Gerry

That's a good point, Robert. I didn't try saving and reopening.

I just did a *very* quick-and-dirty test with a simple model with two groups. If you create groups in 3DS with different material settings, they come into A:M with the groups called "Surface 1" and "Surface 2". I didn't get fancy, I only applied ambient colors, but they came in more-or-less intact, e.g., one group came in completely transparent, but I just reset the transparency in surface settings from zero back to 100. In messing around in 3DS I also applied a "weld" modifier and that's had some unexpected results in A:M but I'm not 100% sure what the "weld" modifier is so I can't offer any more info. Also as I mentioned above, these settings appear to only be in the instance placed in the chor, not in the model itself; kind of strange actually. Bears more testing, but this is all very promising I think.

that's great, thanks!

Hey, I'm just seeing this now so sorry for the delay. I'll check this at some point today or tomorrow and let you know.

Both versions are fun experiments! Nancy, how do you set your QT to loop? I was trying to figure that out a week or two ago.

Head size way better. The feet look a tad small as well, but I'm not going to quibble, the torso is really nicely contoured. I was going to ask about the way you've splined the elbow areas, but I guess you're not animating this, is that right? Would you have done the elbows differently if you were?

Really nice, Kat! Narrator is perfect!

Glad to help, that's what we're here for.

That's some great detective work everyone! Gene, I like the new truck but it would be nice if the drum kit swung out with a little more weight and came down with a bit of a bounce at the bottom end of the swing. I know this is just a first draft, but awhile back you were commenting on the lack of liveliness (hope that's a good description) in your animation. This is the sort of little touch that helps, even with inanimate objects.

How do you bake the dynamics? And as I understand it, once baked you can't unbake, right? So the idea is to save a baked version of the chor for testing, etc.?

I had a problem with this a couple years ago, where dynamic constraints that looked fine in a one-pass test render all "flattened out" in a multi-pass render. As someone told me at the time, before you do a final (multi-pass) render, delete all the dynamic constraints and check "simulate spring systems", or something like that. It has something to to with the multiple passes equalizing the dynamics until they're barely there at all. Is this relevant to the type of renders you're talking about here? (N.B.: I've never baked anything, so I'm unfamiliar with its effects)

That's a nice frame!

I was unaware of that, I'll have to give it a try!

Nice one! I still would like to get a ground haze effect for Nightcallers and I know it can be done but my experiments (such as they are) haven't let anywhere. It need to be more than just turning fog on and off but I'm at a loss. Maybe sprite emitters is the way.

I for one have no doubts, Mark. Go get em!

Wait, "ruining" or "running"? Inquiring minds wanna know!

Hope you have a good one and many more, Paul!

Nice! Reminds me of those commercials that say "Build your own website in minutes!" They never say HOW MANY minutes!

I've got a comment/observation about the v17 beta. I like the Animate button turning red when it's active, and the way the chor window gets the red border...but shouldn't the window have the red border when the Animate button is red? Right now it's reversed, the window has the red border when the Animate button is inactive. this is a nice touch but it seems they should both be red at the same time.

I want to know what happens next!

I need to revisit Biff's cape in v17. I never got it to work and ended up rigging and cp-weighting it, but it's not a very satisfying solution.

...this is your computer on drugs.

That sounds insanely ambitious, Mark. I was thinking of at least a couple more Star Trek episodes. You've hooked into something and you've got the basic models and sets built. If you don't feel like you've got more ST stories in you I would understand, but this is something that you should build on in the most direct way possible. IMO. EDIT: btw is there somewhere people can now buy this online or will that be after the con?

Mark, this is a terrific and fun thing! I enjoyed it tremendously. Well done!

Got my dvd today! Went home at lunch and there it was. I'm going to watch it tonight! Move over, Simpsons!