[Saving setup with models]

I've noticed that when I import any of the models from the CD Library, they import with their skeletons and setup so that they are pretty much ready to animate. I have a few other models where their setups are stored in an .act file, so when I import the model, I have to turn around and import the .act file as well and then drag it onto the model. How can I save the model so that when I import it into a project, the setup comes with it?

[v11 release date?]

Is there a tentative release date for v11? I've been looking over the forums and haven't seen it, but have seen a lot of testing going on with it. Just wondered if a "semi-official" date had been announced.

[More than just an action]

I'm sure this is a noobie question, but since I'm a noob, I hope I'm justified in asking it. I haven't been able to figure out how to do more than just a simple action with a character in a Chor.. What I mean is that I can model a character, create a walk cycle (or some kind of action), attach a stridelength, and throw it into a chor.. But, I can't seem to figure out how to "link" and time my actions together. For instance, let's say I want my character to walk from behind the camera, into the scene, and then after walking about 10 meters, turn and look over his shoulder at the camera (and pause his walking), then turn back, and continue his walk. If I create a path, and animate the character walking the path, A:M translates his walk cycle down the length of the path. (BTW, I understand stridelength, and this isn't a question about setting up Stridelength). How do I have him travel halfway down the path. Stop and then continue? Do I have to create 2 separate paths, or is there another way to do this? I hope this question makes sense

[Can't find Pose Sliders]

Well, just as sure as I post that I need help I finally find it. For some reason, they didn't pop-up until I enabled 'Libraries' but gott'm now.. Sorry 'bout the waste of bandwidth.

[Can't find Pose Sliders]

Hi all.. I'm having trouble getting the pose sliders to pop up. I went through the tutorial on pose sliders in Ch 11 of The Animation:Master Handbook SE, and the pose sliders aren't apprearing .. I've made sure that the Pose Sliders option is checked in the project workspace popup menu, and created a few different facial poses. Then I created a new Action, and the Pose sliders are supposed to show up in the Workspace, but they're not. I've tried undocking the windows and moving them around to make sure none of them were covering the sliders, but still can't find them. Any ideas?

[HeadAche]

I think the "flat" shadow you're experiencing is from the sharp angle going from the face to the side of the head. JohnArtbox's idea can be done a few ways... mainly, just try to find a way to decrease the transition angle a bit.. That should smooth out the shading a bit.

[Born Again Newbie with my first New Model]

Haven't dropped him in a chor yet. I think I'm satisfied with the structure of the head so I've got to move on to the body now. I'll come back and touch up the textures and add the hair after I've got the body built. ...Oh just remembered, I've gotta do teeth/gums/tongue too. My initial thought was to go for a Sorcerer/Wizard type of a look. I've got a general idea... Will keep updated.

 

I haven't gotten V11 yet (still working with 7.1 ), but plan on updating for Chrismas I think (the hair tutorial I saw on the Hash site was pretty nice). Can you setup spring-constraints on the hair to have a "cloth" feel to them since it's governed by splines?

[Born Again Newbie with my first New Model]

I did some searching tonight and found a few good Hair tutorials.. They were directed at LW and MAX, but the concepts looked simple enough to use. I've been playing around with it a little and been getting decent results, though I need a bit more practice to get it just right. Here's the link to the one that's worked the best for me.

 

http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/t.../modeling/hair/

[Born Again Newbie with my first New Model]

@Mega: Hey, thanks. I did the texturing in PShop, using some reference images and a lot of airbrush, bluring, and smudging .. It's how I do all my texturing for my realtime models. I really like PhotoShop and/or Paintshop pro . I've never really worked with Painter.. Do you like it? The protrusion wasn't intentional. I don't think it's as evident now (if we're talking about the same thing). And I took care of the "lip stick smudge" under the lip (though I may have overcompensated).

 

I'm really trying to find a nice way to do reallistic hair (given the version I'm using). Does anyone know of any good tutorials that don't use Hash's hair system, but rather texturing of patches? I've seen some really realistic stuff done with the older versions, but have yet to find a good tutorial. I was trying to combine decaling a color map and transparency map (which is what you see below), but it still doesn't look good enough for my liking.. Also, I need to improve his ears drasticly and add a little bump and spec map to him.

 

@ jfirestine: Here's some wireframe shots (I took the Hair out of the bare frame because it made everything look like a next )

 

 

 

Here's how he looks after today:

 

I thought it rendered pretty well up close:

[Born Again Newbie with my first New Model]

Hi All,

I got AM back when it was version 5.0, and stuck with it up to 7.1.. I stepped out of the 3-D scene for quite a few years, and just within the last few weeks, dropped by the Hash site to see the changes they made in software. I was blown away at the improvements (though I still need to upgrade ). Anyway, I've been doing 3D game development and low-poly (I know it's a dreaded word) modeling as a hobby/sidebusiness for about a year now, and wanted to start doing some cinematic stuff. So, out comes my copy of AM... To make a long story short, I'm in the process of "re-learning" AM (you don't use it, you lose it), and thought that I'd get my feet wet by working on a new character. I was intending on using him for the Mascot competition, but after drudging along to get this far, I don't think he'll be ready in time. Anyway, here's a pic of what I've got so far. I've gotta give'm some ears and hair (I don't think I'll use much of the fur, but rather map the hair). Just shooting him out their as my WIP, and saying hi to the community!