How can I improve response time while posing characters

[Tralfaz]

My computer is a P4 2.6 GHz with 512 MByte RAM, ATI 9000 Pro video card with 128 MByte RAM, Windows 2000 Pro with all the latest service packs and patches. All drivers are up to date.

 

I am working on a WIP project using Schlitzy. What I am finding is that A:M seems to be getting slower and slower as more objects are added to the project. I am now at the point where I would like to start animating Schlitzy in a chor. The response time between mouse click and something happening on the screen is better than a second. I have tried creating a new project with only Schlitzy and the main objects of the scene, but response time is still pretty slow.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations as to improving the response time while working in A:M? BTW, I am using A:M 12n+.

 

It is kind of weird sometimes. For instance, I will go to delete an object, and the warning sound comes from the speaker almost immediately, but it takes a second or two for the window to appear asking me to confirm if I want to delete the object or not.

 

Thanks in advance...

Al

[NancyGormezano]

hit the "page down" (till it bongs at ya) to get to a crude looking model, turn off hair (Shift +8), - turn off decals? maybe might help (ctrl + d).

 

hide your other models in the scene that you don't need to see - 1st choice in render mode thingy by model name in chor - looks like a red x.

 

remember to turn back on (hair, decals) when you want to render final.

[zandoriastudios]

Use SHIFT+8 (*) to toggle particles and hair OFF. Shlitzy has particle hair, so that should speed you up a bit.

Also, try hitting PAGE DOWN on your keyboard to reduce the real-time subdivisions of your models.

 

You can also change the DRAW MODE of your objects in the Choreography. There is a little icon next to their name in the Project Workspace. If you have a lot of models in the scene, it could speed things up while you are animating to set the draw mode to "bounding box" or even "don't draw" (especially for elements that your character isn't interracting with).

[rusty]

if you have other windows open in AM in the background -- modeling or action windows or whatever -- close them. Only have the chor window open or as few as possible at any rate. Also, start AM up before running any other programs.

 

For really complex sets sometimes I'll throw together a low resolution set (mostly boxes to indicate where things are located) and work up the animation in that then delete the low res set and import a chor to get the real set back in place. I've also used lowres character models sub'ing in the hires model before rendering.

 

What I really do most of the time is divide the set up into background, mid-ground and foreground parts, render with alpha channels and combine the parts in post. I commonly have 5 to 8 layers -- most of the time character animation is almost by itself.

 

Of course have hair turned off and also if you have any deformation maps, make them bump maps until render time. Page down to lower the sub-divisions. All these things will kill you.

 

I've never turned decals off but I guess that would help as well.

 

Do all this and you should have decent response time.

 

Rusty

 

PS: of course if the camera isn't moving (or where ever possible) render the background and just use the image!

[Tralfaz]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I will give them a try when I get home from work tonight.

 

Al

[Tralfaz]

Quick update...

 

The tips you provided helped quite a bit! I hope to have the first stab at animating my WIP done by the weekend.

 

Thanks again...

Al