fae_alba

Possibly, but animating the motion of all the bones that have to move to make a walk via math expressions would be a very daunting task, rather like CG animation was done 40 years ago. I admit that I'm not nearly knowledgeable on what the full extent/purpose of expressions is. I can't help but imagine a plug in that could record a bones motions and use as the basis for the expression, much like a spreadsheet macro recorder.

Just wondering...is it possible to use expressions to create a walk cycle, instead of using an action and path constraint? Sort of like walk to this xyz coordinate, starting at this xyz, take so many frames to get there....

That's pretty much the thought I had..the jitter footage always ends up on the editing room floor. and your point of the time spent is also good...they're not kidding when they say it takes weeks to get a few seconds animated....and you did this in a few days. To me that shows the strength of A:M

Anybody how says A:M can't play with the big boys simply hasn't seen stuff like this! Truly impressive

Can that be textured to have the look and feel of say, a hemp rope? I'm thinking of a sailing ship (pirate perhaps) under attack, and as masts and such are destroyed, rope comes falling from on high onto the decks.

Robcat, I've re rendered my bus stop submission to correct the flickering. If you want it/need it here it is. Also a simple soundtrack. I'm not entirely happy with it, so if you don't use it that's fine as well. circus.wav PaulVHarris_BusStop.zip

Interesting...I see that now...maybe a material issue. I did render multiple instances ... Let me experiment tonight.

let me see what I can do for mine..should be fairly easy (famous last words). I have to write a proposal to answer an RFP tonight, but will get on it asap.

I'm sure most of us will feel like we could have done better, but the important thing is we got it in! [ETA: By which I mean WAY TO GO!] All too true. I'm compiling a "lessons learned" list (bad habit from my consulting life!), and I learned some doozies!

got it, thanks! no...Thank You!

For what it's worth here it is.... PaulVHarris_BusStop.zip Still not entirely happy with it..but it's time to move on.

"Why don't you want to marry her? She's got huge.......tracks of land"

got it, thanks! Robcat...I just noticed that there are some really bad issues with popping in my animation..so I want to clean up some of that real quick and re-render those frames...give me some hours and I can get it done

Not having drop box, and not willing to install the client on my work pc, here is a zip of my offering... Hopefully all goes well with the attachment

I tend to agree with Robcat on this one. If you explain to your students that while the tut shows it being done one way, there is a better way. Explain the differences, the reasons, the logic. Spend 15 minutes at the start, drive it home, and the students will understand. It is actually a good life lesson. Up to this point your students have had stars in their eyes about what animation is (as you said earlier, to them it's all about video games) and have no real concept just how difficult is can be. That includes using, sometimes cantankerous software. A:M is actually one of the easier apps to use, what's difficult with animation is that the software is simply a tool, learn to use the tool properly and you're about one third there. I'd actually like to see animation classes to also delve into the other aspects of animation (production, direction, business, writing, art, etc.) and that every animation movie you see out there took hundreds of folks working several years and spending multi-millions of dollars to get a project to the silver screen. Get the stars out of their eyes, a dose of reality never hurt anybody, especially 8th graders.

Trying like hell to get it done..I'll touch base in the morning with a go/no go

did you try slapping the spacebar??

Many thanks compadre!

Thought you all might be interested in this. I found it on the Howard Lowery Auctions site.

I'm trying my damndest to get it done!

man, that must have been one big cat!

that is truly good news. i was beginning to worry I wasn't going to make it sense I'm crunched with work now and am going on vacation Oct 2nd....Now I can do it..yeah...

My friend, there is only one way that you will improve; that's by doin'. No one judges; it's all an even playing field on these forum projects.

Well, I have no idea what caused this. I just re-downloaded the project from the beginning of this thread...re-rendered and it works just ducky. Back on track on on to tweeking the story!

Did that....