Exercise 15: Eat My Dust

[Joe Gamblin]

Caroline, I loved the greek vacation! Perfect example of the other uses I was talking about.

[mfortunato]

Name: Michael Fortunato

Exercise: Exercise 15 - Eat My Dust

Date Completed: 1-28-2006

 

Comments/Observations regarding Dust: Perhaps I will learn this in the next Particle effects exercise, but I feel that no matter what settings I changed, the dust dispersal isn't very realistic. it's just a ball. We know that dust doesn't pop up in a perfect ball. It swirls around and settles back down to the ground unevenly. Each particle doesn't fall back down exactly where it first left the ground. The environment, wind, gravity, effects where it lands. I feel that while this is a nice exercise to show how to constrain a particle effect, I don't find it very realistic as is. Perhaps an added tutorial on how to get the dust to settle unevenly - or perhaps introduce wind to the equation so it looks like the knight is leaving a trail of dust. I have a feeling to make this realistic, I have to combine the dust with some other effects and chain them together in some way.

 

Comments about A:M in general: I have been forcing myself to come to grips with the Choreography window and changing camera angles, lights, etc. I'm starting to feel a bit more comfortable with it. While waiting for this to render, I just saw "Briar Rose" on the A:M Films site - if you haven't seen it, you must. It's an incredible testament to the power of this program - and I mean to harness it! .

 

Ok, I think I've rambled on long enough. On to the Knight!

 

- Michael

Ex.15_EatMyDust.mov

[Rodney]

Michael,

Good insight into the exercise from your perspective.

 

Dust effects can solve some FX challenges but for more control, use of force, gravity etc. many turn to particle sprites to achieve more sophisticated/targeted results. I see you already anticipate using both so you are on the right track.

 

You can use force to shape the dust effects (as with any particles) but I've yet to really experiment with that.

 

For dust on the ground or on objects fading in some effects via decal works well.

[jmf3d3d]

Name: Jeremiah M. Faries

 

Exercise Completed: #15: Eat My Dust

 

Date Completed: Feb 2, 2007

 

Remarks: is it dust or 2 stroke smoke? As Rodney sez, changing the shape of the dust cloud would improve this effect, but I couldn't figure out how to do that. I changed the slope of the fadeout for each puff of dust but that didn't add much to the effect. But hey, I completed the exercise... 6 more to go (I have to go back and finish 14)

 

 

exercise_15_dusty_smoky_2.mov

[Rodney]

Whoa. Jeremiah! I sure wasn't expecting that.

 

I was just telling myself that your walk (and dust effect) was rock solid when...

 

(viewers will know what happened)

 

Oustanding.

Pat yourself on the back for this one.

[Caroline]

"It's a Pitch"

 

That was funny

 

I think you have to use forces to change the shape, but I never figured that out either.

[jmf3d3d]

Sorry to startle (I was startled after the first render and I kinda had a reason to know what would happen ). Ah, yes, forces. Didn't think of that. This exercise was a good task to learn more about constraints and to get more practice with channels but as others have opined earlier, it's just not dust (or 2-stroke smoke). I was thinking about relaxing the constraint after each puff so that the dust dissipated more naturally (rather than cling to the foot) but that began to be more trouble than it seemed worth.

 

Anyway, thanks for watchin' my foolishness (as we say here in Bermy ) and for your comments.

--jerry

[aj2]

Name Al jolly

Exercise Completed 15 Eat My Dust

Date Feb 10,2007

 

on to the Next one....

Eat_my_Dust.mov

[totlover]

Name: Caleb Gunby

 

Exercise completed: 15- Eat My Dust

 

Date completed: Feb. 27, 2007

 

NEXT POST!!!!! SORRY

[totlover]

Name: Caleb Gunby

 

Exercise completed: 15- Eat My Dust

 

Date completed: Feb. 27, 2007

 

sorry if the dust is hard to see but it is there

 

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

[Raffi]

Name: Ralf Kampp

Exercise: #15 - Eat My Dust

Date Completed: 20th March 2007

Remarks: As I had already started using my daughter for these exercises, I made her hop around a dusty field this time. It's with some simple sound.

hopping.mov

[Dhar]

That's pretty impressive, Ralf! Great job

 

How'd you do the fade-in/fade-out?

[Raffi]

That's pretty impressive, Ralf! Great job

How'd you do the fade-in/fade-out?

Thanks a lot! You mean the scene fade in and out? That was done, just like the sound, in a video editing program.

[Logrus]

Name: Big E

Exercise: Exercise 15 - Eat My Dust

Date Completed: March 24, 2007

 

Comments: None really, It was pretty much a walk in the park. A very dusty park...

Go_Puff_.mov

[Mohammad]

Name: Mohammad El-Abid

 

Exercises Completed: Fifteen

Date Completed: June 19 2007

 

Instructor: Rodney and that guy on the web tutorials

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: No comments.

 

I did two one walk and one run.

 

Walk: http://www.geocities.com/name_here44/walk_dust_choro.avi

 

Run: http://www.geocities.com/name_here44/run_dust.avi

[Chrury Sanson]

Ding! got another one!

 

Name: {remembers 'The Santa Clause', laughs} Chris

 

Exercise: 15 Volumetrics

 

Notes: I used the 'exhausted' walk cycle so I could play with the settings and make larger dust clouds without it looking too dusty. I understand how it could be toned down to look 'normal' and that's what the exercises are all about.

dustwalk.mov

[arkaos]

Whoa! Major slippage on that walk cycle, Chrury. Needs to be cleaned up a bit.

 

Good volumetrics, though

 

A general comment to beginners:

 

I see a lot of slipping on the walk cycles for this exercise.

 

Even though a pre-made action is being used, it wouldn't hurt to clean it up a little. Looking

at these little things and fixing them is one of the greatest ways we learn to become better

animators. Animation in A:M is pretty simple. But GOOD animation takes quite a bit of

work, a LOT of attention to detail, and a ton of practice. It is better to hammer out the

little things here so you are better prepared to tackle more complicated projects with confidence.

[Chrury Sanson]

Ah! So I have to mess something up to get a response. I'll keep that in mind.

 

I'm going to make a small excuse and say I'm trying to finish these up before I start college. (in about 17 days) That didn't stop me from cleaning up the walk though. I would have rendered the non-slippery version but the volumetrics disappeared afterwards. Not that I couldn't make a new chor or just drop the actor in again, I've just moved on to the next exercise already.

[arkaos]

Ah! So I have to mess something up to get a response. I'll keep that in mind.

 

Sorry, 'bout that. Just trying to help.

[playerktw]

Another one bites the dust, lol.

 

Kevin Woods

Exercise 15

10/16/07

Exercise_15.mov

[SirCoffee]

Hi everyone,

 

I've read the tutorial and just watched the video tutorial on this exercise.

 

The problem is that the DUST1 action object won't automatically apply itself when I try to "transfer to" the left toes. So I manually line up the DUST1 to match up with the video tutorial. Followed the ENFORCEMENT directions. At frame 15, I try to transfer to the right toes, but the DUST1 won't budge. I try to manually drag it over, but it won't move.

 

I'm using A:M version 15 and I'm on a Mac running OS X 10.4.11- is there something I have to set in options? Does version 15 make it easier to do, but isn't covered in the older tutorial?

[Rodney]

Check to make sure you aren't rendering (progressive render?) while you are attempting to do your transfer.

There appears to be an enhancement in recent versions that prevents some drag and drop activities while rendering.

This is a welcome addition as it prevents A:M from locking up during progressive renders.

This may have been there all along but appears fairly new to me.

 

It may or may not be your issue though.

[MasterFunk]

Name: Sean Concannon

 

Exercise Completed: Exercise 15

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

 

Date Completed: 2/26/2008

 

Instructor: Manual

 

Remarks/Suggestions for Improvement: none

dustwalk2.mov

[tbenefi33]

Completed: Exercise 15

 

I Used the manual for the dust and for the The prison I'm suprized what you can get off of the internet for refrance.

 

I learned about lighting,scale and chor. Thanks alot to cwheeler, caroline, and the other guys who helped me out with the prison.

 

I'm still working on the Pit Bull, about got him done hes going to be in another project with the prison on youtube.

 

Eat_My_Dust_1a.MOV

[c-wheeler]

Completed: Exercise 15

 

I Used the manual for the dust and for the The prison I'm suprized what you can get off of the internet for refrance.

 

I learned about lighting,scale and chor. Thanks alot to cwheeler, caroline, and the other guys who helped me out with the prison.

 

I'm still working on the Pit Bull, about got him done hes going to be in another project with the prison on youtube.

 

Eat_My_Dust_1a.MOV

Its very hard to read this as an exercise. I get what your trying to achive, but I can't see if its working or not. How about a short clip of just the walk? It looks like the feet arnt actually touching the floor.

Chris

[tbenefi33]

Scratch that last one out.

 

This is my finish one I learned how to rotoscope someone and use 3d paint past there pic, and if you dont have the close right it will go through the skin. Here the link to the clip kind of a large file.

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...mp;#entry267013

[TheSpleen]

Name: Robert Thompson / The Spleen

Lesson: Eat my Dust

Oct. 12th 2008

dusty9.mov

[Rodney]

Play with the settings to get more of a dust effect (as opposed to lights going on/off) but you've got the idea!

[TheSpleen]

Play with the settings to get more of a dust effect (as opposed to lights going on/off) but you've got the idea!

Yes I was also thinking a darker color too. that brown ground should not produce white dust. But this dust effect would work well on a streetlamp as a nice glow.

[Rodney]

One of the lessons learned here is how we can bring effects like dust into our animations and have them activate automatically. For optimum dust effects the scene will dictate (doesn't it always?). This is a good one to have in your bag 'o tricks.

 

An advanced version of Exercise 15 is pretty much anything JohnL3D has posted.

 

If you haven't spent some time in The Tinkering Gnome's Workshop you'll want to... just don't get lost! John demonstrates that when it comes to Special Effects you are only limited by your imagination.

[TheSpleen]

One of the lessons learned here is how we can bring effects like dust into our animations and have them activate automatically. For optimum dust effects the scene will dictate (doesn't it always?). This is a good one to have in your bag 'o tricks.

 

An advanced version of Exercise 15 is pretty much anything JohnL3D has posted.

 

If you haven't spent some time in The Tinkering Gnome's Workshop you'll want to... just don't get lost! John demonstrates that when it comes to Special Effects you are only limited by your imagination.

I have seen there is a huge wealth of info in these forums. Once I complete the TaoA:M I realise I will be learning alot just reading posts. I have browsed a bit and bookmarked several topics for future reference. You will find I am a diligent student.

I may stumble a bit now but I will improve. I shall fix that dust tomorrow. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

I listen closely even when you may think I am not.

[TheSpleen]

Hope this is better

dustynew4.mov

[Rodney]

Oh yeah, that's the ticket!

 

Thats also a very solid walk.

Great impact on those feet. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

I could almost feel the weight that was kicking up the dust.

[number]

Name: Tim Roberts

 

Exercise Completed: Exercise 15: Eat My Dust

 

Date Completed: Nov 22, 2008

 

Instructor: Manual, forum

 

Comments: Finally was able to complete the tutorial w/ AM: 11.1. I don't know why, but AM: 15 wasn't able to handle the "Translate To" constraint. I'd select either Toe, but the dust volumetric would not automatically translate to the bone. Is this a feature?

 

Latest animation included.

 

 

exercise_15_take2_ver11.mov

[Rodney]

Comments: Finally was able to complete the tutorial w/ AM: 11.1. I don't know why, but AM: 15 wasn't able to handle the "Translate To" constraint. I'd select either Toe, but the dust volumetric would not automatically translate to the bone. Is this a feature?

 

This will probably throw people off for awhile.

The way the Tranlate To constraint is applied now is the opposite of how it was applied before.

Before the original object would snap to the target obect you were translating to. To have the original object stay in its original position you'd hold the Shift key down.

 

Now its the opposite.

Hold the Shift Key down while creating the Constraint if you want the object to move to the target.

 

If you find an object that doesn't translate to the object as you want look in the contraints properties pannel. Adjust the Offset to zero on each axis and it should be at the object again.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

I'll set aside some time to run through this exercise and see what has changed.

[number]

Rodney, you're a miracle worker. That was exactly the problem.

 

So, both the physical manual (Yeti) and the online tutorial have the older method without the SHIFT. The online TAOM (TWO version) also does not mention the updated method.

 

I was able to use the SHIFT+Click to make the volumetric snap to the correct target in V15.

 

Here is the V15 version:

 

ex_15_dust_take3.mov

 

 

Updating these documents will help out us N00b's as this can be really frustrating.

[TNT]

OK, I hit a snag.

I don't know if it is me or a glitch in version 14c.

I know my version 14c blows up AM every time I try to do a cloth simulation. I thought maybe this was a version 14 problem also.

 

I have completed Exercise 15 twice.

I can step thru the frames and watch "Dust1" switch feet as they hit the ground.

I set the properties to disipate between steps.

Everything seems in order.

I made a path, set the knight on it, and droped the altered resolute walk action on the knight.

When I render I get no dust. He walks and everything else seems fine but no dust.

I'm doing a final render in a chor, not a shaded or anything like that.

 

Is there something I'm not setting that needs turned on to make the dust render?

This seems like it should be so simple.

 

Any ideas I can try after work tonight will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

[HomeSlice]

Is the Hair/Particles setting turned ON in the render-to-file panel?

 

I know my version 14c blows up AM every time I try to do a cloth simulation. I thought maybe this was a version 14 problem also.

This is probably more of a case of unrealistic expectations. Cloth is Hard, even for advanced users. It takes a lot of time and fiddling with. It really isn't A:M's fault. A dedicated "cloth computer" would probably be a Cray class computer with software that has been developed over several years to do this one specific task. AM is a general purpose 3D app designed to run on your mom's home computer. big difference.

[TNT]

Is the Hair/Particles setting turned ON in the render-to-file panel?

 

I know my version 14c blows up AM every time I try to do a cloth simulation. I thought maybe this was a version 14 problem also.

This is probably more of a case of unrealistic expectations. Cloth is Hard, even for advanced users. It takes a lot of time and fiddling with. It really isn't A:M's fault. A dedicated "cloth computer" would probably be a Cray class computer with software that has been developed over several years to do this one specific task. AM is a general purpose 3D app designed to run on your mom's home computer. big difference.

 

I was able to run my cloth simulation on a v15 bata but just clicking to run the same cloth simulation in v14c crashed AM before it even started to run.

I just thought that possibly v14c also had an issue with volumetrics simulation and that is why I can not get it to show in the render.

I'm not doggin' the program, just looking for a solution before I drive myself nuts.

It's the volumetrics in exercise 15 I am wanting to get working.

I'm not sure what I am missing to finish the exercise.

Yes, I did turn Particles/Hair to ON when I rendered.

 

Thanks,

 

EDIT:

I found reference in the tutorials forum that in fact v14c has problems with the volumetrics.

I took my exercise 15 into v13 and it works.

I am rendering out the animation now and will post it when it finishes.

I was losing hair and I ain't got much to lose.

I learned a lot on this one.

Dust is cool!

 

EDIT 2:

Here is the movie:

Ex15_2.mov

[Rob_T]

This was a pretty fast lesson. Rather than have the Knight stomp around I thought I would use the "Skip" action instead. I just learn more when I alter the lesson some.

 

Anyway, I changed the color of the dust to something very similar to the floor in the choreography and it gave me a really subtle dust effect which I actually like. I was surprised at how the color change reduced the big white half globes that were popping out of the Knight's ankles in shaded mode to something that actually looked like a little dust. I was worried that even with the color change the dust would still assume that very obvious shape.

 

I'm curious to know if you can create these that aren't exactly circular? Also I'm wondering if there can be more than one? For example if I had assigned one dust volumetric to each foot if I could have customized them for the individual footfalls instead of making sure that the left foot went to zero before the right foot hit the ground and all that.

 

Anyway, interesting although I'm not exactly hopping up and down about the potential of this. I guess the lesson just didn't get me all that excite about it. Next is smoke wind and fire so that might be a bit more interesting.

 

Vid attached.

 

EDIT: Here's a version with a scaled up Knight (funny how the scaling of the model increases the size of the "dust" which I assumed was fixed by the Falloff size. Wierd. I also.... altered... the Knight's armor. Since he's skipping I thought it appropriate.

lesson15eatmydust.mov

lesson15eatmydust2.mov

[robcat2075]

I'm curious to know if you can create these that aren't exactly circular?

i believe you can scal them to squash them in to more oval shapes. I think you can also add "turbulence" to them to get a less uniform appearance.

 

 

Also I'm wondering if there can be more than one? For example if I had assigned one dust volumetric to each foot if I could have customized them for the individual footfalls instead of making sure that the left foot went to zero before the right foot hit the ground and all that.

I'm sure it's possible to have moer than one ina scene so , yes.

 

Anyway, interesting although I'm not exactly hopping up and down about the potential of this.

 

 

as "dust", volumetrics are a bit old-school in CG. But I have seen some interesting low-lying fog effects done with some of the cubical volumetrics.

 

 

I guess the lesson just didn't get me all that excite about it. Next is smoke wind and fire so that might be a bit more interesting.

That's quite a good one. A good introduction to particles, which is a huge field of CG in itself.

[Rob_T]

But I have seen some interesting low-lying fog effects done with some of the cubical volumetrics.

 

Cubical? As in a cube? Hmmm. The sphere I get but a cube seems even less of use.... unless you are trying to fog up some very flat terrian I guess. I suppose under those circumstances it would be far more useful than a sphere.

 

The turbulance sounds interesting. Thanks for the answers. On to 16 (no vide tut again... grrrr....)

[Timekiller]

Exercise 15

Complete 14 Feb 10

Knight_Walk.mov

[HomeSlice]

Congratulations Timekiller. That looks like a success.