Help for the animation needy

[LuLu]

Hi, I am buying AM within the next two weeks. I have searched the forums and had some questions answered and other not it may e because I am not searching them right. I have very little animation exp. I currently do animations projects for creative fun and I draw them, then make models in milkshape. Sometimes I record 3d worlds and then export the avi into filmstrip and then render new or adjusted 3d animations within the video. I am hoping AM can not only help me learn but cut down on the drawing because it takes months to re-draw just a few seconds of video footage. Well it may take some less but i'm green.

 

If anyone can point me to the tutorials or like questions answered to some of these it would help allot. Again I don't know proper terms and such so idiot speak would be nice

 

Can AM open the same 3D gaming characters Poser does? Of course some need to be converted to OBJ

Does AM recognize XML files?

Can I pull a character from Adobe filmstrip into AM and adjust or add animation ?Flimstrip is set at 30 FR and creates bmp images. I can adjust the FR lower.

Can AM pull a selected character right from the avi video?

 

These are the immediate ones I could not find within search. Thanks for any time you might give me.

 

PS don't hate me later when I get AM and ask tons of questions I'll search first promise

[luckbat]

Can AM open the same 3D gaming characters Poser does? Of course some need to be converted to OBJ

Oh, boy. The thing is, it's impossible to give a straightforward answer to this one. Polygons and splines are as different as pixels and vectors. Yes, A:M can definitely import OBJ files. But once the polygons are changed to splines, it's a very, very different model. As many other Hashers have said, the work required to tweak an imported poly model so that it looks right is almost always more time-consuming than the work required to build a proper spline model from scratch.

 

Pretend I said the answer was "no."

 

Does AM recognize XML files?

That's a bit like asking if A:M recognizes calculus. XML is simply a text-based markup format for data.

 

Can I pull a character from Adobe filmstrip into AM and adjust or add animation ?Flimstrip is set at 30 FR and creates bmp images. I can adjust the FR lower.

Yes, although I personally would export the Hash animation with alpha channels and combine it with the original video using compositing software. But you can definitely do this in A:M.

 

Can AM pull a selected character right from the avi video?

If the video was shot with a greenscreen, then yes. If not, then pretty much no software can do this--not without extensive rotoscoping.

 

PS don't hate me later when I get AM and ask tons of questions I'll search first promise

We've got tons of answers. Ask away.

[LuLu]

Can AM open the same 3D gaming characters Poser does? Of course some need to be converted to OBJ

Oh, boy. The thing is, it's impossible to give a straightforward answer to this one. Polygons and splines are as different as pixels and vectors. Yes, A:M can definitely import OBJ files. But once the polygons are changed to splines, it's a very, very different model. As many other Hashers have said, the work required to tweak an imported poly model so that it looks right is almost always more time-consuming than the work required to build a proper spline model from scratch.

 

Pretend I said the answer was "no."

 

I get that Milkshape has the same issue without the proper plug in

 

Does AM recognize XML files?

That's a bit like asking if A:M recognizes calculus. XML is simply a text-based markup format for data.

 

Ill try and narrow the file types if you dont here from me in a year or so send help

 

 

Can I pull a character from Adobe filmstrip into AM and adjust or add animation ?Flimstrip is set at 30 FR and creates bmp images. I can adjust the FR lower.

Yes, although I personally would export the Hash animation with alpha channels and combine it with the original video using compositing software. But you can definitely do this in A:M.

 

Would doing it the way you suggested help me cut the time a little?

 

 

 

Can AM pull a selected character right from the avi video?

If the video was shot with a greenscreen, then yes. If not, then pretty much no software can do this--not without extensive rotoscoping.

 

I do this for effects now except I create the greenscreen in filmstrip any difference needed for extraction for animation?

 

PS don't hate me later when I get AM and ask tons of questions I'll search first promise

We've got tons of answers. Ask away.

 

Oh Boy Im happy

[luckbat]

I get that Milkshape has the same issue without the proper plug in

Right, but Milkshape is a poly app. Animation:Master is not.

 

Would doing it the way you suggested help me cut the time a little?

I think it would, but you'll probably want to do some tests to see which method works best for you. Some people prefer using one app to do everything. It's really a matter of taste.

 

I do this for effects now except I create the greenscreen in filmstrip any difference needed for extraction for animation?

Er... I don't understand how you can "create" a greenscreen in post. It has to be there on set when you videotape your scene.

[robcat2075]

By "greenscreen" you do mean live video shot with a green backdrop, not CG images created with a green backdrop , right?

 

A:M doesn't do greenscreen compositing on it's own. you would need to composite your A:M animations with your greenscreen footage in an app that does that.

[LuLu]

luckbat, for instance lets say I create a 3D character or pull one from a 3D gaming video. I may want one or more charcters but not the background. There is a specific "green" color that I can wipe out the background with it has to be perfect every spec and then I can input what I want behind the character or really whatever is that "green". I do this in a very old old and older then dirt program called magix. I know there is updated versions of it but i know how to work the old one so I keep it. Mostly this is used for affect...like maybe fire behind everyone or something like that.

 

Robcat2075 you may of went over my head but don't worry thats not hard to do.

Does the greenshot have to be live digital recording for A:M to know it or can it be a CG greenbackground I created using the same color systems I currently use for other programs to read its a green background? If not I can record it live ..maybe I have never recorded a greenshot only regualr shots. But it may be easier cause I would only have to do it one time.

 

Thanks to both of you keep the wisdom coming

[luckbat]

"Greenscreening," or "chroma-keying," only makes sense in the context of live-action film and video. They're the only way to isolate foreground objects so that they can be composited with separate background imagery.

 

If you want to pull characters from already-rendered game footage, I guess that's sort of like live-action, and yes, you'd need a way to separate your characters from the background. But I still don't understand how you can make the background green without manually painting over it on every frame.

 

When making objects in CG, there's no need to use chroma-keying since there's no background to remove in the first place. You simply tell your 3D app to render your models with an alpha channel (More about alpha channels here: http://www.am-guide.com/TinCan/AM_&_Alpha.htm). If your 3D app or compositing software doesn't understand alpha channels, it's time to throw them away.

 

There are many free and inexpensive compositing apps out there that handle alpha blending, so you should be good to go.

[cstanton]

Luckbat,

That URL seems to have a close parenthesis that shows up in the error msg "The requested URL /TinCan/AM_&_Alpha.htm) was not found on this server."

 

Alpha Stuff

 

Thanks for the link,

Curtis

[MMZ_TimeLord]

Also, A:M CAN do compositing right over, in between or behind (LAYERS) other parts you import (image sequences, or movie files).

 

Layers seems to be the most underrated part of A:M. Take a look for the way Layers work in A:M and you will be suprised.

[LuLu]

Thanks everyone. I think I need to buy my copy to I can start to understand more of what you and everyone else on the forums is saying. Everything I have down has been very old school if you will and self taught since my ability to learn new software is ..well put it this way I think I am missing some DNA in that area.

 

I'm excited and glad you all are around to offer your thoughts and wisdom.

 

Thanks again

[LuLu]

File types I may use with my own models for fun stories from other 3D characters are

 

GeometryDataContainer GMDC

Animations ANIM

GeometryNode GMND

 

These are some of the files. There are more but being a tech challenged person this is what I have so far.

Some Maya files also. I wondering if A:M might interface with them.

Sigh I think I must be the only person in the world with many really cool and expensive programs that I don't use or use for a single function. That is why I am so excited with A:M I actually understand the Tut videos...imagine that!

 

Take good care

[luckbat]

These are most of the model formats that A:M can import/export:

http://www.innovateenterprises.com/AM/

 

I don't believe A:M imports many animation formats other than BVH (motion capture file format).

 

Although I still say it's more trouble than it's worth, here's a thread from some folks who imported 3DS models of Halo characters into A:M. http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8439

[LuLu]

Thank you!

 

I have some BHAV files but not sure how they work yet not sure if they are the same as BHV. Its all good though I am so excited to get this program that even if I have to learn to do things different its worth it. I have so many ideas and things and not being able to make them happen is frustrating me. Having watched every video tut this seems to have the interface I can get unlike some other programs I own even after spending hours on tut's. It not my nature to be able to digest tech stuff well so part of me getting this program is because of the willingness of the programmers and community to make it idiot tech friendly

[luckbat]

If you have an extra $30 lying around, consider getting the "A:M QuickStart 2" CD-ROM from Anzovin Studio:

 

http://www.rafhashvideotapes.com/amquickstart.html

 

Not that there aren't plenty of free tutorials out there already, of course. But some people prefer video...

[LuLu]

Great Thank you I will be getting those when I can.

Thanks do much for your time