Exercise 6: The Door's Stuck

[Logrus]

Logrus,

Just a guess here but you are possibily working through the same Keyframing issue mentioned HERE.

 

In many cases its enough to provide keyframes on frame 0 or 1.

Investigate that link and let us know if that addresses the problem okay?

 

Rodney

 

That seems to be more related to a model moving before its intended to. It was a problem i noticed on the "Take a walk" exercise. I got myself very used to moving parts ever so slightly to keep some premature movements from happening.

 

The door is stuck has always given me some problems now for the past few days, I tried giving it the whole exam feel, but i think i failed thus came to here to find answers before quiting somethign i find fun.. I dont knw if its the "A" thing doing it, since i havent touched it, an its always on. unless its suppose to be off. My problem is my keyframes seem to get lost. It seems that 00:00:00 > 00:00:25. look perfect the way i want it. i animate the next 2 frames 00:01:00 > 00:01:05. When i go back to play it all the way true. I lose everything except 00:01:00 > an 00:01:05, but now they appear in the frame slot 00:00:20 an 00:0025 time slots. 00 > 20 is empty or no movements.

 

Maybe im not 100% understanding what the other posts answers were, but im not sure if im in that catogory. Thank you for the quick reply Rodney, your being very helpful.. =)

 

history on my #6 problems..

1. problems with hands on knob, looked like i was drivng a semi.

2. computer frooze.

3. g/f closed my project down.

4. model kept keyframing into the door,

5. x2 lost keyframes..

 

Alright so far all is going well. i have no reported frame loss. Which makes me real happy. Still not sure where my first problem arrised from. but it isnt happneing right now. My new problem is my movements are starting premature.

 

at frame 22 he is suppose to move his right foot onto the door frame, at 25 key frame he is suppose to tug on the door. at 28 he relaxes to get his other foot on the door, an at 32 he gives it his last tug. When i play it back at 22 when his right foot makes its way to the door, halfway to the door or a couple clicks up in time, his left foot starts.

 

I can not for the life of me figure out why this is doing such a thing. I have given each bone a slight movement, you cant even tell from the camera view. left foot rotates to the left, while the right foot rotates to the right. hips are moving down. in or away. head moves with the body relaxes an tugs, hands twist or bend ever so slightly. mouth opens an eyes move.

 

By rule i have given each part a specific movement even if ever so small. So by A.M law i should have given them there own keyframe. or is there a stupid hidden rule where im suppose to give a forced key frame somewhere. or the exercise wont run smooth like im animating it to...

[Logrus]

Erik P

Lesson #6 The door's stuck.

completed time 2-3 hours.

 

Comments. This is definately a tough one. Way to much is going on from start to finish. An for me if it wasnt one thing it was another. For starters i got down the basic struggles between are char an the door. The last part where the door opens is where i am having trouble. i dont really understand where to actually use the force key frames. Another thing i noticed is my char moves to fast. was my frames between key frame to sort, or is a setting set wrong?

[BUDDHABUCK]

EXERCISE # 6

 

ANIMATED BY: Keith (BUDDHABUCK)

 

COMPLETED: 11/02/06

 

COMPLETION TIME: 4 Hrs.

 

This was a mother. Martin Hash told me that if you can do this exercise (even badly) you should get on the Two Project as soon as possible.

 

I'm Ready

Keith

EX.6_Keith_BUDDHABUCK_.zip

[Rodney]

Straight forward. No surprises.

The crowd turns to the judges for the decision...

 

 

10 for execution

10 for hitting all the marks

8.5 for innovation and personalization

 

Great job Keith!

 

[jakerupert]

Hi folks,

 

I got stuck with the door.

 

I added the Kinematic constraints, but when I move shaggy, he isnt fixed to the doorknob.

What can I be doing wrong.

I ebnclose the project.

 

Thank you

 

Jake

Doorstuck131106.prj

[jakerupert]

and another dumb question:

how can I move Shaggy in an actionwindow without

changing all the bones positions?

[BUDDHABUCK]

and another dumb question:

how can I move Shaggy in an actionwindow without

changing all the bones positions?

 

 

has anyone answered your question?

 

BUDDHABUCK

[Caroline]

Jake, I downloaded your project -

 

As your project stands, when I move the doorknob bone, the Right Forearm Kinematic Constraint works, but the left one didn't. I deleted the Left Forearm constraint, and just put it in again, and it was fine. (Perhaps you left off Compensate on the Left Forearm??)

 

When you move the door knob bone, shaggy's arm will also move.

 

The book also calls for an Orient Like Constraint on the Right Hand and Left Hand (that's with the Compensate mode too).

 

I don't think I understand your other question. When you move the bones in an Action window, that is only moving the bones for that particular action, not actually changing the rig.

[jakerupert]

Thank you for your help Caroline.

 

>As your project stands, when I move the doorknob bone, the Right Forearm Kinematic Constraint works, but the left one didn't. I deleted the Left Forearm constraint, and just put it in again, and it was fine. (Perhaps you left off Compensate on the Left Forearm??)

 

When you move the door knob bone, shaggy's arm will also move.

 

So when I drag Shaggy with his hipbone away from the door, I can do so without affecting the doorknob.

But I fixed his leftarm as you said and notice that he moves along with the doorknobbone now, though I am able to pull the doorknob away from the arm totally. So it uis not really attached, isìt?

Is this how its meant to be and is the written instruction in the manual just a missunderstanding?

 

My other question.

I just want to change the position of Shaggy in an action window, lets say move him 5cm to the right.

But when I drag him lets say at his hip or pelvisbone, his whole pose I just gave him ,falls apart and I have to pose him anew. There must be a way to move him "stiffly" I guess?

 

Thanks again

 

;>) Jake

[Caroline]

though I am able to pull the doorknob away from the arm totally. So it uis not really attached, isìt

 

The technical manual example of kinematic constraints has a character and a ball, and says:

 

"The characters forearms will now always try to reach the ball."

 

I think the main word there is "try" - so if you move Shaggy side to side by his hips, his arms are in a kinematic chain to the door knob, but yes you can move him right away from the door.

 

And that about covers my complete knowledge of constraints - more experience may be needed here!

 

I just want to change the position of Shaggy in an action window, lets say move him 5cm to the right

Yes, you can, but you need to move his "root" bone. As a default that root bone is not showing in the action window. To show it, you need to click on "show more than drivers":

[attachmentid=22264]

 

Then the root bone appears, click on it in the PWS (Project Workspace), and you can move it.

[attachmentid=22265]

 

The root bone is the mother of all bones, so when you move it, it moves everything.

[jakerupert]

Thank you Caroline,

 

that helped a lot.

 

I have been away from AM quite a while and had never really started animating,

so I greatly apreciate your advice.

 

Also I find it quite difficult to pose Shaggy.

 

Sometimes the bones for instance in the arm get really twisted , sometimes I cant use the rotationhandles of the bones and that makes achieving the poses Shaggy shall have not an easy task.

Is there a certain strategy you follow to pose the shaggyrigg or some points you have to pay special attention to, to handle the rigg more easily?

 

 

;>) Jake

[Tralfaz]

Hi Jake:

 

When I sometimes have trouble with the rotation handles, I will switch between different views in order to get the best grip and angle on the handle.

 

Hope this helps...

Al

[jakerupert]

Thank you Tralfaz,

 

I will try that.

 

Well, here is , what I got so far.

 

Still quite cathastrohic:

The knees bending quite funny, hands loosing contact of the doorknob,

leftarm going strangly through the body.

Well, guess its a start at last.

 

I will continue tomorrow....

 

;>) Jake

Doorstuck141106.mov

[Caroline]

(Shh, mine lost contact too.)

 

I blame it on the legs being too long, but I think if you play around with his hips, it may work. I also forgot until almost the end to turn off Balance and Balance Rigid poses, which makes a big difference.

 

Strategy - well, as I am myself quite new, I use a lot of patience. Next to the PWS Show more than drivers, there is an option not to render the object. I turned off rendering for the door and for the ground, so that when I switched views, I could still see Shaggy. I used the T key (turn) a lot.

 

Movie looks great for a start. I haven't tried toon rendering yet.

[jakerupert]

I reworked it after turning Balance and Balance Rigid of.

 

Still loosing the grip.

I guess the only way to reach my goal is to animate the doorknob then?

 

Also cant move/turn the arms anymore when Shaggy is streched.

Is this due to the kinematic constraint?

Doorstuck161106.mov

[Rodney]

Still loosing the grip.

I guess the only way to reach my goal is to animate the doorknob then?

 

Also cant move/turn the arms anymore when Shaggy is streched.

Is this due to the kinematic constraint?

 

I haven't had the chance to look at your latest animation but it sounds like you have Shaggy extended out to his limit. This forces all the bones in the hierarchy to 'lock' into place and in the case of Shaggy's hand move away from the door knob.

 

Try moving his body closer to the door.

You should see the ability to animate the arms and maintain hand holds return.

 

A real life example of this can be tested.

If you position yourself like Shaggy at a door, grasp the knob and move back/away eventually something has to give. In most cases it won't be the door or doorknob that will give it'll be your grasp. As Shaggy's hands are within the heirarchy of his body bone and root bone the best way I can think to counter this is to move them back into a place that will allow the arms to reach the door.

 

By animating/stretching the doorknob you've added a little more complexity to this shot.

I think the best way to overcome that might be to constrain the doorknob to Shaggy's hand rather than the other way around. Then you can animate the doorknob as an extension of Shaggy and it will always reach the goal (unless you separate them).

 

Hope that makes sense.

Caroline has spoke wisdom here. She's really got a good grasp of what is going on.

If Shaggy's legs were shorter this wouldn't be much of an issue. In the end Shaggy is Shaggy so you've got to work with what you've got. That's part of the challenge that is Exercise 6: The Door's Stuck.

 

Rodney

 

Edit: Something David Simmons recently posted is related to this and I like the way he put it.

It concerns the Squetch Rig so there are some differences but... (emphasis added)

 

I just turn on the IK arms by turning on the "right_arm_FK_IK" and "left_arm_FK_IK" poses...the hands will stay in place as long as the limitation of the length of the arm isn't exceeded, if it is exceeded the hand will attempt to reach the IK hand controller.

 

Also I looked at your animation and it appears to confirm the arms have exceeded their limitation.

Edited November 15, 2006 by Rodney

[totlover]

Name Caleb Gunby

 

Excercise completed: Ex 6

 

Date Completed: Jan 4, 2006

 

Comments: I dont know if what i did was good enough. When i would open the door on the frame i wanted it open it started opening from Frame 0 and so did all

the actions i gave shaggy. If it is not good enough to be completed then i can do it again if someone were to tell me exactly why it does that. That

would be nice to know

 

Here's the link:

 

http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h127/ret...current=Ex6.flv

 

please comment

[Leo73]

Caleb,

 

The problems you are having is a relatively easy fix. when you want to open the door on a given frame, you have to put a keyframe in front of it on the previous frame in the close position. This creates a hold frame, otherwise the the timeline keys the door from frame zero up til the frame you key the door open.

 

Hope that helps

[totlover]

So all i have to do is to set the door closed right before i want it to start opening

 

When you say keyframe is that an option or is that just a saying type thing for make a certain framme or something

 

when i finish rendering exercise 7 i am going to redo that one with the things you said

[elliotclem1]

Hi, I'm having the same problem. Because when i add the constraints to the door knob it just ignores them and when i move his arm it just slips off. I have attached my project to see if any one can help me.

The_Door__s_Stuck.prj

[Dhar]

You did not Constrain Shaggy's Right Forearm

[elliotclem1]

How do i do that? I made 'orient like' and 'Kinematic'. What is a constraint?

[elliotclem1]

please can someone help me

[Dhar]

If you're following the tutorial, after you're asked to constraint the hand "orient like" and "kinematic" (these are called constraints), the next step is to conastraint the right forearm to "translate to" and "aim at" (I think, I don't have the tutorial in front of me).

 

Just be patient and read the instructions carefully.

[aj2]

Name Al Jolly

 

Excercise completed: Ex 6

 

Date Completed: Jan 12, 2006

 

This one was fun ...

 

Caroline ... thanks for the render info...

here is update

The_Door__s_Stuck_3.mov

[Caroline]

Not too small for a postage stamp

 

If you render your animations to use the Sorenson 3 codec, the file sizes will be a lot smaller, so you could maybe even render to VGA, rather than postage stamp size.

 

1. Make sure that on your Render to File Settings dialog you have Advanced ticked.

2. Change the format to mov

3. Click the triangle next to format, and click Set.

4. Change the compression type to Sorenson Video 3

5. Change quality to Medium.

[mfortunato]

Name Al Jolly

 

Excercise completed: Ex 6

 

Date Completed: Jan 12, 2006

 

This one was fun ...

 

Caroline ... thanks for the render info...

here is update

 

 

This looks great, Al. The only change you could make would be to remove the constraint from the hands earlier so that his arms do not bend behind him as he walks through the door. Otherwise - great job. I had such a hard time with this tutorial. I should go back and do it again .

 

- Michael

[jmf3d3d]

Name: Jeremiah M. Faries

 

Exercise Completed: #6: The Door's Stuck

 

Date Completed: Jan 15, 2007

 

Remarks: 2 versions: A) a 5 second sequence as requested (although the action is a little frantic... I guess he wants to get in very badly?) and a longer sequence for fun.

 

(cool... my "B-right paren" turned into a smiley... I think I'll leave him there...)

 

exercise_6_by_the_book.mov

exercise_6_flattened.mov

[mfortunato]

Name: Jeremiah M. Faries

 

Exercise Completed: #6: The Door's Stuck

 

Date Completed: Jan 15, 2007

 

Remarks: 2 versions: A) a 5 second sequence as requested (although the action is a little frantic... I guess he wants to get in very badly?) and a longer sequence for fun.

 

(cool... my "B-right paren" turned into a smiley... I think I'll leave him there...)

 

 

 

 

 

Great googily moogily! That second one is a hoot! What a brilliant idea. And it was animated very well. Excellent job, Jeremiah!

 

- Michael

[Dhar]

Now that's a job well done!

[Leo73]

I have to agree, the second one by Jeremiah is great. He really put the time and effort into that one. Great job.

[jmf3d3d]

Thanks for your "googily moogily" and other kind words I noticed after I submitted that shaggy's leg passes thru his forearm a couple of times.

 

Ooops... there's a lot to watch for when animating. I'll edit the post and upload the corrected files when I get home tonight.

--jerry

[Caroline]

What are the links to Jerry's movies? I want to watch them too, and say words like googliy moogily, and I can't work out how to get them

[jmf3d3d]

What are the links to Jerry's movies? I want to watch them too, and say words like googliy moogily, and I can't work out how to get them

 

 

Hi Caroline, I have to apologize, I am at work and I tried to replace the originals with the updated files and was unable to upload from my work machine... so I ended up removing the originals without replacing them. I'll upload them asap....

 

--jerry

[Chrury Sanson]

Name: Chris J

 

Exercise: Teh D00r'z Ztuk

 

Completed: Jan. 18th, 2007

 

Ex6Chrury.mov

 

Notes: Well, that took long enough. The timing always gets me. He probably should have flown away faster at the end as well.

 

The arms were also a bother. Going all over the place and ghosting through Shaggy's torso. Bla. Now if only I could have adjusted those knees at the end.

 

I have an idea for a 5 second animation should this one be unacceptable. I just couldn't tell my story in such a short amount of time. I also had this great 30 second or so idea. (It's a secret) Either way, I will come back to this one eventually.

 

Oh yeah, the screw model is custom.

[Dhar]

That looks great Chris. Nice expressions and choreography.

 

Don't worry about the other stuff, it'll all get ironed out in Boot Camp

[Rodney]

Woo Hoo!

Very nice addition.

 

The door screw is yet another first I think.

It provides a nice subtle element for Shaggy to react too which you've executed well.

 

I have an idea for a 5 second animation should this one be unacceptable. I just couldn't tell my story in such a short amount of time. I also had this great 30 second or so idea. (It's a secret) Either way, I will come back to this one eventually.

 

I'm hoping twenty years from now we'll all come back here and animate Exercise 6 again just for ol' times sake.

I look forward to any animation you post here so take your time... refine... and don't forget to show us!

[Liquidspaceman]

From the Lagoon of Liquidspaceman...

 

Hello all! As Jack Nicholson says, "I'm back!" I want to thank you, Rodney and Leo, right now for all the thankless time you put into this forum helping fledgling animators, (including me). I have just got back from the darkside (another animation software). I got hung up on this exercise and didn't perservere! But the prodical son is back. I hope you will except my apologize and welcome me back. I will promise to get shaggy through that door. If I have to push him through it myself!

...Liquidspaceman, over and out

[Tunames]

NAME: Steve George

EXERCISE: #6 The doors stuck

INSTRUCTOR: you

COMPLETED: today

REMARKS: I could have spent more time on this ...but I didn't

stuck5.mov

[Andy S.]

Name: Andy Stewart

Exercise: #6 The Door's Stuck

Complete: February 4, 2006 (yeah, 2006, not 2007)

Comments: Did this about a year, life got in the way and I haven't touched A:M since. Received an email a few days ago about A:M 2007 being available (ordered the upgrade today), and sparked my interest again... actually, I'm kicking myself for not sticking with it, but sometimes life takes over. Anyway, I know the animation has problems (hands slip off knob, etc), so please don't beat me up over it, but I'm posting it as-is and moving on in the exercises (and re-learning the A:M controls). I may come back and re-do this exercise later. Hopefully I won't disappear like I did a year ago

 

Link to video: http://www.taynik.com/tiki-download_file.php?fileId=61

[Rodney]

Steve and Andy,

Your animations each have a striking simularity! Coincidence? or Conspiracy!!!

 

Steve,

You have a really neat lighting/shading effect going on there. I like.

 

Andy,

WELCOME BACK!

Life does indeed take over from time to time. You've got to roll with the punches and keep on fighting.

It sounds like you've done just that and the proof is that you are here making a comeback.

Take care of yourself... and your loved ones... and you can keep on coming back.

 

The gag itself overcomes any little flaws that might be present. Great job!

[Andy S.]

Rodney,

 

Before posting this video, I was looking at some of the others and saw Steve's... I felt 'odd' posting it since it was so close to his, but since I did it a year ago at least >I< know I wasn't copying anyone. After thinking about it, I did get a chuckle out of them being so similar though.

 

Thanx for being kind to the animation. I'm not real happy with it, but my kids like it.

 

The main parts of life that got in the way were a few large projects at work (of course) and we started the process of building a new house last Feb, and we're due to move in in 2-3 weeks. Since those two things are done, I can get back to the fun stuff. I have a nice office in the basement with plenty of room for all bazillion (well, 12 or so) computers, drawing table, to dedicate to the end goal, then end goal being to work on my original character that I've had for, geez.. 20 years or more, get him modeled into A:M, submit the comic strip package to the syndicates, and create a short cartoon of him. Anyway, off topic.

 

It's nice to be back though! Already started on Ex 7.

 

Andy

[Rodney]

The main parts of life that got in the way were a few large projects at work (of course) and we started the process of building a new house last Feb, and we're due to move in in 2-3 weeks. Since those two things are done, I can get back to the fun stuff. I have a nice office in the basement with plenty of room for all bazillion (well, 12 or so) computers, drawing table, to dedicate to the end goal, then end goal being to work on my original character that I've had for, geez.. 20 years or more, get him modeled into A:M, submit the comic strip package to the syndicates, and create a short cartoon of him. Anyway, off topic.

 

Hey! Where do I sign up for your 'life course'.

 

It sounds like you have a great setup.

Good luck on your project and character.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him?

 

Please feel free to go off topic like that any time.

I'm sure you want to do a lot of the work yourself but know that we are here for you.

We're all in this life together so might as well animate the best of it.

[Tunames]

It's almost like we used the same charactor and the same door.......

[Rodney]

It's almost like we used the same charactor and the same door.......

 

Aha! You admit it then!

 

I shall be watching very closely your next few exercises.

[Andy S.]

Hey! Where do I sign up for your 'life course'.

School of Hard Knocks... naw, I shouldn't say that, I've had a good life... more like the School of Stupid Decisions

 

It sounds like you have a great setup.

Good luck on your project and character.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him?

We'll see how it works out. Spent a weekend not too long ago running CAT5e cable throughout the house, so I can hit anything from anywhere, so I can be lazy in the bedroom and control the rendering machine in the basement. Once I get him modeled and rendered, I'll likely pop him up here to get opinions, etc. Funny, just showed my wife the Ex 7 I did and she gave me grief (again) for not submitting the strip yet.

 

Please feel free to go off topic like that any time.

I'm sure you want to do a lot of the work yourself but know that we are here for you.

We're all in this life together so might as well animate the best of it.

I'm sure I'll be posting some to the effect of "HOW DO I DO blah blah blah? Help before I toss this computer out the window!" Or something like that

[Andy S.]

It's almost like we used the same charactor and the same door.......

 

Weird, isn't it?

[howboring]

Name: Kenneth Wong

 

Exercise Completed: Exercise 6: The Door's Stuck

 

Date Completed: 14th February 2007

 

Instructor: Just the manual and looking in the forums for animation advice.

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement:

 

Everything was going great until he let go of the door handle and the door opens. From then on, it just kept missing frames or if it didn't, all the moves would blend into each other. It's still not playing nice. Anyway I did the animation in 6 minutes instead of 5 minutes And after he opens the door, he was supposed to step through the door.. however all the leg moves just kept blending from one frame to the next.... so I altered each frame by hand and made it look like he jumped through.... hope that's ok

 

What does the key branch button do? I wonder if that was what caused problems.... I'm not sure what those 3 buttons do....

 

Also I LOVE THE TOON RENDER!!!! It's my favourite!!!

doorsstuck.mov

[jmf3d3d]

Name: Kenneth Wong

... he was supposed to step through the door.. however all the leg moves just kept blending from one frame to the next.... so I altered each frame by hand and made it look like he jumped through.... hope that's ok

...

 

Also I LOVE THE TOON RENDER!!!! It's my favourite!!!

 

Hey Kenneth, you've got a good look there with the lighting and the toon render! Regarding the leg movements, you might want to try looking at the timeline to get a good sense for how the components of the motion change with time. You can see this by clicking "view" "timeline" and then clicking on the bone in question. The graph you see represents the motions for that bone over time (you can isolate the x y and z rotations/translations too). It may give you some insight into what's happening with the feet. I'm not the best person to explain these to you but i found this feature to be enormously helpful.

--jerry

[howboring]

Thanks Jerry, funny enough someone was just talking about this here:

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26605

 

It's about the sliding in animations and how to use the timeline to sort it out