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I tried unchecking the boxes - the error message about entering integers appears once I tried to close the options window and then A:M crashed. This does not effect my use of A:M. I'm still able to work within all the windows - model, choreography, render, etc. - I am just unable to change options without receiving the error message and A:M crashing. While modeling, the lathe tool still works as 4 cross sections (as I last successfully had it set) even though in the options dialog box the number is the random string starting with 20 . . .

I'm able to enter the number 20 in the "undo" box and exit the options window without A:M crashing, but when I enter the options again the string of numbers appears, again in the "undo" box. A:M crashes when I select the "unlimited" box, after an error message appears saying "Please enter an integer between 1 and 3200". When I try to change the number of lathe cross sections from the random string of numbers to a different number, say 4 or 8, the error message "Please enter an integer between 1 and 3200" appears and A:M crashes. Yes, I am using A:M on a Macbook Pro in Mavericks OS 10.9

I just reset my settings, but the problem persists. In any window of the "option" settings, a random integer appears in the box. Here's a screenshot showing the "undo" function with a random number in it. Whenever I try to exit the options menu, A:M crashes after informing me to enter an integer between x and x.

I am running A:M 18n (SSE 4) on a 2014 Macbook Pro Mavericks OS 10.9 computer. In the options/modeling/lathe cross sections dialog box a string of numbers beginning with 2 has appeared and when I try to replace the number with an whole number an error message appears requesting I enter an integer between 1 and 100 (which I tried to do), then A:M crashes. I have restarted A;M and/or my computer a number of times but the problem persists. I have even reinstalled the latest version of A:M to no avail. Please advise.

I figured it out - working! Even though I changed the name of the license file, the extension didn't get changed. In the "Get Info" of the file the extension was still ".lic.txt" Once I changed it there everything is working and I've accessed my trial period - thanks!

Fuchur - I requested a trial version of A:M18. The following day I received an email from Hash Inc. saying my request was accepted. Within that email were 4 links. One link to A:M for Windows, one link for A:M for Mac OSX, one link for A:M for SSE4, and a link to the license file. I clicked on the A:M for SSE4 (since my Macbook Pro is a mid 2014 model and following instructions from these forums have surmised my machine supports SSE4) and downloaded the software from there, assuming it is the latest version. I did NOT also download A:M for Mac OSX - am I supposed to do that as well? Is the SSE4 link just for a patch or for the full software? That's a bit confusing to me. After installing the software (from just the SSE4 link provided in the email from Hash), I downloaded the license file from the link in the email. It showed up in my downloads folder as "master0.lic.txt". I renamed it "master0.lic" per instructions in the email, moved it to the A:M18 Folder now in my Applications folder on my HD (it's the only version of A:M ever installed on this computer). I double-clicked on the A:M application and was greeted with the Activation Key Needed dialog box, for which I would need an activation key, which has not been provided to me, to open into the software. Failing to provide an Activation Key just causes me to abort loading the software. I have tried downloading the "master0.lic" file again via the link provided in the email from Hash, just to see if the license file got corrupted somehow, but am told I can't download it because it has already been downloaded. Thanks, Chris

Can a new master0.lic file be sent to my address since the one initially sent with the agreement doesn't bypass the Activation Key dialog?

Yes. The host ID I sent to Hash was from the computer I'm trying to run the trial of A:M v.18 on

Hi Fuchur - My email is citykids3@aol.com Thank you, Chris Walters

Hi - I'm trying to get my trial version A:M v.18 up and running on my Macbook Pro OS 10.9.4. I followed all of the download instructions in the email I received from Hash accepting my request, renamed the downloaded license "master0.lic" per the instructions, and placed it into the folder next to the application, yet when I try to open A:M, I'm greeted with a dialog box requesting an Activation Key. I have been using A:M15j on an older Mac and want to try the newest version of A:M on new hardware before I decide to buy. Can someone please advise me how to address this issue. I've contacted tech support by email and tried by phone, both to no avail. Thank you.

Yes - this looks great, Robert! I'll dive into this look per your suggestions soon. This seems like a great start to get a fuller color pallet similar to the ad - thanks!

Thanks for the replies, Mark & Robert! I'll dive into better lighting with more colors as you suggest, Robert. In the meantime, here's a render that I have done with basically just red/black. camera: black bacground devil model:red diffuse/black specular_size 100%/intensity 140% terrain model: black diffuse/ red specular 4 lights: Rim=default/Fill=default/1st Keylight=default white facing up at devil model/2nd keylight backlighting facing down at terrain_color red I actually like this look for my purposes, though it's not the look from the ad. Thanks! red1.tga

Have any of you seen the recent Jose Cuervo ads on TV and have suggestions on how to light and render models in A:M in the choreography to simulate that look? It seems to be a 2-color (red/black) psuedo toon render in 3d, with the shadows being black. I write "psuedo" toon render because it seems like there is depth to the scorpion model though it is only two colors.

(consider using SSAO instead) I'm using A:M 15j, so I don't believe SSAO is an option in that version. Also, using occlusion yields such killer results!

Thanks Chris...I just do what I do...and don't try to recreate anyone else's look (normally), but will find inspiration, new ideas from everyone. Hmmm... I am just now experimenting with flat shading, toon lines, front projection and global ambiance type/global color - in 18d/64 and things are not quite how I remember with respect to all this (something is funny). My brain is currently in a muddled state due to migrating to new computer...so take what I say with "caution" until further notice (uhh...which may be never). I can get lines, I can get shadows, but I'm having a hard time getting both with flat shading (ie no gradient - this is different on my old machine last I looked)??? EDIT: If I change diffuse falloff of teapot surface to 0% then I get no gradient (again I'm not sure of all settings, this graphics card, 18d/64 works differently) How do I select z-buffered shadows and tweak the level? Experimenting now - I really like the Global Ambience lighting without toon render when white rendering - very "claymation"-like! Would like to get the shadows a bit less soft, or at least more "present".

Thanks, Nancy! Yes, your "White Render" posts on this forum are what I've used to inform my experiments with white rendering - thank you! I hadn't thought of Toon Line Rendering while white rendering - will give it a shot. When White Rendering, I also had turned off all lights in the choreography and just used Global Ambience to light my scene. I didn't realize using other lighting would work - will give your "klieg" suggestion a shot. Side note: I really admire your models. They have a very distinct and unique style that must be very personal to you.

I thought that looked cool. It almost looked like an animator's red pencil sketch. Thank you. Yeah, I really liked these rendering options for this as well, though A:M's "White Render" parameters create stunning results when I have the time and patience (& processing power) to use it. This animation is aver 450 frames. I can only imagine the "white render" time using my poor, feeble computer.

Simon - In my model, I created a group called "Head" and in the surface properties I set the line color to a "red" that I liked. Line Thickness for "Head" = 1, Toon Bias = 6. Another group I named "Body": color = red; Line Thickness = 1; Toon Bias = 3. A third group, "Teeth": color = red; Line Thickness = .85; Toon Bias = 20. The reason I set the "Head" group at a different Toon Bias is because it is more complex in splines and cps and I experimented til I attained the look I wanted. In Rendering options, I chose "Toon Render/Lines Only". In the Choreography I've hidden the "Ground" and chosen "white" as the camera's background color.

Yeah, Robert, I guess the close proximity of control points can create havoc while animating. I normally just use one "smartskin" relationship per bone (and, honestly, I don't use smartskin on every bone), which probably explains a lot. Weighing the control points is also something helps, although my process is at best random and pretty "uninformed". One quick question: To what use would I create more than one smartskin on a bone? Hack that I am, I just manipulate a bone at various angles in a smartskin and start moving points to my liking. While this offers some decent results, I still find myself sometimes (not often) moving control points within an action to serve my purpose. Some of the great animators using A:M (Anzovin, and whoever it was that years ago created that warrior princess walking through a jungle) seem to get flawless movement from their A:M models. I wish to work towards that kind of seamless joint movement. Obviously, my using Toon Render/Lines Only is a shameless way to hide glaring obstacles in my path to enlightenment.

Hello - attached is a short dance animation test I've done in A:M for a music video to my song "Ol' Scratch". I know, I know . . . there are various aspects of the rigging and animation process which are, to be generous, flawed . . . but the spirit is there! In short, I really love this software and the creative and helpful people here on these forums. I am in awe of how intelligent, insightful, and quick to help all of you are - thank you! To rig my biped models I feel compelled to thank David Rogers for this brief tut: http://am-guide.com/SetUp/ My models still give me trouble in the "knee, elbow, and hip" joints, some of which could be alleviated were I to use "fan" bones, and were I to really delve into rigging properly. I say this humbly, welcoming advice from anyone here who sees answers to any glaring missteps. That said, I hope you get a kick outa this short sequence! ol_scratch.mov

Amazing! Thanks so much for this quick demonstration. As you stated - "easy and straightforward". You guys rock!

Thanks Robert! That should have been obvious to me as that's how I mirror the bones while rigging. Truly appreciate your help!

I have a model performing a dance action and am wondering if there is a quicker way to mirror the whole action other than to "copy/paste mirrored" each keyframe. Using A:M 15j on Mac OS 10.6.8. Thanks.

That's it! Wow! So, do you just open the two files in a text editor and edit from there? I've never done this. And yes, very grateful that A:M stores its files in human-readable text. Thanks so much. This alleviates the dread of starting several hours of work all over again immediately after completing it the first time. Not quite "Sisyphean", but an undesirable task all the same. You rock!

Here they are. One being thecorrupted rigged model, the other half of same model "pre-copy-flipped" and without bones or rigging. Thanks for looking into this. Junkman_full_02.mdl Junkman07.mdl