John Bigboote

those are some PERVERSE proportions! I love it! THIS is what I was trying to do several years ago with my CRIMEBOMB character, but I did not have the 'nuance muscular detailing ability' that you have... you obviously referred to some reference and have done your anatomy homework...keep it up! (Glad to see in the 2nd images that he lost the 'camel-toe')

Whu? Where???

THE CHICKEN DANCE!

Yes! Looking good! At the beginning, he is in a 'thinker' pose...it would be fun to see him in the 'Frankenstien' pose...meaning arms out, goose-stepping like a zombie... can't wait to see how you wrap it up!

Really? I would have thought it would be much lower, like 4multipasses or 2.... you can see in the render dialogue with MP off as it says "antialiasing pass 1, antialiasing pass 2"... For quick video stuff, I've found that there is not too much discernable difference after 3 passes. Especially if you are using 'fields', which automatically doubles your render time.

Wow...what a bunch of helpful, patient fellows! When you get your project 'trimmed', CodeD- you can also benefit from rendering on a 2nd instance of A:M...this trick cuts your render time in HALF!

That's GLORIOUS! Very original...very captivating... DO ANOTHER!!!

Hi Kellie... you could try lowering the intensity of the lights...or delete/turnOFF a light or two.

This has been a great discussion! I must admit I was a little 'daunted' by AO and IBL, but after all the GREAT knowledge shared in this thread and a LITTLE experimentation, I now feel like I am 'up' on both. ERIC---I think your 'white' trick with the new group is good too, I did'nt know that about the group ordering override-thing. MOUSEMAN- Thanks for posting your white image, how do you get your whites so white? Must use bleach. NANCY- You are the BEST!!! ALSO--- I think that front projection is a powerful trick...I'm trying to think what other things can be done with it... It is projecting thru the camera a rotoscope image/movie onto a target that you specify...right?

AMTrack!

Pretty impressive! Feet are ALWAYS a big issue in all BVH's , I find. Some animation purists shy away from the general use of Motion Capture, but I find as an animator you can always add to, enhance or give supplemental or pre-post actions to a BVH action. I hope your BVH addition to the 2008 rig opens more peoples eyes to the possibilities of BVH. I have frequently scoured the 'net looking for all and any BVH actions, and have built-up a collection. We 'hashers' should pool our resources of all and any BVH files and make them generally accessible (providing they were not purchased) for further experimentation. I am enthralled by the 2ndary motion generated by a BVH... not only dynamic constraints but hair. BIG FUN!

That sounds like college level 'urban legend' stuff...the things nervous seniors tell more nervous juniors to get them more frazzed. You don't see an animation rig... it's transparent-invisible...kinda like your underwear...you know it's there, but you don't show it off. Did you make it yourself- No, fruit of the Loom or Hanes or BVD or in Verns case -Victorias Sectret. It does not matter! AND- The word 'tape' should never be used again...period. Tape is dead- no one uses tape.

Only 4 or 5 yet...it's still early though. I haven't started mine yet...I can see it in my head though!

GAH! I never knew that!!!!

You are your own best teacher...I like that!

I'm finally getting around to trying this stuff out... THANKS for 'dummifying' this for me, Jason and Nancy.

V15 is MILES beyond version 8 but one thing should be pointed-out... it is still the same program to work with. You will not be 'RElearning' the app from scratch... everything is still, basically the same... there's just a lot more there, if you dig. DEFINITELY rely on this forum to get you going as you go. I don't know how anyone could possibly use and learn A:M without this community.

Sounds like you are answering most your questions yourself. I would prolly render to .tga with an alpha...the shadow on that 2nd light can be shut off... a little fog might help too....since the ship and it's shadow never intersect, you can 'slop matte' each of them and control them separately in post... tweeiking till it looks right. Looking good!

It should not inhibit render times too terribly much... if you are going for minimal splineage-this may not be the way to go. As far as rendering artifacts, you will also need to (in your 'invisible' pose) make sure the group you are making transparent also has it's specular and reflective levels lowered to zero as well.

Wow...I gotta start making tutorials like that- seems there's no better way to do it. ONE THING...a feature you missed- the finger controls have a neat 'auto curl' feature if you rotate the roll-handle at the top bone of a finger...

Actually the body modeling was given away right here on the forum! I'll try to find the posting and give proper credit...it is a SWELL interpretation of the female anatomy I must say. I am enjoying doing my 'long hair' tests on it, I merely added the head, feet and other...'embellishments', and I hope to implement some ZignTrack(AM:Track) facial actions as well. THANKS!

OR--- both! Lately I have been making models with at least 2 outfits controlled by a pose slider... shoes can change as well! And when both outfits are 'OFF' you have a nude model... (sweet!) I even lately made a gradient material...one color being the dress color, the other being transparent... and then in a pose you change the 'Y' value of both and you get a gradient 'disrobing' of the dress as opposed to a 'fade-out'. FUN STUFF! EDIT: example posted.

YEAH!!! Looking Great!

COOL TRICK! I did NOT know that! Then- I suppose you would have to back thru and 'knowingly' re-hide all the bones that need be hidden...

It looks like it would make a nice footrest....ahhhh, yes! It does!