NancyGormezano

very interesting!

Looks like it had a happy ending. (Did I just say that?)

Put some eyeballs in those headlights and you've got a mascot entry

For those that are interested - here is a nice description of Eulers, quats (and perhaps may give insight into Hash Vector implementation). I have not used vector interpolation in A:M. As the article points out, and as I have always known and believed is that gimbal lock is more a problem with using Eulers, rather than quats. This is why we used quaternions, when I was working for Link Flight Simulators (for navigation as well as image generation). However that is not to say that A:M's specific implementation might have a problem with quats and gimbal lock. Not sure why they would. It may be the internal setup of interpolation method? http://www.chrobotics.com/library/understanding-quaternions (I have not checked the accuracy of the above article)

turn off the "show polygons" I hadn't ever used that - must be newish.

Thanks - Interesting find I wasn't aware of Akvis - but it looks like it possibly could be used with animation as it has a batch processing mode on a sequence of images - so could potentially bring the modified images into AfterEffects or any other video editor - great! I have AE cs4, PS cs4 and Painter 13 - none of which, seems to be compatible - BUT it does have a stand alone mode - so no problemo! However, problem with filters (any filter, procedural processing) is that it is usually very obvious that a filter has been used, so it's up to user to cook up some combo of filters to disguise the fact and make resultant image look unique, hand worked. I am finding that most illustrators, publishers, art directors turn up their nose at filters, because it is instantly recognizable. Worth a look anyway. Thanks

In A:M/ chor: One uses Global Ambiance type = Image based lighting, with an environment map (any ol' image you want to use, HDRI or otherwise) and a mapping type: latitude-longitude, light probe, mirror sphere, cube map (cross). Depends on how/what the image is that you are using has been created. I usually select lat-long and use any image that has the right coloring that I like. But I don't go for physically based lighting. light probe images, mirror sphere images are usually physically based. Regardless of image being used for IBL, environment map (no dome): You set the Ambiance Intensity % (optionally also can set exposure, azimuth, I never do) and can optionally use Ambiance Occlusion (or fakeao or ssao). If you want to use A:M native Ambiance Occlusion, then yes, you must set chor/camera/render options/Ambiance Occlusion = ON. For just Image based lighting IBL (no occlusion) - it can be OFF, and Ambiance occlusion =0% in chor. It's not that hard. Very easy. Not necessary to make separate renders for characters and background. You can use whatever background (camera roto, or dome with image mapped to dome) you want in A:M. The image used for background can be different from image used for environment lighting (IBL). If you want to use different background (can't decide) and composite later, then yes, make 2 renders - character and background.

I just tried 18p - works the same as 17g - must toggle AO percent (or type of Global ambiance) for new image to take effect. tried with opengl3

what version? If you just want to use IBL in 17g - you don't need to use AO as well - does not need to be ON in render settings. However, there does seem to be a glitch, in changing images to use for IBL, and doing quick screen renders (and maybe final renders) for testing. This glitch/bug has been there forever. What I do when wanting to experiment with different images: I toggle the % in AO setting (change to 1) and then put it back to 0% - then the new image will take effect.

"The nagging upgrade prompts will stop after July 29, 2016, when Windows 10 ceases to be a free upgrade for Windows 7 users." I am counting the days. That's when I'll be free. yes siree! Uh...Not so fast, little lady. Somehow, I think the annoying upgrade prompts will just change to "windows 10 - get it now for $xxx.xx" sigh.

I prefer version F where background is more obvious. But in either version, I find the flickering of the character on the right very distracting. I don't understand why one character is hand drawn and the other isn't. Is there a reason? Perhaps both characters should be hand drawn and flickering so attention of viewer isn't diverted. The choppiness of the animation is an issue also. Semi-realistic CG rendering and animation of humans is less forgiving than doing a stylized version of human. We viewers require less perfection of the animation style when the characters are stylized. We will accept the choppy and flickering easier.

I remember back in vers 7.1- 8.5 days that A:M had the ability to change the icon on an individual basis for the model files for sure (windows 95? 98? etc) It was great and was sorry to see it go. Could get an idea of what each model looked like just by listing the content of folders outside of A:M. The ico image used was the same image that was generated with "make icon" feature in A:M (if I recall correctly). I also remember there was a feature to create a "clippy" bot type animation character agent - forget what those are called - the standard one that came with A:M was the merlin guy. But those didn't go over too well, as most people want to hide those annoying creatures when working.

he doesn't make any mention of what kind of nvidia geforce...

Hmmm...that phantom rotoscope problem was a bug in A:M long ago that got fixed. It also happened on PC side. Those roto items actually showed up in materials, models, chors, etc and you had to delete them manually (text editor). What version of A:M are you using? If you are using recent version of A:M then submit a bug report, with simple case. I have found in newer versions of A:M that if you delete all those phantom rotoscope items (in materials, models, etc probably created in older versions) from the PWS and then save your materials, models, chors, etc in newer version then the problem goes away, not to be seen again. It use to be that if you save anything while the rotoscope ickies are showing in the PWS, then the contamination of all files just keeps getting worse (ie more and more dum dum roto references).

ok - this looks promising - have you tried it? And what's the catch? ie why is it free?