robcat2075

A PRJ can either save actual assets (like models) or just file paths to them. It depends on whether the item is "embedded" -If you have a PRJ open and then start a model from scratch and then save the PRJ, the model will be saved as part of the PRJ (the model was embedded) -If you have a PRJ open and then start a model from scratch and then save the model and then save the PRJ, the model is still a separate MDL file and the PRJ you just saved contains a path to that file. (the model is not embedded) -Similarly...If you have a PRJ open and then import an existing model and then save the PRJ, the model is still a separate MDL file and the PRJ you just saved contains a path to that file. (the model is not embedded) -However... If you have a PRJ open and import a model, you can force it to be part of the PRJ by going to its properties panel and switching "Embedded" to ON. Now when you save the PRJ it will contain the model. The original MDL file you imported still exists on your drive, however. A PRJ can have any assets be embedded or not. You can tell if any model is embedded by looking at its icon in the Project Workplace>Objects folder. A tiny floppy disc icon appears on it if it is saved separately from the PRJ. Likewise for Materials, Actions, and Chors. Images and Sounds are never embedded. One more thing... When you load a chor it will automatically load (or prompt you to find) all assets it needs even if you haven't loaded them in the PRJ yet. This is convenient. And another thing... when you "Save" any asset it overwrites whatever was saved under that filename before. "Save as" allows you to choose different filename to avoid that. Save your work often under filenames with incrementing numbers and then if some disaster happens you can go back to some recent version and pick up from there.

try 'uncompressed" for the codec?

Interesting find. I guess it's a violation of the unwritten "four corners per CP" rule What if those edge patches were independent of the faces and only appeared to share splines with he face patches?

Yay! 8th graders using A:M! Get them while they are young! If you ever have questions, this forum is the place to ask. I've been using A:M for maybe 14 years and I don't think I've ever used the Library. It's an interesting ease-of-use idea but when it doesn't work it's quite complicated to figure out why.

He looks fab! Damn, those are short legs!

It semi-depends on where you drop it on the screen. If you drag the model from the Objects folder to the Chor in the PWS, its model bone should be placed at 0,0,0

What if he were dragging the steering wheel behind him so it had a clearer silhouette? Or rolling it in front of him like a hoop? (not easy)

In A:M, Motion blur is set as a percentage of the length of a frame. For the same percentage setting, Motion blur for 12 fps would be twice as big as for 24fps with "step 2".

I have no experience with the ed version but... You could test that by making an obvious alteration to a model on the server and see if the change is in the same named model when you load it on a student station. (Of course, you made a backup copy of this model before you changed it ) Or you could make a change on a student station ans see if that appears for anyone else. I'm going to guess that students do not all access the same location or they would be overwriting each other's work. If you on a models name in the Objects folder and do "Save As" you will get a stamdard Save dialog that shows the folder you are aimed at and investigating the path at the top should tell if it is local or reaching across the network. This adds a layer of uncertainty that I dont' know much about. I realize there are some tuts written that make explicit reference to the Library, but it really isn't necessary to use the Library to access any file for A:M. A:M can open and save files withe the same File>Open maneuvers that other programs do. Aside from the File menu you can on the Objects folder (in the PWS) to navigate to and import models, You can on the Images folder to import images, and so on for chors and just about any other asset that woudl appear in a folder in the PWS. You can on and "Save As" any asset that appears in the PWS also. I realize that may require a bit more PC smarts and focus than some 8th graders have, which may be why there's a Library, but standard computer folder navigation works in A:M.

I forgot you're on a mac. That complicates things. My suggestion would be to buy an old version of "Freehand" which was very capable and could export AI. But I don't know if it would import your SVG work or if that old version would run on a modern mac. Plan C: Is there a low cost font editor program for the mac? you could make your outline in that as one of the "letters" and import that via the font wizard. That's how the AI wizard came about, someone was using a font creator to make mechanical shapes.

I admire your talent for distilling out the essentials of an object when you are modeling.

TASK is a great resource and one could learn just about everything in the first two or three quarters of AnimationMentor from that book

On PC it's actually a registry setting. I'm not sure how that translates into a network situation.

explain what you want more

That's a good looking snout!

Have you tried the pstoedit idea the itsjustme suggested?

That's looking good! I'm looking forward to seeing the whole project.

If rulers are on they should be possible like in modeling mode.

If you need audio, do a quick shaded render Quicktime movie of your segment also. That will include synched sound which I can match up with your image sequence in post.

"knee pops" are a persistent problem in CG walks. Basically... - the knee goes forward as the leg moves forward into the next step, -then is drawn back as the leg is pulled straighter to put the foot down, -then is pushed forward again as the leg bends into the squash pose. And when these reversals happen in a few frames it's an un natural "pop". This much is probably obvious to you already. In this case, most of the problem is that the knee is going too far forward in the first motion because... the foot is being lifted too high when it is brought forward. The higher the foot is lifted, the farther forward the knee has to go just because of the geometry of the bones. Watch my videos on posing out a basic walk and pay attention to how the lifted foot is only barely skimming the ground as it is brought forward. For almost the entire travel either the toe or heel is clearing the ground just enough to not drag. We *think* we have lifted the foot high because, initially, the heel is peeled quite a bit off the ground (to get the toe off at all) and perhaps because of the work involved in moving the entire leg. I think I also plotted out the forward motion of a knee in that vid. In a normal walk it never goes backwards in real space. It may move slower than the rest of the body but it's always moving forward. So it is geometrically possible to walk without popping the knee, but hard to manuever in CG. Last ditch resort... If your legs are rigged to be scalable you can adjust that at moments to hide the pops. Sometimes just a few % of scaling is enough to pull the knee back to where you want it. Pixar animators do that. But do that after you have done everything else to fix the proper motion of the walk. Fix knee pops last in walks. Get all the other motion working right first. Another note, not specifically knee related... he is lifting his rear foot off the ground at the same instant the front foot is landing. That's too soon unless he's almost into a jog. The rear foot and toe have the task of pushing the body forward onto the newly planted leg so they wont' leave the ground so soon. Look at my vid and count frames to see there is that span of time where both feet are on the ground. Also... i think the landing foot is taking too long to settle flat on the ground. that usually gets slapped down in a frame or two or three because of the weight of the body on the leg. You can recompress to a smaller codec in A:M or in QT Pro.

Feel free to polish madness... breeze... ratio? Easier for me to download frames

Yes, painstakingly warbled in Audacity.

Did anyone ever determine an inexpensive path to making a 24p DVD?

If you sent a link, I haven't downloaded anything yet. The only person that I know of who sent me an actual file is JohnL3D and I downloaded that but haven't' looked at it yet.

I'm trying my damndest to get it done! I'll hold the train for you, since I'm holding it for me too.