paradymx

just looking for some C&C on my idea for a movie menu screen. I will render and probably put together in iDVD. Of course the text is just a place holder for this shaded version. intro_test1.mov Thanks guys...

Well.... like john said this is not a beginner project. first go through the particle tutorials and get feel for how they work. Now how I would try that effect if I was so inclined would be to use splines. If you make a simple face and adjust the normals; when the particles hit it they will bounce off the face and give the general shape of the face modeled. So get a grasp on particle collisions when loking at those tutes. Just one way to try it. Not sure how the end result would look though.

These are a pretty cool concepts Fresh....keep going with them. I'm not sure what pass you are on in regards to the final product but here's what i caught right away(just in case you missed it ;I know I do sometimes). On the first flex he seems a little static almost as if it is a still frame for that moment. I'm not sure if it that he's not flexed enough or that there is no recursive motion like the next flex. The second flex is great though, that one is convincing. The other thing was when he gets ready to pick up the weight and he rubs his hands. The fingers dont look like they touch. Over all though your timing and character motion are top notch. these were little nit picky things that would be touched up in your third or fourth pass.

Yeah I love most of Square Enix's concept and character designs. the hard part was making everything fit. I had to cheat in some areas of the design so its not an exact replica. I wish I could get the wireframes and turnarounds from the actual movie.

Taking a break from my portfolio (well...... I've just been rendering for a week straight now) and I decided to have some fun and try to model for a change. and here's the result.... First Tsurugi For those of you not into Video Games or Anime (I like to hope were all at least into animation here at least ) This is the sword Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7 uses in the CG movie Advent Children. (picture from the movie) Thought it would be something cool to model. I rigged it to work just like the sword in the movie. Six swords combining into one. I posted a quick demo just to give you an idea how the model works. tsword.mov Two questions though. I picked up some where that using reflection maps as aposed to actual reflectivity is suppose to save render time. I tested both ways and saw no difference. Is render time really saved? I set up the rig with nulls as targets for the placement of the sword when the need to animate it locking into place. I want them to be visible but not able to be manipulated. I made a constraint that limited all manipulators to off but if I am working in the Choregraphy I still can select them. Is the pose constraint the wrong way to go? My splinemanship needs work I know; any suggestions are always wanted along with the regular C&C.

This isn't my strongest skill either but here goes..... you want to wrap the image around the sphere. You might want to think of a soup can label. Imagine removing it from the can and rolling it out flat. Now to compare with your image: you have the brand logo and the kind of soup that it is. But there is more to the label to wrap around. With your decal you are telling Animation master to wrap that image around the whole can instead of just the front side of it. Think of a world map. From alaska to Japan is a lot of area. If you look on a globe though........... Try to make your surface area for the planet like a world map and then wrap it around using cylinder. Anyone who thinks I'm dead wrong please chime in Hope that helps

try the softening under the multi pass

Yes, First the CP's have to be mirrored (so create half the face align the center CPs to the x axis , select all, select a spline along the x axis(while holding shift) and copy/flip/attach) Now create the pose and all motion in the pose then copy keyframe. Make a new pose then paste mirrored.

You truly have modeling talent Cross. Is that your own Personal rig? Haven't seen that bone configuration before. I'm guessing the "wing" pelvis bones rotate those parts of the legs and likewise with the shoulders.

thanks for the comments guys higginsdj I see what you mean about the strong versus the weak poses. I think that's why sometimes I feel like I'm over acting the scene. As for the timing: I haven't figured how to solve that problem. If you remember I think you made the same comment on my cowboy project. What is happening is that when I scrub through the sound in AM its not quite spot on. And with some of the sound wavs I use the waveform is not always tell tell. I think if I move the sound in post it would be okay. John Bigboote Its from the movie "Mean Girls" with Lynsey Lohan. Its the speech janis(can't remember the actress' name) gives during their little "rally" It was going to be this or the opening monologue from "jawbreaker"(another high school girl movie) but this has much more energy and range.

I'm trying to put together a portfolio and I want to thank you guys for all your help and crits. I think I'm almost there. This is really an extended topic from the KeeKat's Secret and Lypsyching the cowboy where I asked the question on lipsyching methods. This is using the "manual" method; which at this point I KNOW gets the best results. Raven.mov This is the "long" one I was referring to to. Didn't take as long as i thought it would. On this one though, I don't think its as good as the Cowboy. I believe it comes from the poses which was mentioned in one of the other topics(go figure). The cowboy's poses were done by a master, and Raven's done by me (rank amateur if even). Here are the poses. I won't list what they are cause you should be able to tell if they are good poses(I think I see an issue already) As usual any C&C is welcome Thanks

I haven't looked at your model (I'm at work right now) but If you are using to 2001 rig (I still do ) the leg bones won't all show. You are suppose to be able to do all manipulation using a combo of the hips, knees, and foot target. In the setup this is the IK legs. Its default is set to on. So when you bring a model to pose they won't show. Same thing with the IK Arms. If you turn that on you can only see the shoulder, elbows, and hand target.

You can, but it works like everything else. Example: I have template model heads that I use as a base for any full model. Sometimes when working with the model I find something that needs to be adjusted or just works better another way so I will change it. That new pose relationship can be dragged in the template model through the Project workspace and it will work so long as everything still aligns I.E.: the bones and CP#'s

If you go under your customize option on the top bar if will show all the preset ones there ANNNNND give you the option to change them

I see what your saying now itsjustme, some of the "A"s can be pulled up to a greater degree. I'll add that to the polish list. As for the lag, I've been looking at it and I'm not sure where it comes from. At first I though it was just me imagining the lag but. here's what I think. Its either the way I edit the poses. sometimes in AM clicking on a frame and hearing the sound at that point is trial and error but that's why you test render. Or I believe it only lags in certain places or seems to lag in my attempt to accent certain phonmes. I read some where that Bs and Fs(and others) should have a build up before you hear the sound. I might be holding it too long and too far ahead. And the mouth thing, yeah it does look like that. But this is only a shaded render. when rendered with the lighting it looks different(he also has scars and a five oclock shadow)

Thanks itsjustme Yes it directly from the movie, though I took some liberties with some of the pauses. Jack Burton himself is a classic hero type in my book(even though Russell plays him as a John Wayne pastiche) When referring to the lips: are you saying that the top lip is making more of a "V" shape as apposed a smooth curve?

I'm trying to put together a portfolio and I want to thank you guys for all your help and crits. I think I'm almost there. This is really an extended topic from the KeeKat's Secret where I asked the question on lipsyching methods. This is a run through using the "manual" method; which at this point I think gets the best results. cow_boy_sam.mov So far so good I got a couple more nit picks to flesh out on this one before I go on to the long monologue. as usual any C&C is welcome

Yes they overlap similar to how your first pic is. But its all a matter of the model. You might have to experiment to see where to best position the main bone to get the best translation motion.

The main bone is the controller for the other three. Apply the geometry to the three childed bones. the main bone will translate the other three. Rotating to main bone will cause them to curl like making a fist. Its a quick way to curl without having to grab and manipulate all three hinges

Okay guys I think I'm almost to the finish line. I feel like I have a few items to adjust still before completion. If you guys have the time; would be so kind to tear this apart; it would be a great help. C&C is always welcome. Here I'm am putting a low rez mov(for space reasons) the quaility of the mov. file is not the best but hopefully the animation is T_Boogie_low.mov Thanks in advance!

Well.... what is this for? Is this a class assignment, or a commission? Was there a particular subject or guideline you had to adhere to?

One way to pull off what you want is the use that image you want as a projection map or image map. The proj map is a material attribute option where you can choose whatever image you like and adjust to your needs. The image itself and be applied to the geometry either buy decal or right clicking a group and choosing add image. but that's just one way.

Okay guys round 2 Did some adjusting to the bum walk off set the head and weighted the radio a bit more. Add the animation of the guy on the bench a_walk_in_the_park_V2.mov Here what I'm seeing: I feel I'm overacting the bench guy, Am I trying to put too many emotional phases in too little a time span? Are his phases logical (I know what he is thinking, but do you?) THe bum actions need some polish. The dynanic contraint on the hat droop is going crazy after the walk cycle. The main issue I'm running into is with using the IK Arms Targets, the inbetweens become jumpy (I.E. the hand will flip over mid pass and then right itself at the keyframe) Any of you guys know a remedy for this? thanks again guys

Hey guys was needing some C&C on this first segment of the new proj I'm working on. Just want to focus on the bum action for now. walk_in_the_park.mov Here what I'm seeing: The walk looks a bit mechanical; I was thinking about maybe adding in Squash and stretch but was afraid it would take away from the "stamper scuffle" I was going for. and the "plop" down to sitting overshoot seems kind off too. thanks ahead of time guys

Nice job!! the only C&C I have is throw in some pauses. He never stops moving. The pauses will give the words more impact; like he's trying to convince the listener Dhar its driving me crazy; I've seen that model (your speaking one) before. Where else have you used it.