Exercise 5: Take A Walk

[nlbakos]

Is there any change the 'Animate Mode' icon is toggled off?

Its the one with the capital A on it.

 

The Animtaion mode is activeated.

 

I also tried it when it was deactivated.

 

do you have webex? i would let you gain access to my computer so you can see what the problem is.

 

It works just fine in version 11.0f but in 12.0d, 12.0f, and 12.06 I have the same exact problem.

 

thanks for the quick response.

 

Nicole

[nlbakos]

Name: Nicole Bakos

 

Exercises Completed: Exercise 5: Take A Walk

 

Date Completed: 09/17/2005

 

Instructor: AM Manual And http://www.s1.hashmirror.com/ftp/VM/EX5TakeWalk/

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: I had a problem with the eyes. When I took the constraints off the eyes and moved them when he walked his eyes reminded me of those stuffed animals that had eyes that moved.

 

Do you have any suggestions on how to make the eye movement look more real?

 

For now I am submitting the one I left the constraints for the eyes on, because I didn't like the way the other one came out.

 

TaoA:M Exercise 5 - Take A Walk

 

Nicole

[nlbakos]

Hey Rodney,

 

After hours of trying to figure out why i couldn't use the past mirrored command, i found that something in my user profile (i am using w2k) got corrupted. exactly what beats me. i ran spy sweeper and it didn't find anything. so i'm going to backup my work and rebuild the computer from scratch.

 

how did i find it was related to my user profile? i created a new user and the program worked just fine.

 

 

 

once again thanks for your time.

 

 

Nicole

[arkaos]

Exercise 05: Take a Walk

Completed: 09/17/05

 

 

http://www.geocities.com/arkaos420/ex05_arkaos_walk.mov

[arkaos]

Charlie,

 

Cute moonwalk. My only suggestion is to exaggerate the lifting of the knee on the foot that is supposed to be on tip-toe throughout the cycle.

 

I love the way you did the secondary motion here and you can really tell that rabbit is performing for the audience. Great job.

[oakchas]

thanks for the suggestion, Mark... I had trouble lifting any part of him higher and keeping him on the ground... I'll look at it again, though. And in the vid clip I looked at, the guy demonstrating didn't move his hands/arms at all... But I got the basics... now it's just tweaking.

 

Ames, Huh? Well, you're Clones whupped my Hawks, didn't they? Gosh, a couple of A:M users in Iowa...

 

"Iowa, where high tech means: The Pump jack is in the kitchen, but ya still gotta use the outhouse!" ©1985 Charlie Dyer (and it's still true, but it is getting better!)

[arkaos]

Hail Mr. IA.

 

Charlie, if you turn the balance and/or balance rigid (fergit which) pose sliders down, you shouldn't have any problem lifting the feet higher. But, as you said...

now it's just tweaking

 

And...yeah...WHOOPED YA! BOOO-YA!

[arkaos]

Rodney,

 

This question isn't about the exercise, but it pertains to action cycles.

 

I have a character that performs a walking cycle along a path. When I try to continue animating further character motions (after the walk cycle), those new keyframes affects what my previous walk cycle was doing. What am I doing wrong?

[Dhar]

Mark, this maybe what's happening; if you open your timeline and look at the 'time-spline' of, let's say your character's foot, you'll see that when you place a new action in a new frame it will effect the spline's shape, thereby, effecting the previous motion. To eliminate this effect, you'll need to choose the CP of effected splines in the timeline, right-click (the cp) - interpolation - zero slope.

 

This is, of course, assuming that I understood your question

[arkaos]

Dhar,

 

Let me see if I can explain it in finer detail.

 

I have a walk action (character constrained to a path) from 0:00:00 to 0:04:00.

 

After the character is finished walking (at 0:04:00) I want him to do something else (not a reusable action, just moving bones around in choreography). So at 0:04:05, i reposition my character. The bones I move at 0:04:05 also override the same bones for my entire walk cycle...from 0:00:00 to 0:04:00.

 

I'm sure I am doing SOMETHING wrong.

 

In order to continue animation after the walk action, do I need to create a new choreography action object? Then transition from walk action to a new choreography action object? I'm a tad confused.

[Dhar]

Try this: create a keyframe at 00:04:01 then start moving the bone at 00:04:05

 

Kepp us updated.

[arkaos]

Ok,

 

This is what's going on:

 

after my walk cycle completes (at frame 0:04:00), I navigate to frame 0:04:05 to start another pose. I select a bone (let's say the left foot). Switch to skeletal mode and the timeline shows no keyframes for that bone AT ALL. I guess the keyframes come from the walk action themselves. Anyway, if I move that bone (still at frame 0:04:05) a keyframe is created at 0:04:05 AND at 0:00:00. That new keyframe at 0:00:00 (which just magically appears) for the bone is set to 0 for translation and at 0:04:05 translation is set to how far I just tweaked the bone (from the last position it was at the end of the walk cycle). This new spline in the timeline for the left foot (translation 0 at 0:00:00 and translation x for 0:04:05 is completely overriding the foot motion in the walk action (0:00:00 to 0:04:00).

 

If i drop an action like the walk cycle to make him walk from 0:00:00 to 0:04:00, how on earth do i animate this guy afterwards (0:04:01 + ) without the new motions changing my previous action. I know this is something that is done over and over again in the animating process. I am completely lost. TAoA:M doesn't really explain this, nor does the Technical Reference.

 

Do I have to create an action object for EVERTHING my character does?

 

I've tried to creat a new choreography action object for this character and set the range from 0:04:05 to 0:06:00. When I start positioning my character the bones appear under that new chor action, but the timeline still creates that blasted keyframe at 0:00:00 and a keyframe at the current time postition. And my previous walk action STILL gets overridden. I must have completely misunderstood everthing about animating in the chor window that I have read before.

 

Somebody, PLEASE help

[Dhar]

Can you post some screen captures?

[arkaos]

Here is some pics and a text narrative.

 

And thanks for taking your time with this. Highly appreciated . You're cool

Dilemma.zip

[Dhar]

In the bottom left hand corner, open the Object's Properties, then open Transform, then open Translate, and show me the X, Y, and Z values for frame 00:00:00 and frame 00:04:00.

[Dhar]

I just thought of something, when you constrained your model to path and animated it, it was constrained at 100% from 00:00:00 to 00:04:00. What you need to do is to put the constraint to 0% at frame 00:04:01 and then animate the rest.

 

Try that.

[arkaos]

I've tried that already (and just now again to be sure). I'm still getting the same results whenever I move a bone.

[Dhar]

I duplicated the problem you're having and I got the same thing.

 

Create a NEW TOPIC outside the "Exercise 5: Take A Walk" but still in the New Users Forum and explain your problem again so that a Hash Fellow could see it and help you solve it (or it could be a new found glitch).

 

Good luck.

[arkaos]

The only way I have found around this (for now) is by baking my chor then continuing.

[arkaos]

Dhar,

 

I think I've resolved this problem. Well, one of 2 ways works.

 

I had to create either a choreography action or a regular Action to follow the walk cycle and do the other part of my animating there.

 

The only kink is -- once another action is added to the character and the appropriate choreography range for that action is set, I have to go back and re-set the length property of the main chor object back to match the length of the walk cycle, or else the walk cycle gets out of synch.

 

This results in the frame slider at the bottom to stop at the time designated by value of the length property of the chor object. The play range, however is set to match the total length of the animation, so everything still plays even though the frame slider stops at the end of the walk cycle. (whew) I can still use the scrub bar in the timeline window to scrub frames all the way through, so I guess I'm in business.

 

Rodney (or any Fellow). If you read this and decide I'm all screwed up...please don't hesitate to set me straight.

[Dhar]

Well, you may have found a way around it, but that's a band-aid to the problem, not the solution.

 

I'm an old fashioned cell animator, so, I haven't used the cycle feature. I animate each and every step myself, which explains why I haven't come across this problem. But it's good to know that something isn't totally intuitive in the program so that the A:M team can get on it and make it better.

 

Good luck on your project.

[MarkC]

Name: Mark Cromwell

Exercises Completed: 5- Take A Walk

Date Completed: 9/26/05

 

Comments: I got a little carried away but a lot of fun putting in extra bits. Skirt has SimCloth, Choreography action overlay when she steps down the curb. Little music loop from Acid.

 

Oops, forum will not allow mp4 video to be uploaded. Here is another link. Should work with QT 6.0, let me know if you can't see it.

 

 

Take a walk

[arkaos]

Mark C,

 

Pretty righteous, man!

[Rodney]

Way to own the exercise Mark!

 

Great job!

 

I've attached what I think is my favorite frame from your animation.

(Don't ask me why its my favorite... it just is.)

 

Rodney

[MarkC]

Mark and Rodney, thanks for the complements! It was a lot of fun to make.

 

No one has complained that they couldn't view it. Mp4, at least for me, compressed much better then Sorenson. Hash should consider allowing uploads in mp4 format.

 

Mark

[Dhar]

Hey MarkC; that's wicked man. Where'd you find the street scene?

[kuep]

Name: John Kuepper

 

Exercises Completed: 5

Date Completed: Sept 29, 2005

 

Instructor: all kinds

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: just blazing throught these so I can get at the bootcamp. Pick away.

this was a straight foward cycle, nothing fancy.

lesson5.mov

[coolidge]

Linda Bridges

Take a Walk

July26, 2005

Instructor: Den Dotson[attachmentid=9765]

walksm.mov

[JDscruggs]

Name: JD Scruggs

 

Exercises Completed: Exercise 5: Talk A Walk

 

Date Completed: 10/06/2005

 

Instructor: AM Manual and Forum

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement:Excersises are going better than my posting abilities.

My_rabbit_Walk.mov

[kattkieru]

Name: Charles Wardlaw

Exercises Completed: 1 - 5

Date Completed: 14 October 2005

 

 

Strange things are afoot. When I heard that the rabbits don't blink I was forced to look into the mystery, if for no other reason than to satisfy my own burning curiosity. Imagine my utter bewilderment when one of them stood up and left the toyshelf, oblivious to my presence and warnings, and proceeded to walk in spirals...

 

I tell you, had I not plucked the key from its crimson back I might have gone mad at the sight.

exercise_5a.mov

[Odog2020]

Name: James Owens

 

Exercises Completed: 1-5

 

Date Completed: 10/12/2005

 

Instructor:

 

well, again I made my file to big, so it can be found at:

 

It is the only ex I have the page right now

[micheldani]

Hello Everyone.

I have finally completed this exercise.

I know that rodney said at the beginning that we have to try and complete the exercise in the give time... but i just couldn't be satisfied with the original result!

I followed the book instructions by the letter! but slipping still occured, and other stuff like that...

So i kept striving for more knowledge (as usual) until i figured out the most i could out of the mechanics of the walk cycle, and the stride length, and so on and so forth...

 

so here you go... my version of Exercise 5: Take a Walk.

 

[attachmentid=10248]

exercise_5.mov

[splinesmith]

Name: Splinesmith(Kurt Lange)

 

Exercises Completed:6

 

Instructor:the manual and maybe the online tutorials

 

 

Remarks/Suggestions for improvement:

I actually did some of these earlier this month and I just now got around to posting which is why I say six, the other exercise renders I will post in their respective forum sections.I had to edit the video to make the file pass the size limit.

Take_A_Walk_Render.mov

[higginsdj]

Nicely done Michel - it was worth the extra time and effort.

 

Kurt, the character was so small it was difficult to see the detail but it looked OK from a distance.

 

Cheers

[Bruce Del Porte]

Hey Micheldani,

 

Really nice job!

 

 

Kurt,

 

Same comment, maybe move the camera closer at the start.

 

Bruce

[sanjib]

Name : Sanjib Chakraborty

 

Exercise Completed : 5: Take a Walk

Date Completed : 22st Oct. 2005

 

Sanjib

walk.mov

[Rodney]

rodney said at the beginning that we have to try and complete the exercise in the give time... but i just couldn't be satisfied with the original result!

 

Never being quite satisfied with the results is a sign of a competent animator.

 

The reason I say 'try' is that establishing good habits in meeting deadlines is always a good thing.

Having said that I think what distinguishes a good animator from an outstanding one is the willingness to go above and beyond. If you can convince your boss that the extra time is needed to really sell the shot you are a true master.

 

I haven't got the chance to see this last batch of exercises but I've downloaded them and will watch as soon as I can. Looking forward to it!

 

Rodney

[micheldani]

thanks everybody for the nice comments, i try my best.

i'm doing my best to finish the exercises... but i got married recently and i have to finish my wedding video (i'm editing it).

So see you guys soon with Exercise six.

[Dhar]

Mabrook ya Michel, congratulations

 

May your children be plenty and your camels spit nothing but dates

[micheldani]

spoken like a true arab!

 

i'm working on the children, but my camels (subaru) gobble fuel and give me nothing but miles

[Dhar]

eh, walauw, ana arabi.

 

Hey Michel, is your MICROBOT web site affiliated with An-Nahar, Beirut's newspaper? If so, could you tell them to take it easy on the pop ups? I was trying to view your gallery but the pop-ups ruin the experience

[micheldani]

akh! i wish i could do something about that, but you see, the webspace is free... and i have to pay for it in one way or another...

i'm studying the possibility of purchasing some good webspace and updating my website... it's pretty old by now (2 years)

 

sorry about the popups.

[Eric2575]

Name: Eric T Goesch

 

Excercise Completed: #5 Take A Walk

 

Date Completed: 10/31/05

 

Excercises Completed to Date: 1,2,3,4,5,8,11

 

http://home.comcast.net/~pyglesias03/RabbitWalk.avi

[Dhar]

Page not found

 

I too have a personal web page with comcast, but I have yet to figure out how to upload animation files.

 

How big is your file Eric? Couldn't you upload it directly to your reply?

[Eric2575]

That's the problem, the file was pretty big. I'm gonna recompress it and post it again.

 

Hey Dhar, when you say you are still trying to figure out how to upload animation files to comcast, are you saying you have uploaded other files, just not animation files? Because I can walk you through uploading files to your personal web page on Comcast.

 

Once you have created a personal web page on Comcast, type this into your web browser: "ftp://upload.comcast.net/" leave off the quotes. You will be prompted for your password - enter it and you will get an explorer type window of your web page file structure. You can drag and drop files there to upload.

 

I gotta go to work now, but will recompress the walk cycle later and post it. I have rabbit walking through an enchanted mountain region

 

Eric

[noewjook]

Name:Marc Vancouillie

Exercise completed #5 Take a walk

Date completed 11/02/05

 

Remarks:I have made a tile floor to see more the effects of the use of

the stride lenght.

I have also constraint a null object to the path and aimed the camera to

the null object so the camera follows the rabbit.

I have made a constraint to the rabbits' eye target and translated it

to the camera.So the rabbits eyes are always looking to the camera.

This to avoid the "Zombie" effect.For that reason I have added some

eye blinks and a smile at the end to.

i've made some rotations on the head bone during the choreography

ass well.

 

Instructor:t.a.o.AM book,learning video on the hash side and reading

in this topic what people have done before me.[attachmentid=10662]

take_a_walk_s.mov

[Eric2575]

I've been trying to get some variation to the walk theme by adding secondary motion to the walk. My main problem is the fact that whenever I keyframe for secondary motion, the motion seems to carry backwards into the walk cycle?

 

If I keyframe for a wave of the hand, the raised hand carries back to the beginning of the chor. How do I avoid that? Some of you guys have that figured out, care to share?

[robcat2075]

I've been trying to get some variation to the walk theme by adding secondary motion to the walk. My main problem is the fact that whenever I keyframe for secondary motion, the motion seems to carry backwards into the walk cycle?

 

If I keyframe for a wave of the hand, the raised hand carries back to the beginning of the chor. How do I avoid that?

Sounds like a job for a second choreography action. Create it , set it ot Blend method: replace and select it before you animate the arm bones and set it's red bar to only the time that you want the new action to occur(or set its blend ratio to 0% when you dont' want it affecting anything)

[Eric2575]

Sounds like a job for a second choreography action. Create it , set it ot Blend method: replace and select it before you animate the arm bones and set it's red bar to only the time that you want the new action to occur(or set its blend ratio to 0% when you dont' want it affecting anything)

 

Robcat:

 

I got everything but the red bar thingy. Which red bar?

[robcat2075]

I got everything but the red bar thingy. Which red bar?

to the right of the chor action listing in the PWS timeline. click it. drag it. scrunch it.