely radical. I took a lot of pictures for reference for modeling a space ship. It really is interesting. It seems like all of the jets, support aircrafts and helicopters must be there (I'm sure the newer stuff isn't but there's a lot). and you can sit in the cockpits of most. Cheers, Rusty

Hello Rich, We're both doing photorealism -- and it seems we are both into sci-fi big time as well. It seems you're doing a lot more live settings and action mixing with CG then I am. Your characters (at least what I've seen) are darn good. I can't help but be interested in what you're doing and, though I'm busy as hell with my own project (just like you I'm sure), I'll try to keep an eye on your progress. I didn't notice a site or wip URL -- I'll have to look again (mine is in my signature). My first character models were okay, the ones I'm working on now are better, hopefully a lot better. I call my current character development methodology the Ultra2 series, the previous was the Ultra1 series... the next, LOL, Ultra3. The Ultra3s will be a radical departure. But, right now the Squetch rig is kicking my butt LOL. I did mechanical modeling between 1992 and 2001 -- very little animation. I've been doing organic photo-realistic modeling/texturing/rigging/staging/acting/animation since 2001. I'm writing a sci-fi book and working on the animated book trailer. I've published technical articles in the 80s but my true love is sci-fi and now that I'm retired and have the time this is my primary goal (and I'm only 56). Anyway, here is a subject that is perhaps of common interest. Since my character models are more a 'virtual actors' concept they will play many parts and, just like live actors, their 'wardrobe' as well as other things will change often. To this end, I separated the heads from the bodies and I've gone even further. In the Ultra2 line I separated the wardrobe (body), hair styles and colors, eye color and face maps. I have a collection of hairdos which can be combined with any color from my hair color collection. My character models, which are only the heads, have a standardized mesh construction and therefore have a standard flattening template... and therefore facial maps are exchangeable (plus standardized mesh construction offer a lot of other advantages). With the Ultra2s I have this pretty much down to a 'snap on' parts affair at almost every level. On the drawing board are morph-able outfits to reduce the work and up the flexibility further but this is Ultra3 stuff. Have you pursued these directions at all... that is dealing with the problem of outfits and other elements being hard wired or connected to your characters (i.e. faces) and the limitations this imposes. Anyway, not many people are doing the type of thing I'm doing (photorealism and sci-fi). I'm not really sure what your doing but its obviously photorealism to some degree and sci-fi I think. I thought I'd say hi and shoot you a summary of my endeavors, find out more about yours. I know we are both busy with our own projects. If you have time, tell me what your doing, send URLs, etc. and tell me if you are tackling the hardwired outfit problem at all or, do your characters always wear the same outfits. Cheers, Rusty

Gads! I feel for you. Between 1992 and 2001 I did polys (xsi / max). In 2001 I discovered AM -- what a mindset change. I wonder if people with no previous knowledge don't have a substantial advantage... but I know this is not really true. But spline modeling takes some getting use to. Now, after 6 years, I'd have lots of trouble going back. Rusty

Hi, Attached please find version 6 of the 'Compensates' spreadsheet updated to the latest release (yesterdays). This is only the version for bipeds -- the quad rigs I've never used so I don't do those yet. It is done in EXCEL 2002 SP3 (XP) but should open in any version. As a writer I know from experience that I can not proof my own work (just like you can't test your own code) but I've done my best. Fortunately its mostly just copy/paste from David's document. If you find any errors please let me know. Cheers, Rusty EXCEL Version ReSetCompensates006.zip HTML Version ReSetCompensates006.zip

The latest (or any really) A:M The complete Guide book has some info on creating clothes. Also, look at the clothes on models on the AM CD and both the Extras CDs. Hell when I first started I 'amputated' cloths from all the models I could find and saved this stuff in an AM library then I'd use these as a base to start from. There are a few very good video tuts though I can't remember where these are -- some of the older AM Sig tapes and/or tuts from Anzovin Studios. Lets see... "3D Human Modeling and Animation" by Ratner has some nice tips on creating clothes. I think '3D Photorealism Toolkit' and 'Advanced 3D Photorealism Techniques' both by Flemming have some info on this subject. Go the your local library. More then the modeling is the texturing. Mostly bump maps (multiple maps laid over each other on the same stamp); softening maps (soft splotches of gray on lighter gray), cloth texture (take a picture) and wrinkle maps (these are all gray scale). The specularity (maps or properties) helps change the material type. For the modeling, 3 ring joints, low density mesh in general and wrap the edges so no patch edges show. Peak splines for creases or seams. Search on buttons for how to do those (surface or spline constraints). This is all for clothes that do not use cloth. That's a whole another animal. Wish I could be more help. Rusty

Hi, First, to be sure were on the same plain, you would not model a body 'under' the clothes (or model a body and then 'dress it')... unless you were intending to use cloth for everything and I can't even think of such a thing without shivering in terror! Years I have worked on a simple T-shirt (the latest cloth implementation may allow this now but... lots of work). Secondly, I can't think of any tutorials off hand (except those on videos or in books that you must purchase). Hopefully someone can but if no one else replies its because they read the post, can think of nothing and move on. I just replied 'cause I hate it when I post a question and no one replies LOL. Good Luck, Rusty PS: make sure you search this forum, ARM and a general goggle search. Make sure you go through the Tutorials and Tech Talk forums. And as an aside, people have been know to get flamed if they don't do their homework before posting a question... not to say you haven't!... just a tip.

David/Mark, I had a PM from David which contained a link to the new version (sleeves, etc) of the posable install rig . I thought I'd downloaded it but can't find it now and, the link is now no good. Will the posable version be released soon? Thanks (with a capital T), Rusty

Daivd... et al. Sleeves and Flex... ================== Thank you David for... thanking me, LOL. When my dilemma with the short sleeve came up and I first heard that David was going to add this as a feature to the rig I almost said 'Wait, you can't have the rig do everything!'. Well I'm glad I kept my mouth shut! First, the sleeve addition actually makes sense because built into the Squetch rig are the flexing of the upper arm muscles which I did not know until I saw the upper arm doing strange things when I bent the arm at the elbow. You can adjust this muscle flex to zero (using a pose) for long sleeves but, if you want short sleeves and also some upper arm flex under the sleeves... well there you go... its needed. And yes, 'back when' I would have said 'David, don't add muscle flex in the rig... it doesn't belong there'. Again, I'm glad I wasn't there to say such a thing because bottom line: both the flex and the sleeve features work so damn well! What else awaits me as stumble down this road named Transition to the Squetch Rig? One begins to wonder if instead of a destination, this is a journey. (just kidding) :-) Reset Compensates... Spread Sheet... and 'The Monster' ======================================== This phase -- reset compensates -- kicks my ass... its just the kind of thing that does... for myself anyway. I created an EXCEL spread sheet and copied/pasted the instructions from the document and also firmed up the numbering system. I used this for a spell then had a crazy idea to automate the process just a little and I created what I now call 'The Monster'. Recently I planned to phase out the spread sheet -- an intermediate step to 'The Monster'. Just as I was doing this David asked me to maintain the darn spreed sheet. Maintaining 'The Monster' is hard enough and so I was backing away from maintaining the spread sheet as well. For one thing, its a duplication of effort. But... I'll do it at least one more time and post it here for anyone who wants it. Perhaps I'll keep it up, if its actually helping anyone. Nightly prayers beg for a plug-in to nuke this step. As for 'The Monster', I'm also going to release it to the world at large... God help all of you. It makes the 'compensates' step easier for myself but it is also like swatting a fly using a construction crew welding jack hammers! Most of you will take a look, laugh with disbelief and wisely say 'thanks, but ah... no thanks!' Give me a few days to a week. Rusty PS: I'll explain 'The Monster' when I turn it loose. Edit: NOTE: I do not use any of the head/face rig currently and while the spread sheet also contains instructions for this area, The Monster does not. Also, I have had no opportunity to use anything other then the five finger biped posable rig therefore no spreadsheet or 'The Monster' addresses the 'Reset Compensates' document for the Quad rig.

I can't remember why I use that second method... it has disadvantages galore... your particles can be skewed by the motion bringing it into the scene. r

There are several ways... The proper way is to animate the particle properties, in the chor, expand the emitter (you may have to click on the display all drivers button) and on frame 0 set the rate of emission to zero then go to just before you wish to start the smile and set that to zero then go to where you want the smoke at its thickest and set that to whatever... in the graph editor, adjust the slope to of the emission key frame curve the way you want it. To stop, reverse the process. Another way I sometimes use is kind of crude but you can position the emitter way out of the scene then in a single frame pop it back into the scene Cheers, Rusty

Lots of midnight oil burning went into that car! Did they ever make a Saturday morning cartoon out of Ghost Busters? Probably. But if not, you have a great start toward it. Rusty

You bet, it always has been! Getting feedback helps keep my projects out of animation limbo. Well, I rendered a high-res version to see what could be improved (I also played around with my background matte). Here's what I see: 1. Add stones/pebbles around the front 2. Put Dhar's jackhammer in the back left to cover up some ground texture pattens. 3. Maybe some curled sheet metal in the back right to cover the same problem. 4.Crimson Dynamo aromor? 5. More stuff behind the fence. Basically it needs more stuff. See anything else, any ideas? Let me know! Lee That is awesome. Whether you add clutter or not. Rusty

Sounds right. You should download that zip file (url in previous post). If you're on Windows and have MS Office, not only does this project folder template contain pre-named resource folders and sub-folders but also: = model, scene, shot and set folder templates (each is found in corresponding sub-folders) = EXCEL Tracking and Control files for the project, models, scene, set, shot, plates = Inside the above Workbook is a spreed sheet setup for storyboard creation that is quite sophisticated. There are columns for every aspect of animation creation. Using the auto-filter you can extract information like the dialog for each character and lists can be created for needed scenes, sets, models, characters, wardrobe and much more. = MS Project template for an Animation project (uses RUP again) = readme files containing documentation on usage All of the above was designed in 2002 based on the Rational Unified Process and my own experiences with control structures and project management. Since its conception, it has been used for each of the 5 animation projects I've completed and has under-gone review and refinement during each project and at the end. The zip file will remain on-line for 5 days or, through 9/10/2007. Cheers, Rusty

Oh my goodness. The way I do it (and I'm pretty sure the way everyone does it) is one chor per project file. Very scene, in fact every shot... hell every plate has its own project file (and its own folder). You try to put all your work into a single project file by using separate chors and you're going to running very slow. r

Great work Dhar. I'm astounded that this is your first model. I guess I've looked at your post work and imagined that you had modeled the characters in those. I had lots of suggestions for your splines on the first post but, LOL, by the time I got to the end of this thread that was taken care of! For the last month and a half I've been doing nothing except working on adapting the Squetch rig. My unending questions have almost created a Squetch FAQ all by themselves. Cheers, Rusty