NancyGormezano
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Posts posted by NancyGormezano
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Oh yeah - forgot to add one other thing. I believe I had more luck when if I started a new chor action - and then did the constrain to path in that 2nd chor action. I then could isolate the chor range for when model should be on the path, and the ease components of the path (when should start and finish). The actions were in the first Chor action space - hope that's not too confusing... it was for me, but eventually I understood the beauty of different chor actions...
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Hi - I was also experiencing lots of confusion and problems with the combo of different sequential actions, chor actions, & constraining to path in my last animation (see showcase - Bop the Bozo, last scene with money was just what you are trying to do)...
I found that I had to keep rechecking the parameters as they kept getting reset (not by me) - for the chor action ( check the chor range, reset it to desired range), check your ease on the path (make sure set to 100% on the end frame you desire, 0% on the first frame the actions are to start) - for the actions check your hold last frame and transition to last frame settings, check the chor frame ranges for the action, the repeat. stride length ( i found when adding a 2nd action the first actions settings would get changed) - yes but finally I got it to work - sorta - or just caved in sometimes and started a totally new choreography (not a new chor action - tho that sometimes worked as well) - yeah it was not pretty - but eventually I was chuckling in the absurdity of it all ...
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Thanks y'all for the comments. Glad you enjoyed it.
Always a surprise to hear how "twisted" I come across ... I forget that when I'm sitting here, eyes aglow
, possessed by the dark spirits I just know are lurking in my computer, ... (could be the reason they don't let me out all that often?)... Nancy -
Here's an animation exercise I did to familiarize myself with ver 10.5 - (after coming from 8.5) - boy did I have a lot of habits to break - still needs work - but time to move on - hope you find it amusing...Nancy
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Thanks Stephen for the reply, and that wonderfully thoughtful, helpful & very understandable description of your technique for working with props/action objects. Lots of very good info. Especially new idea to me was about applying the constraints late in the animating process. Boy am I dealing with this. And boy am I dealing with transferring control without "jumps". Yikes. When I get a bit further, and some courage, perhaps I'll post my wip
Since I last posted - I had discovered my silliness by not also using the Orient like constraint as well as translate to (duh - didn't think I needed it as I wasn't trying to change orientation of prop) - and found out what was causing (as well as solution) to some of the problem with using successive actions with the same prop, however there are still problems with using more than 1 action with same prop in the chor, and so I have resorted to just starting a new chor - bit of a pain having to setup the end of the entire scene keyframes into the beginning of the new scene. (wish there was some automatic Command: - like "Start new chor with this frame for all active components")
As for animating in an action versus chor for non-repetitive activities, I had developed a habit of setting my keyposes in the action, checking the in-betweening, but not being real picky about the timing. I would then use the ease channel for the action in the chor to work on the more precise timing of the action - lazy way - that way I'm mostly dealing with only 1 channel for the actor, and it's easier to coordinate with the action of other actors in the scene. Also I find it very difficult to animate in the chor with the splines/images of all the other cameras, lights, ground plane, & other actors getting in the way of my view (even using front, side, etc), not to mention it's seems to have a more sluggish computer response, - just found it less distracting and more fluid in the action window. But I should probably rethink my lazy ways...
Again thank you so much for your response, I have read & re-read it many times as it contains very relevant, and helpful info for me (and anyone else, I suspect, trying to work with props) - Nancy
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Are you putting both actions on the same model in the cho, or are they on 2 different models. I can see how having them on the same model could cause some conflict if the actions overlap.
Hi - thanks again Graham, for responding. I have found the problem.
I use actions extensively for building up a sequence of events with the same model, and do not have a problem if they don't have any props. Usually I drag each action to the same model in the chor and AM automatically assigns them to successive ranges. eg if the first action has 10 frame (0 -10 really), AM defaults it to the range 0-10 in the chor, (defaults to Hold last frame ON), the second action (also 10 frames) defaults to frames 10-21, (with default hold last ON). However AM changes the Hold last frame to OFF for the FIRST action, after adding the second action. Not a problem if there aren't any props. I build up a long list of actions - all works wonderful (except for lack of talent - but I digress).
The above does NOT work if the actions contain the same prop. The motion is there - just the prop is invisible in the 2nd. However I found that if I go back and reset the first Action back to Hold Last frame=ON - the Prop shows up!! Yayyyy!!!
Again I thank you for your response - Without your questions back to me, I would not have been provoked to dig deeper, as I resist like crazy to keep switching to left brain mode when I am in the midst of right brain nirvana, ... besides I'm old - Nancy
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ohh Graham - thank you thank you - Yes, as you stated, the trick to having something stayed glued is to use ORIENT like as well as translate to (both constraints were done after positioning & orienting prop in first frame, with compensate on)...Marhvelous darhling...oh happy day.
As for the second problem - I just tried a simple test of creating an simple action with a prop, and saving the same action under two different names ie test1, test2. I then dragged test1, test2 to the chor and sure enough the prop disappears in the second action. I tried again (by deleting the second action and reapplying) - no luck - still gone. Hmmmm. Looks fishy to me.
As an aside - I've also noticed that when saving an action to a new name, that the name does not get updated in the PWS although the File info appears to point to the new file name - very confusing. So everytime I do this, after saving to a new file, I close the action (by deleting) and reopen by importing the newly named action - mainly so as not to confuse myself as to which action I'm working with. Happens in ver 10.5o & q, PC.
Again thank you sooooo much.
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First, I repeat, Must add my cheers to Jim & Stephen for their wonderful Schlitzy Movie (see showcase): Absolutely Terrific work! both the model and animation, very, very envious of you both -
And now please, please share some technique about animating with props. I am having the most difficult time (ver 10.5o, PC) with action objects and having them stayed "glued" to the character's hand motion - I am doing something very similar with a character trying to hold something in both hands while walking or doing other things (coincindently also trying to manipulate paper as well as other objects).
I have tried 1) action object translated to a hand bone, with compensation, without compensation, 2) having the hand bones translated to bones in the prop, again compensate, no compensate. In all cases the prop/hands seem to drift apart with motion, and I end up having to re-position constantly. And it doesn't look all that convincing (as yours is brilliant).
Stephen, What is your technique for animating? Do you work in the chor with the prop or in an action? and how did you get them to stay so attached? Did you use kinematic constraints? as well?
Another problem I am having is that if I create 2 different actions each containing the same prop, and then drag to the chor, the prop disappears in the 2nd action! Huh? wha? Anyone else experiencing this?
Please share the secrets... Thanks - Nancy
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Must add my cheers: Absolutely Terrific work! both the model and animation, very, very envious of you both -
And now please, please share some technique about animating with props. I am having the most difficult time (ver 10.5o, PC) with action objects and having them stayed "glued" to the character's hand motion - I am doing something very similar with a character trying to hold something in both hands while walking or doing other things (coincindently also trying to manipulate paper as well as other objects).
I have tried 1) action object translated to a hand bone, with compensation, without compensation, 2) having the hand bones translated to bones in the prop, again compensate, no compensate. In all cases the prop/hands seem to drift apart with motion, and I end up having to re-position constantly. And it doesn't look all that convincing (as yours is brilliant).
Stephen, What is your technique for animating? Do you work in the chor with the prop or in an action? and how did you get them to stay so attached? Did you use kinematic constraints? as well?
Another problem I am having is that if I create 2 different actions each containing the same prop, and then drag to the chor, the prop disappears in the 2nd action! Huh? wha? Anyone else experiencing this?
Please share the secrets... Thanks - Nancy
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Ooo Ooo ... My turn...
Just figured out how to EASILY get my character Models on a flat white background, where the groundplane only shows the shadows of the models - without doing shadow buffers, alpha buffers, and recompositing in another program:
In the Chor -
1) make the Camera have a Rotoscope that is a plain White square (or any color or any image of your choice)
2) Make the ground plane model be a Front projection Target, Flat shaded, and accept shadows (do NOT say shadows only)
Render away, et Voila ! The trick seems to be the ground plane has to be front projection target ... if you just set flat shaded - no shadows show up on the ground.
Oh I am sooooo happy. (or perhaps I'm so simple minded, that it took me so long to figure this out with all the bewildering array of options)
Nancy
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For example, I don't want the cps to move out from the surface as I try to make the corners of the mouth of a character into a smile
Hi - I have not tried this but noticed on p.136 of manual (ver 10.5) there is mention of using "translate constraint keys" to constrain movement to specific axis or direction. I have used 1, 2, 3 for xyz but just noticed new that 4 - constrains to one of splines intersecting cp, 5 - constrains to other spline that intersects cp, 6 moves cp perpendicular to surface - sounds promising ? - Nancy
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So, the question is how can I perserve poses with a model when I copy it and place it in a new model space?
Hi - I believe I have done this (i.e., haven't re-verified) by importing the model rather than copying & pasting. I also use a bone to control the closing of the eyelid rather than manipulating the CP's manually (don't know how you are doing it - but that could be a problem). My structure for the eye unit bones is:
Eye Unit Bone
+ Eyelid Bone
+ Eyeball Bone (for orienting pupil)
After importing, I translate/rotate the entire Eye unit to the correct position in the model (using the special manipulators and the ctrl key), as well as put the Eye Unit bones in the correct place in the skeleton hierarchy. The Poses should be in the new model. Tho, I find if I have made the poses go from -100 to 100 I have to reset the settings in the new model - but the extremes in the poses seem to be there (a bug?)
Hope this helps - (and hope I didn't dream this...)
Nancy
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Hi - I have had a similar yet slightly different experience (10.5o PC) - I was rendering a very simple scene Choreography (camera, ground, 1 simple model, standard lighting) - took 23 secs rendering patches (regardless of render settings) - That seemed overly excessive for the model, so I started eliminating geometry from the simple model - went to 28 secs, eliminated more - 30 secs, kept eliminating, stayed constant around 26-29 secs. even eliminated decals, bumps etc - same stuff - then finally eliminated decals that were not being used - went down to 15 secs. Hmmm. So I closed AM, started fresh - same scene - noted that there were 2 rotos for the camera that were set to not be visible, deleted them - rendered patches with all geometry, decals, etc visible - 1 second ! HUH?
I guess the solution might be to close down & restart AM. I just retryed the scene to see if adding 2 rotos and making them not visible did anything to the time. Nope. Time was still around 1-3 secs for rendering patches. So I really still don't know what the problem was.
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Hi - oh yes - I like like it alot also - very cute - love the background, love the models, color scheme
some suggestions, composition wise:
the far tree is confusing, appears to be part of the front tree - maybe move it a bit? to break illusion, or change color to darker?, or change camera angle some?. separate the bug a bit more from the background, his silohouette(sp?) gets a bit lost. perhaps add some more foreground interest, or items on tall hill (smaller plants, bugs,)- for some side activities extraneous to the story...
"hot spot on mushroom" is a bit shiny, maybe tone down the specularity?
As I said very cute..thanks for posting - Nancy
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Yes putting together tgas can be done with after effects (easily) but AE is not free, I also think you can do it with premiere (maybe not as easily), also not free. Nancy
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Hi - I have experienced the same problem - and yes it took up a lot of my time in order to figure out a work around - However, I found that if I went into directx mode the decal would show up - then I could position & apply, save my model & then go back into opengl... unfortunately the switching back & forth would sometimes cause crashes - so be sure to save...hope this helps
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Hi - Sorry I won't be able to help you, but you definitely saved me from thinking it was "my antiquated system", and from thinking that upgrading to a more powerful, more current windows system was the only solution. I experience very similar problems as you do (ver 10.5o, using opengl or directx), in that nothing shows up in my rendering window until I actually click in the render window (occurs 100% of time). Additionally, my system has semi-frequently hung during rendering (ctrl alt del doesn't even work). I can not figure out what sequence of events causes it, so obviously not repeatable - otherwise would have reported it. My poor old system doesn't look anything like your newer system: PIII 800mhz, windows 98se, 768 mbytes RAm, nvidia (something something) 32megs with most recent nvidia drivers, & most current version of directx9. I just recently switched from 8.5p - in which this never happened, and thought it was perhaps my inept fumbling with the more complicated user interface of ver 10.5...so perhaps it ain't us only? I too don't know where to begin to look...
New Site launches
in Work In Progress / Sweatbox
Posted
That is the most amazing, fascinating site - I have added it to my list of favorites... Incredible work! beautiful! Such depth..I could just gush on & on - what a valuable web resource...Thanks so much..Nancy