basics

[jim dodds]

I am very new to this and it would be very helpful if someone has a tutorial that follows the same process as the Demo Video on the main Hash page. I've tried to follow the steps he uses to animate that vase several times, but it's obvious some steps are gone over so fast you don't notice them, and you can't stop and start it anyway. I want to make my own model and animate it, and things aren't going well as yet. For instance, how do you save a model to begin with? I can save my project, but don't seem to be able to save models. I can make new folders but can't see any way to get my models into them. And bones are eluding me. I draw bones and attach cps to them -- get the blinking lights and all that -- but when I move the bones the model stays right where it is! I'm obviously not getting some major steps. Does anyone have a basic tutorial that shows ALL the steps for making a model, putting bones in, attaching them and animating it. Just something simple, like that vase in the demo?

 

Thank YOU!!

[Ganthofer]

OK, I'll jump in here and try and answer some of this. There is a collection of links and tutorials Here

 

As for Saving your model: When you start something new, like File>New> Model, a modeling window is opened up, but also a new project is opened up. The Model is by default, embeded in the project. To save the model as an MDL file, you can simply right click on the model name (Model1 by default) and select SaveAs. choose a location and name and the Model is now saved in a MDL file and is no longer embeded in the project.

 

A word of warning. When you do this, clicking the little Diskette icon next to the Folder icon on the tool bar does not save any changes you make to the Model. If the Model is not embeded in the Project, you will need to remember to right click the Model name in the PWS and select Save.

 

I usually leave my Model embeded in a project, until I'm finished creating it, then save it out separately.

 

There are a number of good tutorials and going thru TAOAM (The Art Of Animation Master) is very useful. There are videos for most if not all the exercises.

 

Glenn

[Dhar]

Hi Jim,

 

I think I know what you're referring to about the vase at the demo show. The reason your model didn't move the way you wanted is because you're still in the modeling window. To see your model move, double click on the Actions folder, a pop up menu will appear, choose your model. Now you can animate your model.

 

To help you familiarize yourself with this software, you can follow the simple video tutorials, at your own pace. You can pause the tutorial while you follow each step. http://www.hash.com/VM/

 

Good luck

[jim dodds]

Thanks you guys,

I'll try your ideas, see if I can get a little farther into this. Cheers!

 

Jim