T-Dogg

Good to know it's finally out! I've been waiting... impatiently. I hope it makes it to my local bookstore. I don't like to order stuff if I don't have to. I guess I just don't like waiting for it to arrive. By the way, Dhar, I bought that Anzovin book a few weeks ago. It's a good read! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I am right there with ya, Buddy!!! [attachmentid=17161]

I learned my lesson about the right and left views the hard way when I was modelling that head. I kept screwing things up, and finally realized it was because I had the pictures wrong in the viewports. So now I try to always double check that. I look forward to beginning the actual modelling. I want to learn all I can.

I went in and added the back and side rotoscopes. I lined them up with yours in the front view and then just switched them to the appropraite view by changing it in the properties panel. For a left view of the car, I put it in the right A:M view, correct? The question I have now is... for the top view do we use it as-is? I think maybe it should be rotated in a more vertical position, but I am not sure. I can't wait to get started on the actual modelling. There's just so much I need to learn in A:M if I ever want to make my own cartoons.

Looks like we use the same layout in A:M at least. I downloaded your zip file. I'll look at it ASAP. Thanks again for helping me like this. I really do appreciate it.

Atomic Batteries to power... Turbines to speed... I'd like to make this a fairly detailed model, but I don't know if my rudimentary spline-modelling skills will hold up. To tell you the truth, I don't even know where to begin.

Wow... this is a hard choice. For an organic model I've always wanted to try do some famous celebrity's face, like Elvis or John Wayne. For mechanical... well, I know you said cars are overdone, but I have personally never modelled one. I tried once to do Speed Racer's Mach 5 in the polygon program, but I never got very far along with it. (It was a huge thrill for me to finally get a great model of it on the Hash Extras CD. ) To go along with the Mach 5, it would be nice to have another unique car. Since I couldn't find any blueprints of the Monkeemobile, how about this one instead? [attachmentid=17109] Would that be too difficult for a spline-modelling newbie like me with no mechanical modelling skill?

This is just a thought, but when you re-installed after your format did you check the box to install files from the CD? That will put the files on your hard disk in case you want to remove the CD after starting the program.

The models I made were organic. Truth is, they weren't very good... but I did spend a lot of time on them. I just hate to leave them behind. The other program I used wasn't mine. I used to stay after hours at the place I work just to use it, but that got to be a problem. I couldn't afford to buy that program, so I tried to find a cheaper-but-still-complete program that I felt would meet my needs. When I saw A:M, I knew it was the program for me. I didn't even think about it not working with my old polygon models. A:M is definitely going to be the program I use from now on, and I have been trying hard to learn spline modelling. Here is an example of one of the A:M models I have been working on: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21916 I'd still love to work on a mechanical model with you, if it's OK. I think it would be a great learning experience. To be honest, I haven't tried any mechanical modelling in A:M yet. I have no rotoscopes though. I don't mind using version 12, because I have 12 and 13 both installed in separate folders. (Since I still use only the most basic features of A:M, I haven't really noticed any differences between the 2 versions yet, anyway.)

While the TWO models look outstanding, I would hate to see the old ones be removed. You make a lot of sense about using 2 rigs. There's nothing wrong with the old rig from what little I've used it just from working the exercises in TAoAM. I've just been wanting to give the new one a try. Someday I hope to learn to do my own rigging. The more I use A:M, the more I see how much I still have left to learn. At times it looks almost impossible, but I just gotta keep trying. I have wanted to make my own cartoons since I was a kid making phenakistoscopes out of paper plates. Now I am approaching 40 and finally have the means to make real, professional-level cartoons. Hopefully by the time I hit 50 I will know enough about this program to do it.

Thanks Steve! I am downloading it now for v13. I thought I read somewhere that this new rig was going to be replacing the 2001 rig as the A:M standard. Assuming this is true, doesn't that mean the models that come with A:M will have to be updated too? Then I guess TAoAM will likewise need an update. Wow, that sounds like a lot of work for Hash!!!! Is this going to be done for version 13, or will it happen in a later version? (I am hoping for version 13, since I bought the Yeti CD! ) From what I've read in the TWO forums, this new rig really rocks. I'm especially interested in the facial setup. My download is complete, so now I have to go learn how to use it!

I have been reading a lot on these forums. I see that this new Squetch Rig is being used in the TWO movie. The FACE setup also looks very powerful. My question is: Are these new rigs going to be included with A:M13, or will they have to be gotten elsewhere like TSM? Sorry I ask so many dumb newbie questions. I just figured that if these rigs are good enough for the Animation Masters to use on TWO, then that is what I would like to use as well when I finally get around to doing my own animations. Thanks for your time.

Since the site shows some versions of the plugin are v13 specific, and version 13 is only beta so far, I would expect them to work with the beta. As for version 12, as I said earlier, LWO12 did not work. I guess I will go back and give OBJ12 a try. I hope some other users will respond. It doesn't make sense to me why these plugins apparently work so well for other people but not for me. Are these plugins for Mac or something? I am using XP here. I realize that A:M works best with genuine A:M spline models. I know that if I did manage to get a polymodel into A:M it would require a great deal of tweaking. Before I bought A:M I spent a lot of time trying to learn another program, and I would like to take some of my old models and "bring them over", so to speak.

I tried the versions I stated in my original post:

Which versions of the plugins are you using? And which version of Animation Master? Has anyone else had trouble with these plugins?

You misunderstand me, black mage. I'm not having trouble installing the plugin. I have a separate folder setup for any extra plugins I might add, and I went into A:M's options and added that folder under hxt. The plugin IS installed, otherwise the OBJ and LWO options would not even show up in A:M's menus. My problem is that the plugins don't seem to work properly when I actually try to use them. Thanks for your response anyway, though.

I've seen mention of the plugins on this page ( http://www.innovateenterprises.com/AM/ ) in several posts here on the forum. First I tried the LWO13 and OBJ13 plugins using A:M 13beta2. I opened a new model window and clicked file/plug-ins/import/ and tried to import LWO and OBJ. In both cases, no new window ever popped up to let me choose a file to import. When those didn't work, I went back and opened up A:M version 12.0v+ and tried using the LWO12.hxt. This time a window did pop up to let me pick a file. Then it asked at what angle control points should peak. After that I got the following error message: "Not a Lightwave object (Missing LWOB tag)". I have emailed the author about my problems, but he has not responded yet. Since I am too impatient for my own good sometimes, I thought I would also ask about it here on the forum in hopes of getting a quicker response from my fellow A:M users. Thank you for your time.

Thanks for the info! But I gotta ask... how did you guys know all this? I didn't see it mentioned in the book anywhere. Well, I just tried to do the Hello tutorial, and Merlin told me to read everything in the tutorial window and click the "next" button.... but the window was empty. It only said HELLO across the top. I had to shut down A:M to get out of the tutorial. I guess it doesn't work. Anyway, I turned Agent off. Thanks again for the info!

When I start A:M, the MS Agent Wizard's hat pops up in my system try. It doesn't seem to do anything other than just sit there in the tray. I was just wondering what's the point of that? Thanks again for your time and I apologize if this is a stupid question.

Yes, I am very new to A:M. I received it in the mail during the first week of March. I think the book that comes with it does a very good job of explaining the basics. I also got a couple of Studio45 disks with it, but I think they are a little dated. Training material for A:M seems scarce compared to other programs I've seen. The Anzovin site you mentioned looks pretty good though. I am planning to get the A:M 2005 handbook that is due to be released this month, as well. My goal is to produce my own cel-shaded animations, or perhaps a comic. I've had several ideas floating around in my head for years. I think A:M is just the tool to help me finally get around to actually producing them.

Thanks for the compliment, Rusty! By the way, that texturing tutorial on your site should come in very handy. I used front and side pictures of my friend's face as rotoscopes for modelling (although for some reason my model still doesn't seem to be a very good likeness of him), so I guess I can use those same pictures to make my maps with.

Thanks, Ken. That really helped me out a lot! I went back and tried to find and correct all those areas... and no more creases! I tried to re-shape everything the way it was before I made the changes. This is my progress so far.[attachmentid=16793][attachmentid=16794]

I am modelling a head, and I am having problems with creases around the neck, eyes, and mouth. I've attached some pictures so you can what I am talking about. I have only had A:M for a couple of months, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.[attachmentid=16782][attachmentid=16783][attachmentid=16784][attachmentid=16785] I ran out of pace for that post, so here are the side views. [attachmentid=16787][attachmentid=16788]

Thanks for the quick replies! I kinda figured the answer was no, but thought I'd give it a shot. I know a 3ds Max user who changes his splash screen regularly to match whatever project he's working on. I guess that's one of the features he paid that extra $3000 for. As for the walk cycles, I noticed that it changes from time to time, and just thought it'd be cute to see my own little fellows running around up there. It's not a big deal, because I'm still not a good enough modeller yet, anyway.

Can the A:M Splash Screen or the little walk cycle animations that appear during rendering be replaced? I'd like to add my own original creations if possible. I just thought I'd ask. Thank you for your time.