ernesttx

Hey Xtaz, just viewed the video. First thing I would do is crop the drawing / painting segment and get rid of the Photoshop? menus and border. Those items are not important to the creation of the drawing. It looks like a time lapse recording for a Photoshop tutorial. Let the viewer focus on your drawing of Lau. I didn't see the dissolve quirk as much as Rodney indicated. Perhaps a tweaking of it with his suggestions. Overall, it is nice. However, it does lack any motivation for the audience to take action. I like the smile idea. But, yes the overall "message" to the audience will need to be communicated. The video may need to be a bit longer to include more information about what this video is, what project it's a part of, and the grander vision. I still like Lau

Xtaz, youtube says video is still processing. I'll check back on it soon and give you feedback.

Ab-so-lute-ly love great job

Robcat, if the FakeAOGPU working? I haven't look at it since I thought it was still producing rectangle jaggies/anomalies?

Oh yeah I like that rendering that's almost the look I'm trying to achieve hehe 'course I need some toon lines is all that hand painted textures? or just painted, they don't have to be hand painted ? muahaha

aww...unable to see image at work I'll check it out when I get home. would love to see the hand drawn look

Ok, basically just removed everything in the Hash folder in HKEY_Current_User and re-installed v16 64 bit. It seems to be working fine now. So, I'll wait for v 17 final release hehe Now, could someone point me in the direction of being able to render a shadow pass. Everything I'm trying just produces black images. Trying to save EXR or PNG buffers for color, shadow, depth and alpha. Thx

Ok, just checked HKEY_Current_User and there is only 1 folder per version (ie, 16 or 17) that has a recent project list. so that answers that 32 and 64 v 17 would read from the same file.

John, it is all projects, with varying render settings (image type, length, save folder, alpha/no alpha, Toon/no Toon, multipass/no multipass, etc.). Originally it was happening in v17 64, but then I tried v16 64 and it was happening there. I didn't even have v17 32 installed. So, that's what led me to codecs. But, there shouldn't be recent projects from another bit version listed in another version unless AM is reading from a master recent files file.

thanks mtpeak2, I checked all versions v16 64, v17 32 and 64 and all were pointing to the right folders. Ok still weirdness, I am in v17 64 bit and open a project and save it under another name, I then exit the program and then start v17 32 bit and check recent files opened and the original file and the newly saved file are both listed. Is this normal??

Ok just re-installed v16 64 bit and it seems more stable. I'm wondering now with the installs and re-installs, I kept noticing that the recent projects were coming up with the same files I had been working on. Is there a master type file that AM reads from that is somewhere else (maybe lHKEY_Current_User or something that tells it which files were recent)?? I'll keep an eye on things. Also, under HKEY_Current_User>Software>Hash, I still have registrations for v12, 13,16 and 17, AM Plugins. In AM Plugins, there are folders for AVI, JPEG, LWO, MDD HXT, OPENEXR, PNG, etc. would this folder be over written when installing v17 64 bit and cause errors with all versions? or does all versions read from that folder?? hmmmm

yeah, 17 32 bit seems to be working with images and avi did not give me errors or crashes. but as soon as I fire up v17 beta 2 64 bit, and try to render, crash. hmmmmm maybe try to reinstall v16 64 bit next.

Well, 32 bit seemed to work better. But, different image codecs performed differently. jpeg seems to work, but png, exr, bmp causes crashing. Avi's give this error: AVIFileCreateStream error: and then Unable to save file [path URL]. so it makes me think it's a codec issue, but I have no idea how to check those. or where they would be. I've done reinstall of v17 32 and 64 bit hmmmm

Well, 32 bit seemed to work better. But, different image codecs performed differently. jpeg seems to work, but png, exr, bmp causes crashing. Avi's give this error: AVIFileCreateStream error: and then Unable to save file [path URL]. so it makes me think it's a codec issue, but I have no idea how to check those. or where they would be. I've done reinstall of v17 32 and 64 bit hmmmm

yes installed to different folders. I've had v16 installed for a long time and no issues. But, I even had issues with v16 and trying to render. I'm wondering if it's a codec error, because I did get a weird avi error. I wish I had saved the screen capture. Maybe if I do it again and try rendering an avi. But I have 32 bit installed and it seems to be working much better. So, maybe re-install.

Oops forgot, Win 7 64bit, NVidia 310M latest drivers 296.x.x, no other programs running. 8 GB ram. I guess I'll download 32 bit version and test.

Anyone having issues with rendering out images from within A:M 16 or 17beta 2? No matter what I am trying, it crashes 80% of the time. I have tried different settings, different models, different projects. I have tried png, exr, avi (of which I get a v16 error in v17??) so I have no other idea what it could be. And to top it all off, I was rendering several images just over the weekend and no problems. I have not installed any software between then and now. I have rebooted several times, ended unneeded tasks, etc. I'm at a loss. Just wondering if any known issues. Thanks in advance.

Ok, I see I can Add images by right clicking on Images under Decals and then set what type of texture it will be.

Hey, all, delving into texturing and I've created a Color texture. I'm wondering since I've created this texture, would it be possible to create a displacement texture using the UV that was created for the Color texture? I say this as when I created the Color texture, I did a test and run kind of method (flatten, apply Decal for Color, not save Action). So, I'm almost done with the character and started to wonder about other possible decal textures - displacement, bump, etc. I'm wondering if there is a way to utilize what I've already done or would I have to start all over again and just create more decal images (one for all I suppose because, how would I determine how many I would need - do I need reflection, bump, displacement, etc). Thanks again.

Hello everyone, I caught the A:M bug around 1999, I think I had v5 or v6 and it has been my primary 3D animation program. Over the years, I've tried several other programs (Poser, Daz, Carrara, Cinema 4D, 3D Studio Max, Blender, Lightwave, Messiah) and everytime I keep coming back to A:M because of its ease of use and straight-forward approach to character animation. I started (and slowly continuting) a web series using ony A:M and can be seen at www.youtube.com/ernesttx and have a few short clips on A:M Films. I edited a trailer for SO and occassionally lurk around the forums and help where I can. My primary uses for A:M are character animation and special effects in all my videos that I have created. I will be producing a live action film shortly (hopefully) and will use A:M as the primary 3D modelling and animation program and see how far I can take it in special effects.

I know what you mean about priorities, Will. I made myself a 3 year plan last year in order to do what I want for the remaining years I have. Yes, I'm 45 too it's not over, it's getting things in place for you to do what you want. My plan: 1st year (2011)- out of debt and all the software and hardware that I might need: Software - editing (vegas pro), compositing (fusion), 3D (AM, Blender,Messiah, Vue10, SynthEyes2011, etc) - also learning period for software Hardware - T2i, JVC 3CCD HD camcorder (for vfx), audio recorders, etc. To date, all the above have been met. 2nd year - 2012 - purchase land for studio (will do that end of this month) during this year - build studio (not a huge place, just something to setup shop and work out of) everything will be paid for in 2012 will rent out studio as well, as I plan it to be a small backlot for others to film their projects set up Roku animation channel for subscription based revenue (a dream but what's life without one) if all goes well, maybe won't need a 3rd year, but in case: 3rd year - save money and network like crazy, create roadmap for projects, take on odd vfx jobs, editing, animation, etc. 2014 (or 2013) - will be working for myself So get those priorities in line, figure out what you want to do and set it in motion. 2012 year of the dragon - make it happen.

I'm in the same spot you are. I spend too much time at my day job to really get anything accomplished on my projects. Also, I'm working on a plan to set up my own animation type commune myself (well, my studio anyway). I'll join yours if you join mine. hehe

hey ruscular, the .mdd export from AM works with messiah. I just used the DMorph effect to load the file. If you have a new plugin I would be more than happy to test out as well. I have Messiah 5 64 bit. Win 7.

Yeah, Rob, I was planning on doing a tutorial on all of it. I spent the better part of 3 days trying to figure it all out hehe Being the TD and the artist is a painful thing. Anywho, long story short, when you export .py from AM these are the top lines in the python code: DeselectAll() cam=StoreCamera() SelectByType(VuePython.VUEBasicObject.VOT_Camera) cam = GetSelectedObjectByIndex(0) And it wasn't importing into Vue with the keyframes. It would import and create a camera. I do not know anything about Python or coding, but I do know if something else works, it's all about trial and error and find what does work. Now, it may be that with Vue 10, somethings have changed in the API and some parameters are named different and all that. Then, I looked at the Bouncing_Sphere.py that comes with Vue, and found similiar lines and changed those. These are the 3 lines that I changed in the AM .py file: DeselectAll() SelectByType(VuePython.VOT_Camera) cam = GetSelectedObjectByIndex(0) Save new .py file and try to import. Voila. Now, I don't know alot so you may have to put in the cam=StoreCamera() line as well. All I was trying to do was get the file into Vue. So, any other help or information would be great as well.

Ok, finally got .mdd working for me. The weird thing was trying to figure out that you have to make sure your FPS are set. Another weird thing I'll have to check out is that I couldn't directly import into Vue 10. I first had to import into messiah and then export out the .mdd from there for Vue to read it. Also, I think that the Python camera export might need to be look at as I could not get a camera imported into Vue with the keyframes. I looked at the Python code and an example from Vue and had to change the first 3 lines before the camera could be imported. Other than that, everything went smoothly from A:M to other software. Blender could read the .mdd file fine. Anyway, made a quick test animation, enjoy: http://amfilms.hash.com/video/1995/Thom-Run