Tread V2

[Master chief]

ok i did a tread post a while ago and got a few helpfull suggestions but unforunatly due to the complexity of the movie im making it was going to be litteraly hours of work ( think 30Plus models fighting over a landscape) so i was wondering wourl there be a way to set a part of a model ie the tracks/tire to change the color of the ground it moves through ?

[Caroline]

What about having a model which is just a square, which is the dark colour. Change the size of it in muscle mode in the choreography as the tank goes over it.

[Master chief]

ok ill explain the sit better , i have a row of 5 2 tracked bots that come over a hil made of sand ( sand texture) that then get blow up by an unknown attacker , while it is a short part of the movie ( bough 5 seconds worth ) there are 10 total tracks that i need to do , also if you could render the effect you sugested as i may not understand compleatly

[Caroline]

What a dope I am - Johnl3d will be ashamed of me. Gradient material. I will work on it for a little while then post.

 

But have a look at johnl3d's gradient tute - http://johnl3d.blogspot.com/, in case I disappear.

[Caroline]

Tricky - animated gradient material.

 

I suggest you go through johnl3d's tutorial a number of times, because gradient combiners can be difficult to wrap your head around. Trial and Error.

 

treadgradient.mov

 

Key things to learn - when creating the gradient material, experiment with where the start and end of the gradient should be, so that you know how to animate it in the choreography.

 

The model is a long flat square laid right across the camera, and does not move. The transparency of the material comes from half of the gradient combiner.

 

In the choreography, you will need to click the Show More than Drivers icon to show the attributes of the material. Change the start and end of the gradient in the choreography only on frame zero, and the final frame. That way it will move at a constant speed across.

 

Project:

treadgradient.prj

[Caroline]

An alternative method is animated displacement maps - I haven't really tried that, but here's the tutorial:

 

http://www.mossor.org/Desktop/Tutorials/Footsteps/index.html

 

I guess you'd just change the footprint decal to be a tank tread decal.

[johnl3d]

Caroline actuallly taught me all I know ...Nice job oh Master

[Caroline]

"Master" - I guess I need a new tag phrase - what about "Pottering Piskey" in tribute?

[HomeSlice]

Woah, Caroline. You are becoming quite adept at this. Yay Caroline!!! I remember not long ago you were the one asking all the questions. Doesn't it feel good to have an answer every once in awhile?