omoanime
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Posts posted by omoanime
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You are quite welcome. Glad to be of assistance.
Paul
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Hi Graham,
Since you stated that this is an anime-inspired head instead of an actually attempt to make an anime head, I will try to keep the comments in that arena.
I think is is a very good start. The eyes seem a little too "Roswell alien" for my tastes. I would prefer something more round or oval north to south vs. east to west.
Other criticisms are that the neck seems a bit narrow for the size of head and, not knowing whether this is a male or female character, the mouth feels a little "mean" and thin.
If you want to really capture the "anime" look, I would suggest looking at these websites below. The artist do a nice job of walking you through the anime style elements.
The latter actually shows this in Animation:Master
Hope this helps,
Paul
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I might be thinking too simplistically but why couldn't you build all of your necessary chors into one choreography, allow that to render overnight or however long that takes and then assemble the final project in a video editor afterwards?
This is what I am doing - I have 10 scenes out of the 40+ for a project I am working on that have basically the same elements in them. Just the animation, lighting, etc are different. So I have made one long choreography where scene 1 takes place, then there is a spacing gap which allows the elements to move into their positions for the next scene and then scene 2 takes place.
I don't know if you are on a mac or not but if A:M is applescriptable, you could, in theory, setup an apple script that would launch A:M, tell it to load a specific file and then render it based on watched folders. But the program would have to be apple scriptable and it sounds like Net Render already does this in single machine environments. If so, I would see little reason for Hash to allow the apple scripting route.
Just my own personal ramblings,
Paul
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I think that this is great idea.
I would prefer and purchase a CD containing everyday props that I could then use to build my animations. There are many great tutorials and guides out there and thanks to Hash's rapid development cycle (which is a good thing) tutorials and guides could become dated quickly.
I would desire for there to be materials, actions, decals and textures on the disc as well. Basically, it would be very handy to be able to focus on my principal models and not have to spend countless hours making the perfect dinner table setting. Just grab the plates, cups, foods, table, chairs etc models from the CD.
But that is just my .02
Paul
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I sent you an off-list response, Graham but maybe it didn't make it to you.
I use Macs in my personal studio and Windows + Linux at work. I prefer the PowerBook as a portable because, to me, it offers more of the features I want at a price that is less than what I would pay for a new PC with the same features. Plus I demand a silent machine and my Powerbook (though others have different experiences) makes absolutely no noise except for a brief spinning up of the Hash CD that has taken up permanent residency in the drive :-)
I achieve that little pricing miracle by dealing with a vendor in Oregon that accepts Macs as a trade-in towards new Macs. I haven't paid any more than $1,000 for a new PowerBook since 1999.
But I agree with Jim. Go with whatever makes you happy and productive.
Paul
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Thanks Holmes and Jim,
The mistake didn't involve decals or this model. It was something even stupider - I had some 5 point patches in a different model that I couldn't close, so I tried copying and pasting in the same section from an older copy of the same model that had the patches closed and proceeded to make a royal mess of the whole thing. I then topped off the mistake by saving and not realizing that the particular model in question, which was now a mangled mess, was a linked file. So when I opened an older "archive" .prj copy, it opened the mangled model file as well. Live and learn, as they say.
Thanks again for the tips. I will give them a try tonight.
Paul
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Hi all,
I was rolling along great and then I made a stupid newbie (I am definitely still a newbie) mistake and lost entire weekend backtracking to recover. Now I am little gun-shy, so I have decided to ask here first instead of blindly guessing.
I want to decal this model of a space freighter. The cargo bins (the big round jobbies) are all the same (I just duplicated them as I modeled). Can I make just 2 decals - one for the large circle that hangs beneath the spine and one for the half of the bin that is parallel to the spine (the part that curves down from the spine)? I can then reposition and apply the same decals to the other bins, right?
I have learned a lot from Jim's great flattening tutorial but I find it very tedious to keep hiding, orientating, posing and then flattening over and over again in order to decal the length of this one model. Maybe it would be better for future models like this to decal them first and then duplicate?
If there are any other resources I should look at, please point me in that direction.
Thanks!
Paul M.
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Okay, here is an Attacker gun ship (vs. the pursuers I have been showing so far.) I have animated it and added laser beam. This particular moment is just 2 sec long and is part of a bigger project.
On the page the link will take you to there are two versions. The top one is the latest and the second one is the first test. This is all done in A:M and I am very impressed with program.
Thanks for taking the time to look at and let me know what you think!
Paul
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Very nice, informative and inspiring site, Shaun. It is useful in sharing how you achieve your great images and is engaging to the viewer. I am sure that it will spark many others to begin similar projects and will help Hash in promoting A:M.
Great Job!
Paul
PS
Congrats on the son and I would also like to say thanks for the tutorial on particle sprites that you posted sometime ago. It was very helpful to me this weekend.
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Thank you everyone for your help.
Here are the results. I went with a modeled tube, applying various color, glow, and transparency settings and a whole bunch of lighting.
This movie file plays best in the Quicktime 6 player. It is compressed using Apple's .mp4 codec. There are no sound effects at this time.
Paul
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Hi all,
I am at a point where I am attempting to animate a laser beam like blast coming from a weapon. There seems to be a few options and I am wondering if anyone has any past experience information they would like to share.
There was a tutorial for a "death star beam" on A:M resources (www.lowrestv.com) but the page with the tutorial that A:M resources linked to is gone.
I am running A:M 10.5o in Classic emulation mode on a Mac and have tried the following
Streaks - emitter worked and shot out plenty of particles but they "drooped" after a distance and A:M would crash every time I tried to change the emitter's gravity to zero
Sprites - emitter worked but I don't know how to keep the particles locked into a tight cylindrical beam. It too is twitchy - crashing often when I try to adjust the emitter's setting (example: color settings - if I try to type the number, crash. If I drag the slider, no problem)
Model with a cylinder - this one seems pretty straightforward, though I have not done it yet. If I want the surface of the beam to have a pulse or animated effect, how would I go about that?
Thanks,
Paul
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Thanks Ed!
That is very helpful advice - I wasn't sure if I needed to model everything or just go for what is necessary for the shot.
Paul "Hajime Yatate is too darn creative for his own good" Melia
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Hi everyone,
I wasn't quite sure how to track this info down, so if it is handy someplace please feel free to point me in that direction.
When I have designed sets for ABC television and a few feature films, we always build with "wild walls" - walls that can be removed to allow the camera and crew access. Think of the bridge of Star Trek's Enterprise; the front wall with the giant video screen is removed when the director wants a head-on shot of the captain and crew.
As I am building my first A:M short, I am wondering about whether I should employ that strategy for particular shots. I assume that given A:M's camera's behaviors, if I want an over-shoulder-shot where there is normally a wall directly behind the character, I will need to remove that wall to get the shot.
Also, say you have a cockpit with angled surfaces - yes, I am attempting a space animation entry
Does A:M calculate reflected light from off-camera surfaces? If I don't need or want that light, can I remove those surfaces for that shot and save myself some rendering time?I probably be back with more questions as I get further along. Thanks to those of you that have been so helpful, I couldn't have gotten so far without you!
Paul "I dream of being Hajime Yatate" Melia
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Care to share how to do that?
That is an amazing effect (plus an excellent model and decals)
I am not worthy!
Paul
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Let me explain something. I too hate polygon modelling I cant work it out to any great degree either that is why I gave up trying 3D stuff. Then I got on the beta for this new 3d modelling software and instantly I could make models as I wanted them. e.g. I draw a front and back profile then a side profile and mirror it. I have the basic shape then I 'paint' in the details like eye socket and nose and mouth in real time and then paint the texture onto the model as I see fit. This is much more natural to me.
So still currently thinking whether to make the leap or not. So frustrating as the rendering and animation just looks so cool.
Cheers
Mike R
Hi Mike,
I am not a long time master like other on this list, so I am speaking as some one who is just starting out.
If you want to animate (vs. just making stills), you are in the right place. Some procedures, like making eyes, are going to take more effort than what you describe for curvy3d but that is because when you are done, you will have eyes that can move, blink, and more.
Take a look at these links...
http://homepage1.nifty.com/naoichi/making/head.html -> head making sample
http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~krj/ocha1.html -> really nice animation
http://www.homepage.mac.com/talbotj/FLATTEN-TUTORIAL.zip
4.6MB A basic look at how to flatten a face group and apply a template decal.
http://www.homepage.mac.com/talbotj/FEATURES-TUTORIAL.zip
7.3MB A basic look at creating features (eyebrows,etc.) shapes in a layered Photoshop file and saving as a targa.
In A:M you can color surfaces using materials (which is basically manipulating the values such as color, reflectivity, etc) of the default surface or you can create your own decals, which are files that you make in a program like Photoshop, Photopaint, GIMP, etc. Take a look at the two tutorials above to see this in action.
Animation:Master's strength is animation. That's why it is in the name ;-)
But, as they like to say in the comics books, "with great strength comes great responsibilities" or, in other words, if you want to make Finding Nemo, it is going to take longer than weekend in Animation:Master -- unless you are johnl3d
Hope this helps,
Paul
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If memory serves me correctly, the current "hot" title in anime right now, "Millennium Actress" is actually a Korean production. We're actually stating to see a lot of productions starting up that is falling into the "Anime" category even though they are not from the orient.
hmmm...
Strongly suggest a little fact checking and scoping before climbing on the soap box. Though you correctly state that "anime" is a multinational production industry, your criteria is way too broad. By your definition, The Simpsons would be a full blooded Korean production.
Millennium Actress was conceived and directed by Satoshi Kon (Japanese), animated by Madhouse (Japanese), production by GENCO (Japanese) and distributed in the United States by Go Fish (a new division of Dreamworks - a US film studio)
Generally, according to the professors at the University of Texas, Columbia University, the University of Southern California and noted Japanese cultural writers such as Helen McCarthy, Fredrick Schodt, and Susan J. Napier (all of their books are available on amazon), anime is recognized as referring to Japanese animation, just as manga is consider to mean Japanese comic books and graphic novels.
You can always check the credits for virtually any anime (Japanese animated film) at my website.
Paul "U.S. Otaku" Melia
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Hi,
I took a peek at your curvy3D and I have to say that you should have no problem moving into Animation:Master whatsoever.
Curvy3D appears to draw with splines, just like Animation:Master does. Additionally, if you are familiar to drawing in a vector program (Illustrator, Freehand, Flash, Corel Draw to name a few) then you will have little difficultly with Animation:Master. You may have to spend a bit of time cleaning up your imported characters but I think you will find yourself drawing new characters (with fully functionally posing, skins, etc.) much faster in Animation:Master quite soon after you try it.
You could certainly go and download any number of the other "big" 3D packages - it is not polite to recommend or endorse Hash's competitor's on their own message board, so I am not going to mention any names - but I think that you will find the learning curve immense. But I could be wrong.
The great advantage I have found with Animation:Master is that it is easy to master the basics in a few hours to a weekend's worth of effort. The software comes with good examples/tutorials of all the primary processes you will need to know and the community is active and very supportive. I am a traditional media artist (Theatrical Designer by training) and I have tried almost all of the 3D apps out there and this is one that has worked for me.
Plus you can't beat the price - especially for you lucky Europeans with your strong currency ;-)
Hope this helps,
Paul
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I don't know how many of you are Homer Star Runner fan, but here's a humorous break down of Japanese Animation.
It is humorous but it is a satire, not a factual definition.
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Anime = Japanese animation
Manga = Japanese comic book/graphic novel
A short history of anime and reviews can be found on my anime website. I have been collecting and reviewing anime since 1997 (nearly 1,200 DVDs (that's 480 different series) and counting)
Omoshiroi Anime: It's Interesting Animation
I bought Anime:Master
I mean Animation:Master at first because I wanted (and still want to make) an anime and the samples Hash showed were so much more impressive than anyone else's. I am happily making my first A:M project and hope to have it up soon.
Paul "Outta Control Otaku" Melia
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Wesley,
Very nice model. The hands look a little small but then Rex had small hands.
Can't wait to see him/her skinned and snarling in action.
Paul
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More progress to share.
I have built my star field and rigged the lighting. Here is an image...
Paul
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Finally got the hang of decaling. Thanks go out to Godfrey for the helpful post on how to set decal properties and to Steve for the extremely handy link to the online 2003/2004 reference.
Here is a multipass render of the ship with three decals - one image, one bump, and one specularity.
Hoping to crank out a bunch more models and images over the upcoming long weekend here in the States.
Paul M.
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very nice Jim. The mustache has, to my eye, a hint of Vincent Price, and I think that this gentleman, if he so desired, could pull off that style quite admirably.
Paul
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Hey everyone,
Here is a quick render with a decal (my first! Thanks Jim T. for the excellent tute) on the Attacker model. I have actually built a few other models but I haven't posted them yet. Maybe later this week.
I haven't added any bump maps and other goodies - I want the brighter red to be glossy but haven't worked that out yet.
As always, C&C welcome
Paul
WIP site for my minor project: http://www.omoanime.com/wip/attacker.html
PS
Is this the best way to add updates? Or should I start a new topic?
Tripping the Rift--what did you think?
in (2003-2004)
Posted
And if you haven't had enough of primetime 3D, don't forget that "Game Over", UPN's new 3D sitcom begins airing on Wednesday.
They have a trailer and a "storyboard to CG" featurette on their website...
http://www.upn.com/shows/game_over/
Paul