Exercise 5: Take A Walk

[jakerupert]

Since I couldnt get "paste mirror" to work in 14 I tried something different for the time being....

to learn a bit how to handle that rig.

LadyKneebend240807.mov

[Dhar]

Hi Jake,

 

I'm not sure why you couldn't get Paste-Mirrored to work. Did you try and change between Key Bone, Key Branch and Key Model to see if that makes a difference?

[jakerupert]

Hi Jake,

 

I'm not sure why you couldn't get Paste-Mirrored to work. Did you try and change between Key Bone, Key Branch and Key Model to see if that makes a difference?

 

 

I deinstalled and reinstalled 14 and now it works.

Should I better use key model or key branch for the walkloop?

 

;>) Jake

[Dhar]

For the extreme poses, I use Key Model "Only in filtered channels".

[jakerupert]

Maybe you can shed a few words, how this keying "only in filtered chanels" is exactly done.

 

Also when I try to position Lady Goodbody, I dont get it how to move the figure stiffly around.

Let`s say, I have positioned her feet and want der move her backwards slightly by her hips the position falls apart again.

 

I tried switching off ik for her arms and legs, but then when I turn it on again, her legs and arms jump over the place and get twisted.

 

I would be very gratefull, if you could clarify a bit more.

 

Thank you

 

Jake

[jakerupert]

More work on the walkloop.

 

Tried to avoid the right foot go through the ground.

But I moved the last two cp`s in any possible way but no change.

Maybe somebody could give me a hint how to proceed?

 

Jake?

Ladywalk14_280807.mov

[jakerupert]

How is this TaoAm thing supposed to work?

 

I was hoping, there would be teachers giving advise?

 

So maybe sombody offers some help???

 

I managed to add some secondary motion to the hair and some eyblinking and handwaving.

 

Couldnt solve the footproblem thoug.....

LadyRun14A_280807.mov

[jakerupert]

Oops sorry, accidentely posted a runloop, ehre is the new walkloop.

Ladywalk14A_280807.mov

[Fuchur]

Oops sorry, accidentely posted a runloop, ehre is the new walkloop.

 

Hm... dont know exactly what you are after, but cant you handle that "foot through ground"-issue by using the biashandler of the channel?

 

*Fuchur*

[Dhar]

Sorry for not replying sooner Jake. I am way in over my head with projects.

 

If you are following the TAoA:M tutorials you shouldn't be having problems like the ones you're faced with. As you may have known by now turning IK/FK on and off is not available on older models. Besides, you do not want foot IKs turned off in this exercise.

 

May I suggest you start this exercise over and don't try to get creative with it until you can at least achieve the basic result. If you still face the same problems then my only suggestion would be to zip your project file and post it here so we can take a look at it

 

Good luck.

[jakerupert]

Hi Fuchur, Dhar,

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

not as I would have expected the right foot target.

 

Now on to the next problem .(forwardfoot is still floating)

 

 

So before starting all over again and maybe getting a better result just accidentely next time ,I try to fiddle around a bit more with what I already got in order to really understand what is going on.

 

For instance, at the moment the foot forward when it touches the ground seems to be swimming.

I think the stridelength I have gotten right, so I guess I will have to dive into the curves of footmovement again

in order to see, how to avoid these movements.

 

Two more questions came up :

 

1.: I tried to fix/adjust the movements of the dress of Lady Goodbody in the walkloop by translating some cps on some keyframes in musclemode.

 

How can I key there original position first, so that I would have the alterations only on the keyframes where I need it?

 

Oops, hope I could make myself clear.

 

-2: If I have used an action in a chor, how can I key its last keyframe, so that the following chor-action will start from there and not at the start

 

and override the action-action?

 

Many thanks for any more help!

 

;>) Jake

LadyRun14_290807.mov

[Dhar]

1.: I tried to fix/adjust the movements of the dress of Lady Goodbody in the walkloop by translating some cps on some keyframes in musclemode.

 

How can I key there original position first, so that I would have the alterations only on the keyframes where I need it?

 

Oops, hope I could make myself clear.

 

You key it the way you key in bones, move it slightly and then move it back, that should create a keyframe for it.

 

-2: If I have used an action in a chor, how can I key its last keyframe, so that the following chor-action will start from there and not at the start

 

and override the action-action?

 

Change the chor action Blend method to "Add"

[jakerupert]

QUOTE(jakerupert @ Aug 30 2007, 02:58 AM)

-2: If I have used an action in a chor, how can I key its last keyframe, so that the following chor-action will start from there and not at the start

 

and override the action-action?

 

 

>Change the chor action Blend method to "Add"

 

what comes after the reaching for the doorhandle. But the doorknock comes beforehand. )

 

To make clear again, what I want to do, first I have the walkaction, then I blend over to the doorknock-action, then I want to continue with a chor-action,

reaching with the arm to the doorhandle.

I moved the whole figur Lady after the doorknockaction has finished to create a new keyframe, then moved her hand to create a new keyframe for her handposition. then moved the hand down to the doorknob.

 

But the result is not as I expected Lady walking in, Knocking at the door and then reaching for the handle but instead Lady walking hin with her rightarm

stiffly slowly going down to the doorhandle.

 

What am I possibly doing wrong

[playerktw]

Still need to work on the stride length some, but satisfied with it so far.

 

Exercise 5, Take A Walk

Kevin Woods

9/2/07

Exercise_5.mov

[jakerupert]

Can I call this exercise fullfilled now?

 

;>) Jake

Rabbitwalkwalk14_040907.mov

[Chris Creaventure]

Name: Christian Markert

 

Exercises Completed: Take a Walk NO 5

 

Date Completed: 10/02/2007

 

Instructor: Rodney

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: the rabbit is walking ... yeah

 

rabbitwalk1Mbps_Stream001.mov

[Zzzippo]

Marching along.....or should I say walking?

 

Name: Scott Bowers

 

Exercise Completed: Exercise #5

 

http://www.livevideo.com/video/75C814A5D8B...cle-wabbit.aspx

 

Date Completed: 10-08-07

 

Instructor: The A:M Community

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: Chor kept crashing when I cycled the scrubber but the render came out.

 

~zzzippo~

[virus81]

Name: BISHNU C MAL

 

Exercise Completed: 5 (Take A Walk)

 

Date Completed: 12 Dec 2007

Exercise_5a.mov

[Caroline]

Looks a good walk - it's very hard doing a non-slip walk - nice touch adding a background - the only suggestion I would make is secondary movement in his ears.

[virus81]

Thanks Caroline for pointing his ears. Here it is with secondary movement.

 

~ Bishnu

Exercise_5b.mov

[Caroline]

That makes him look a lot more alive

[Squoosh]

I have made my first attempt at this tutorial. Here it is...

take_a_walk.mov

[Rodney]

Quite good for a first attempt.

 

I'll critique the most obvious of which I'm sure you are already well aware.

 

- Slow him down if you can. Its too hard to read the action.

- Watch those pass-throughs into the ground.

 

Jolly good thus far.

[heyvern]

I have made my first attempt at this tutorial. Here it is...

 

Yeehaaa!

I think those scientists could use that rabbit to help study single photons captured between two magnetized mirrors.

 

The obvious question: Does this mean you are getting the hang of the time line and key frames now?

 

-vern

[Squoosh]

Almost, that tutorial didn't feature my particular problem

[PPi]

Name: Petri Pirttinen

Exercise Completed: Exercise 5 - Take A Walk

Date Completed: Jan 5 2008

Instructor: Manuals (pdf & video)

Remarks: How about to make an excercise "how to skate"? It's pretty hard to prevent that sliding. Also it's still somewhat robotic movement but I suppose it's also due to the very short cycle even with secondary motion applied (or I should have exaggerated it more?). Think I'll return to this one later also and this time will want to slow down the cycle a bit too as I think this is a bit too fast - but that's only IMO without further experience that is...

exercise5.mov

[Rodney]

Petri,

That is very good!

You are right about the pace.

The length of the sequence (how many frames you have to work with) makes him walk pretty fast so that is something to consider in the future.

 

Regarding slippage...

If you would like some feedback on any of these exercise at the keyframe level my suggestion is to share the project file either here in the forum or via email. For those with a specific instructor send the files to them. (In lieu of any instructor I will gladly look at the files too!)

 

Regarding a skating exercise...

Adding to these exercises is something I've longed wanted to do.

This year I hope to work through the entirety of TaoA:M myself adding little suggestions and additional assignment suggests and a skating exercise would be ideal. There are other consideration that go into animating skaters though.

I could throw a project together but I fear the quality would be so low it wouldn't be worth investigating.

When you see me working my way through TaoA:M though... remind me!!!

[brockgs]

Student: Brock Gunter-Smith

Exercise: 5 - Take a Walk

Date Completed: February 12, 2008

 

Observations: In general, I enjoyed this even though I'm not terribly happy with the ouput. I definitely can see how a person would want/need to spend days on even a short sequence to start going in and tweaking every bone to try and mimic natural motion as much as possible...or even to just breathe life into an otherwise robotic walk sequence. I'm going to move on for now, but come back to this particular exercise later to build a much more refined cycle with hips moving as they should and getting a little more natural swinging of the arms.

 

With several kids in the house and a very busy day job, the creative spirit is sometimes driven out of me against my will. :-)

Ex5_Brock_Gunter_Smith.mov

[MasterFunk]

Name: Sean Concannon

 

Exercise Completed: Exercise 5

Post the results of your work in the New Users Forum under the specific exercise topic.

 

Date Completed: Feb 26 2008

 

Instructor: Manual

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: I used one of my own models for this one

ninjawalkCHO.mov

[Schlofin]

I am currently working on this exercise. I did this exercise about one year ago then dropped AM and am now trying to relearn AM. I need some advice. I enjoy adding little extras to my work and am having a few issues.

#1 - I cannot get my model to stay on top of the added ground. I have a constraint locking it to the ground but it keep dropping through the ground.

#2 - After I added a few background and foreground props my model automatically flips at 00:01:10 and starts walking backword.

 

This is in no way finished.

 

Walk Help

 

Also if anyone knows why I can't upload a 36 meg avi that would be great.

[robcat2075]

I am currently working on this exercise. I did this exercise about one year ago then dropped AM and am now trying to relearn AM. I need some advice. I enjoy adding little extras to my work and am having a few issues.

#1 - I cannot get my model to stay on top of the added ground. I have a constraint locking it to the ground but it keep dropping through the ground.

 

Probably need more to go on here but if you have both a path constraint and a surface constraint the path constraint may be overruling the surface constraint

 

#2 - After I added a few background and foreground props my model automatically flips at 00:01:10 and starts walking backword.

Definitely need more to go on. Save your work and try removing them, does it change anything?

 

 

 

Also if anyone knows why I can't upload a 36 meg avi that would be great.

I think it has to be Quicktime. Set Quicktime as your file type. And dont' set "Animation" as your codec. Sorenson3 is a good choice. a movie that long should be 1 or 2 megs.

[Schlofin]

I am currently working on this exercise. I did this exercise about one year ago then dropped AM and am now trying to relearn AM. I need some advice. I enjoy adding little extras to my work and am having a few issues.

#1 - I cannot get my model to stay on top of the added ground. I have a constraint locking it to the ground but it keep dropping through the ground.

 

Probably need more to go on here but if you have both a path constraint and a surface constraint the path constraint may be overruling the surface constraint

 

#2 - After I added a few background and foreground props my model automatically flips at 00:01:10 and starts walking backword.

Definitely need more to go on. Save your work and try removing them, does it change anything?

 

 

 

Also if anyone knows why I can't upload a 36 meg avi that would be great.

I think it has to be Quicktime. Set Quicktime as your file type. And dont' set "Animation" as your codec. Sorenson3 is a good choice. a movie that long should be 1 or 2 megs.

 

What info do you need? I removed the props and am still having the rotation problem. As for the path vs surface constraint how would I handle that? The error I was getting was on the forum upload saying I did not have authorization to upload that type of file.

[Rodney]

The error I was getting was on the forum upload saying I did not have authorization to upload that type of file.

 

The forum will only allow certain types of uploads. Those include but are not limited to:

 

.jpg (the preferred image format)

.gif

.bmp

.mov (the preferred movie format)

.txt

.prj

 

There are others as well but I don't want to list without verifying.

When in doubt just about any file can be added to a compressed file (.ZIP) and uploaded as the .zip file extension is also allowed.

 

There is also the matter of file size to consider.

If you are new to the forum your file size limitation may be set pretty low (1 MB).

As you participate more in the forum that attachment limitation should grow.

I know for awhile everyone was limited to overall size of attachments added together so... if the limit was 25 MB and you've reached that limitation you would have to remove an older attachment in order to add something new. I'm not sure how the forum limits attachments at this time.

 

So... at any rate... it looks like you might have ran into 2 separate issues with your attempt to upload your AVI file.

1) The size is just too big (if you render to quicktime the size can probably compress to 6 - 8 megabytes)

2) The AVI extension isn't supported by the forum. You could put an AVI file into a ZIP file however and the forum will allow

(Note: This would make it harder for people to view your animation and isn't recommended. Fewer people will take the time and some will not want to download unknown content in a compressed file)

[robcat2075]

What info do you need?

you'd probablyhave to post the PRJ and related files for someone to diagnose it.

 

 

I removed the props and am still having the rotation problem.

That suggests it's not the props but something you did while adding the props.

 

 

As for the path vs surface constraint how would I handle that?

you can drag one above the other in the PWS to change their precedence.

[thumperness]

Name: F. David Puthuff

 

Exercises Completed: Five

 

Date Completed: Sunday July 20, 2008

 

Instructor: Rodney

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: Please

 

Here is a link to the fifth completed exercise: I know it's a little jerky. I didn't do a very good job at keeping keeping him on the 'treadmill' as I was making it. I was going for a little bit of a strut.

 

http://myspace.com/fdputhuff Go to the video section

 

Thanks Rodney,

[Caroline]

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: Please

Looks good for a quick march. He's holding his ears very stiff, but perhaps rabbits do that on parade

 

The slippage/jerkiness you will probably be able to deal with better after doing ex 6.

[Rodney]

That looks pretty good to me.

I agree with Caroline that he's marching at a pretty fast pace.

Its almost like he knows he has an audience and is enjoying the walk as he really struts his stuff.

 

It'd be interesting to see how you would fare on a more slowly paced walk.

Maybe one where you free your character from his path?

But that's for another time perhaps.

I say press on... you've got a green light on this one.

[thumperness]

Thanx guys. I thought the speed was a little fast too, but that was dictated by the tutorial. I guess I could have made the path longer?

 

I'm excited about the next exercise. The stuck door is where I stalled last time I was going through these. Of all the different elements in this software, production is my favorite part.

[JohnWayne]

John W. Cote

Exercise 5: Taking a Walk, 5 tasks completed so far.

Started 8/13/08 - Completed 8/16/08

Instructors: So far Rodney and Robcat2075

 

Rabbit seems to be a little bouncy, like he's walking on marshmallow or a mattress. I don't know if that has to do with stride length or the fact that I think one of the poses I did had the feet a tad under the ground plane.

 

John

 

Exercise5_Take_a_walk_JohnWayne_8_16_08.mov

[thegoodtaste]

Name: Javier de Andrés

Exercise: 5 Take a walk

Date started: August 25, 2008

Date Completed: August 28, 2008

 

I had completed the exercise but I didn't like camera. It was quiet and, at the beginning of movie, rabbit was so far so I was tried some variation. Walk cycle lesson is very understandable. But Stride Length part was more difficult for me, cause my native languaje is spanish. I have downloaded the taoA:M spanish manual and it's was more simple.

 

P.D.Sorry. I have readed about include the exercises into the appropiate topics. I had not readed it. Please, Rodney or Robert, can you move my exercise topics to correct place in TaoA:M forum? Thank's

Exercise_5_Take_a_walk.mov

[Rodney]

You've got Exercise 5 down. Great work.

 

I like how you plus up each exericse and make it your own. The change in camera makes this a 'movie shot' as opposed to just an exercise. Nice.

 

Please, Rodney or Robert, can you move my exercise topics to correct place in TaoA:M forum?

 

We can move your exercise but its not a bad thing to have the exercises out on display by themselves. Both ways (posting in the old topics and posting individually) work fine. Unless you tell me otherwise I'll get them moved.

[number]

Name: Tim Roberts

Exercise: Exercise 5: Take a Walk

Date Completed: September 22, 2008

 

Instructor: The manual and the forum

 

OK, time to really complete all of the exercises. # 5 is my first submission.

 

I have a little slippage here. adjustments to stride length doesn't fix this. Should the hips be completely static (front-back) when you create the action?

 

thanks.

 

exercise_5_my_walk_test_preview.mov

[Rodney]

I have a little slippage here. adjustments to stride length doesn't fix this. Should the hips be completely static (front-back) when you create the action?

 

You'll get a little slippage just by nature of the Exercise itself.

If interested in exploring further post your project file and we'll dissect it here to learn more.

As it is you've met the intent of the exercise and know what to apply as you move forward.

I'm all for exploring but don't want to see you get bogged down.

These exercises are meant to be worked through as quickly as you can. You can always go back and run through them again.

 

Should the hips be completely static (front-back) when you create the action?

 

There is no requirement for that and in most walk cycles you'll want to add hip movement.

Movement of the hips, perhaps more than anything, define the personality of the walk.

 

Note: If in the process of moving the hips forward/backward you move the entire character that would account for some slippage on the path. If the character moves too much that will break the smooth transition in the walk cycle. I don't see this in your animation as you would expect to see more of a jump between positions than a slide. More likely the interpolation of your walk cycles movement is set to 'Spline'. This can cause the action to overshoot the target and slide.

 

 

Nicely done! I also like the added blinks.

[Rodney]

I should have also mentioned... your file attachment.

 

To bring the movie file to a manageable size you'll want to investigate your options in the Render Panel.

With Mov format you have quite a few options. One of the best for compressions is H.264. It seems to smash the size down while maintaining good quality.

 

More people will be apt to download your file if its of a manageable size.

[TheSpleen]

takewalkgene.mov

I keep bumping my head on rendering but I guess that is called learning

[robcat2075]

takewalkgene.mov

I keep bumping my head on rendering but I guess that is called learning

 

That worked pretty well.

 

I notice his hands are pasing thru him as they swing from front to bacl. Key framing them farther from his body in the middle of that motion would probably fix that.

 

Also, if you made the path shorter or the chor longer he would have a more naturally paced gait

 

But I think you got the essential goals of that exercise.

 

Onward and upward!

[TheSpleen]

Thanks!

[J90]

I have solved the problem:)

 

 

While doing this excercise I ran into a problem.

I can't Paste any keyframes after copying them.

 

Edit: I can only copy and paste the keyframes for the selected bone.

 

 

Edit2: I realized that the "Key bone" button was selected. Switched it to the "key model" button to fix.

[robcat2075]

While doing this excercise I ran into a problem.

I can't Paste any keyframes after copying them.

Any ideas why?

 

possibly helpful video explaining different ways that keyframing works. These affect what you copy and paste also.

 

http://www.brilliantisland.com/two/KeyFrameOptionsMP4.mov

[J90]

Name: Jerome

Exercise: 4

Date Started: 12 Nov 08

Date Completed: 12 Nov 08

Instructors: Manual

TakeAWalk.mov