What would you like to see in AM

[NancyGormezano]

I mean, where can they be downloaded to put them into the plugins folder?

 

Hmmm...I thought they came standard with A:M ... but maybe not? - They can be found at Steffen's site:

 

http://www.sgross.com/plugins/index.html

[robcat2075]

 

They're standard with v16.

 

v15 versions can be had from steffen's site.

 

http://www.sgross.com/plugins/

[bubba]

I would like to see the render engine(s) used in Netrender imported to A:M proper. That way multi-core machine power can be used to best advantage.

[NancyGormezano]

I would like to see the render engine(s) used in Netrender imported to A:M proper. That way multi-core machine power can be used to best advantage.

 

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking, but I will assume that you are asking that the computation for 1 frame be able to be split among multi-processors/cores to shorten the render time for 1 frame?

 

That ain't gonna happen anytime soon. It's sorta like saying "If it takes 9 months to make a baby with 1 woman, then it should only take 3 months with 3 women"

 

Obviously one can compute entirely different frames in parallel, as now, with multiple instances of A:M.

 

But the computation for 1 frame is a linear type problem, more akin to a pipeline process. You have to wait for the results from part A, before you can do part B. That is assuming you can find a logical place to break the render process up. And even if the process can be broken up into logical units that don't need to wait for results (ie done in parallel) then you would still need a new process that would combine the results. And how many different processes could this pipeline be broken up into? 2? 3? 4? and how many cores could it take advantage of to do parallel processing.

 

Nope. Not gonna happen. Not soon. But it is not impossible. It's been done. Just takes big rewrite of A:M I suspect.

[robcat2075]

back around v14 hash did try multi-processing on single frames and it was unreliable.

 

The render engine in A:M is the same as in Netrender, that's why it takes Netrender about the same time to render a frame as A:M does.

 

 

Performance tests I've seen for other apps that do use multi-core for one-frame rendering showed speedups of around only 40% for each additional core so after 4 cores they weren't getting much at all.

 

NetRender gets you almost total use of each additional core.If you have more than one frame to render, that's a great solution.

[robcat2075]

I was talking with Detbear about his contour map problem and thought of this workflow...

 

He can get his contour map converted to a triangular mesh in another app but triangles are poor in A:M.

 

However, the Resurface plugin can conform one mesh to another so he could import the triangular mesh and then conform a nice grid mesh to it with resurface and then discard the triangle mesh.

 

Here's a quick example of Resurface making a grid mesh match the shape of a lathed mesh:

 

[robcat2075]

* Shadow only mesh (for compositing)

 

You want an object that will cast a shadow yet not appear? I think we covered that before and mentioned that two different kinds of shadow buffers are available.

 

However, you can have shadow objects like that in a scene if you turn off their "Cast Reflection" prop and shoot the scene thru a mirror.

 

 

 

 

Here's a shot through a cam facing the scene:

 

 

Here's a shot thru a cam facing the opposite direction and pointed into a mirror placed between the two cameras:

 

 

Shadow only mesh !

 

the sky appears white in the mirror shot because the camera background color isn't currently picked up by reflections, but if you're doing a production of such level that a shadow only object is required, you're going to be using a sky dome for your background rather than a solid background color.

[robcat2075]

I forgot to mention that I scaled the mirror cam -100% on X to make it flip what it was seeing in the mirror.

 

Technically not allowed in its props but you can manually scale it and then set the channel in the PWS to be exactly -100%

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

I thought threads like this were taboo - but this must be the 'new' HASH. Unless someone knows how to do it with an existing tool - I would like taper tools in the model tools.

[robcat2075]

I would like taper tools in the model tools.

 

taper?

[bubba]

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking, but I will assume that you are asking that the computation for 1 frame be able to be split among multi-processors/cores to shorten the render time for 1 frame?

 

That ain't gonna happen anytime soon. It's sorta like saying "If it takes 9 months to make a baby with 1 woman, then it should only take 3 months with 3 women"

 

Have you used the Netrender that came with v16? It allows two instances to run at the same time (there is some discussion of allowing more instances, depending on how many cores (physical/vitrual) and how much a user would spend on additional licenses. It does not split a frame as allow each frame to rendered separately by each instance. Only works with TARGA output, but eveyone says that is the way to go. Maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been- this is for render to file only.

[Xtaz]

I thought threads like this were taboo.

me too

let's enjoy!!

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

I would like taper tools in the model tools.

 

taper?

 

Hmmm....How do I describe it without naming the polygon app that has that tool? Say you start with a box with several faces per side (splines), the tool pulls one end of the model disproportionately in one or 2 directions (depending on how you pull back the mouse. You can get smoothed shapes like this:

[robcat2075]

Say you start with a box with several faces per side (splines), the tool pulls one end of the model disproportionately in one or 2 directions (depending on how you pull back the mouse. You can get smoothed shapes like this:

 

Don't distortion boxes and/or magnet mode do that?

[robcat2075]

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

I don't know. It's easy to find help on Copy-Flip-Attach, but magnet mode isn't really fleshed out that I can see - tutorial wise.

[Rodney]

RE: What Robert said about tapering...

 

...and Distortion cages can be applied to Bones so they can be animated!

 

Note: Magnet Mode and Distortion Mode are two different things.

[jakerupert]

Larry: Have you tried the plug-in wizards "cut plane"? and/or splitpatch? - I believe one or both probably do what you are looking for:

 

Split patch :

 

1) import a cube

2) select all cp's

3) right click - choose plugins/wizards/splitpatch

 

or

 

cut plane :

 

1) lathe something

2 with NO cps selected, right click in model window - choose plugins/wizards/cut plane

3) position plane where you want (can also rotate plane), choose options (cut, break, add spline ring) - hit apply

 

 

 

Hi Nancy, Thank you for pointing me to that plugins. Very valuable tools, though the cutplanetool sometimes doesn`t deliver rings but 8ts...

 

Maybe just my fault somehow.

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

RE: What Robert said about tapering...

 

...and Distortion cages can be applied to Bones so they can be animated!

 

Note: Magnet Mode and Distortion Mode are two different things.

 

So for modelling - which mode do I want? magnet or Distortion?

[Rodney]

So for modelling - which mode do I want? magnet or Distortion?

 

You can use either one in modeling or animation.

 

In my estimation Distortion Mode seems best suited for moving larger areas of the model by grabbing a section of grids whereas with Magnet Mode you select one single CP that in turn affect an specific area.

 

Put another way:

With Distortion you specify the section available via a Distortion Cage and then select those areas to manipulate the mesh.

With Magnet Mode you Use a Control Point and adjust the Fall off that will effect the CPs and their associated spline in a specified area.

 

In a way it's two different ways to get at the same thing.

 

It should be noted that Distortion by itself is just a way of pushing and pulling a mesh around in 3D space.

Underneath the hood both are basically doing the same thing to your model.

They are more or less different ways to translate, rotate, scale, skew and otherwise alter your mesh.

 

Where I would use one over the other might be:

- I'd be more likely to use Magnet Mode to make mountains and valleys in a grid.

- I'd be more likely to use Magnet Mode to push and pull features around on a face. (Although I can think of times where I'd want to use Distortion as well)

- I'd be more likely to use Distortion for Squash and Stretch effects.

 

You should test them both.

 

- Create a Grid (Right Click>Wizards>Grid)

- Select Magnet Mode

- Select a Control Point

- Adjust the Fall Off (that yellow radius surrounding the CP you've selected)

- Rotate the Grid around and move the CP you've selected

Note the change to the rest of the grid.

 

You can then operate similarly with Distortion but insted of selecting one CP you want to select the part of the model you want to distort and then go into Distortion Mode. Then grab parts of the Distortion Cage and manipulate your grid.

 

Here's a pic I stumbled on from about 10 years ago (from Pixelburg's A:M Glossary):

[robcat2075]

I used a distortion box change a sphere into the shape I posted.

[HomeSlice]

Here is a tut about modeling with distortion boxes

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29735

 

Here is a tut about animating with distortion boxes

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29730

 

Magnet Mode is pretty straightforward.

1. Select a single CP.

2. Hit the Magnet Mode button. A Yellow circle with a couple of handles will appear around the CP. CPs near the center of the circle will be influenced more and CPs near the edge of the circle will be influenced less.

3. Drag on the handles to size the circle.

4. Drag the CP you selected to see what happens.

--------------

If you want several CPs to be influenced 100% instead of just one: (while still allowing CPs farther away to be influenced according to the falloff curve of the Magnet Influence Circle).

Do steps 1-3.

Now select a group of CPs.

Move/Scale the group of CPs and see what happens.

 

You can change the size of the Influence Circle on the fly to refine the shape.

Make a group for the CPs to be influenced 100%.

Follow steps 1-3.

Move/scale the CPs.

Select a single CP and change the size of the Magnet Influence circle.

Select the group you just made.

Move/scale the CPs some more.

Rinse and repeat.

 

Don't forget to De-activate the Magnet Mode button when you are done.

[Fuchur]

Hi Jake,

 

CutPlane is not always reliable, but still very useful. If you see, that your model is not working well with it, you should just disable the checkbox "add spline" and only put CPs in where you want them.

After that it is quite easy to put in the spline yourself.

 

Steffen developed CutPlane on a featurerequest from me (saw that kind of thing in another application) but we never figured out to the end, how to add the spline more reliable.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[thejobe]

Interesting enough this topic turned from stuff that can go into A:M to holy crap I didn't know it did that already! Very nice info here.

[John Bigboote]

A:M's distortion box feature is the 'bee's knees'! It seriously rocks as a powerful feature, I use it all the time and don't know what I would do without it. It really takes 2 minutes to learn.

[Roger]

Well, to put my 2 cents in: I'd like to see CUDA support for GPU rendering - that would be pretty nice. If it was possible to have this available for both Nvidia and ATI, that would be even better but since I only have Nvidia cards right now, if I had to pick I'd choose Nvidia CUDA support.

[UNGLAUBLICHUSA]

Sincere thanks to those who helped anser the "Taper" Tool question. These 2 options will become very important choices in my AM arsenal of weapons! Group hug!!!!

[Fuchur]

Well, to put my 2 cents in: I'd like to see CUDA support for GPU rendering - that would be pretty nice. If it was possible to have this available for both Nvidia and ATI, that would be even better but since I only have Nvidia cards right now, if I had to pick I'd choose Nvidia CUDA support.

 

In the end it would be OpenCL. It is a little slower, but I think both brands support it, it is OpenSource and it is compatible to OpenGL and aynthing connected to it what A:M already uses...

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[robcat2075]

Martin said that they did try to implement Gelato, the first well-know GPU rendering scheme, several years ago but couldn't get usable answers for many technical questions from the makers.

 

I'm sure Steffen is aware of the various GPU rendering schemes surfacing now and has an eye on them for feasibility.

[brainmuffin]

I hope this helps:

 

Here is the way that Blender does UV Unwrap:

http://www.blendercookie.com/2011/01/21/intro_uvmapping/

 

Since Blender is open-source, that would mean this source code could be used for reference to program similar features into A:M, no?

[robcat2075]

Since Blender is open-source, that would mean this source code could be used for reference to program similar features into A:M, no?

 

If it's the usual open-source license it requires that any product that incorporates it become open source too. So that's bad.

 

But if it were restricted to just being a plugin for A:M then only the plugin would need to be released as open source.

 

If you love this feature, recruit a programmer who would want to implement it based on the A:M SDK and the Blender code. What would this plugin be worth to you? Could you convince perhaps 10 people to pay that too? That might be enough to get someone going on it.

[Rodney]

There is always room for improvement in A:M and feedback from every user of A:M is important.

It may be useful when posting to demonstrate your current knowledge of the process you currently using in A:M. This will help others bridge the gap between what is known and what is unknown. Others will benefit also.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RE: UV Decaling

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two things immediately come to mind that provide a similar or perhaps even better workflow in A:M.

When decaling (more specifically right after a decal has been applied):

- Open A:M's UV Editor

- Open an Action or Modeling window with the Model being decaled (open both if you want to)

- Tile these windows so that you can view them simultaneously

- Turn the model around in one window while adjusting the UV settings in the other

- Hide parts of your model where necessary.

- Organize your Decal(s) in almost the exact way demonstrated in the video.

 

A:M's UV Editor and Decaling can certainly be improved and the many improvements in the past hint at where A:M is going.

The surest way to see new innovations appear in A:M's Decaler is to use what is available now. Really lean into it! Programmers tend to improve on what is used/needed the most.

[brainmuffin]

The problems I've encountered in the past are:

 

If you watch the part of that video where the monkey head is being unwrapped, you'll see he marks a seam down the back of the head, and the mesh automatically unwraps, leaving the face seamless, and the whole head in one single "stamp". Right now this is not possible. You would have to split the head into at least two, if not more, stamps. This would not be so much of a problem if you could stitch the stamps back together in the uv editor. There used to be a way to, but it doesn't work anymore.

 

There is no automatic unwrap, either. you have to manually flatten out the entire model, piece by piece, often in several different actions or poses. This is very time consuming.

[bubba]

This is not really a feature, but I would like to see a better User's manual, as well as a technical reference manual.

[robcat2075]

This is not really a feature, but I would like to see a better User's manual, as well as a technical reference manual.

 

I would like to see a revision to TAoA:M also. Someone's just gotta do it.

 

There is a Tech Ref already...

 

http://www.hash.com/reference.htm

 

Also Holmes' Tiddlywiki explains every (?) A:M property parameter

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...p;hl=tiddlywiki

[thejobe]

I'm not even sure this is really possible but I've had this idea in my head for quite a while now. when every i make a model and i want to use a decal it becomes a very tedious process of lining it up just right so i can get the decal on there perfectly. I'm not sure if there is an add on that does this already but what i was thinking of use maybe a 3D decal applicator that when part of the decal is not on the model on screen that it will prompt you to auto wrap the remainder of the decal around the model with no stretch applied. would this be possible?

[robcat2075]

I'm not even sure this is really possible but I've had this idea in my head for quite a while now. when every i make a model and i want to use a decal it becomes a very tedious process of lining it up just right so i can get the decal on there perfectly. I'm not sure if there is an add on that does this already but what i was thinking of use maybe a 3D decal applicator that when part of the decal is not on the model on screen that it will prompt you to auto wrap the remainder of the decal around the model with no stretch applied. would this be possible?

 

Can you show a case where you had trouble?

[Gerry]

maybe a 3D decal applicator that when part of the decal is not on the model on screen that it will prompt you to auto wrap the remainder of the decal around the model with no stretch applied.

Are you familiar with editing decals after they're applied? You can move cp's around and see exactly where the decal is positioned. It will even update automatically in the model window.

[Gerry]

It would be handy to see a cp's weighting maybe by hovering over it or showing it in the pws.

[Walter Baker]

I am probably running way behind on this post but I had a thought today at work about rigging and assigning CP's.

This may already be available, if so I don't know it.

 

But if you can rig half a model the way you want it and get the CP's assigned correctly, (I know how to flip the model and the rig)....

but how about having the CP assignment on the original side automatically match on the flip side.

 

Does that make any sense.....or........ is it already in the program?????

[Gerry]

Nope I don't think it is, but I was just thinking the exact same thing a few minutes ago. It would be great if before CFA all the weights are done, then you CFA and the weights are included. I know MirrorBones is supposed to do this in a different way but I'm still struggling with getting it to work properly.

[bubba]

There is a Tech Ref already...

 

 

Yes there is but I think it is for 2007. I know that if you press the F1 key for help it brings up a reference to 2007.

[robcat2075]

Almost everything it contains is correct however.

 

An exception is its description of displacement mapping which is no longer dependent on the res of the mesh.

 

Other than that it's mostly there.

 

Is it missing something you need?

[robcat2075]

But if you can rig half a model the way you want it and get the CP's assigned correctly, (I know how to flip the model and the rig)....

but how about having the CP assignment on the original side automatically match on the flip side.

 

Mirror bones flips CP weights. If you have a case that doesnt' work, present it in a thread so we can figure out why.

[NancyGormezano]

It would be handy to see a cp's weighting maybe by hovering over it or showing it in the pws.

 

Ooooo, yes...that's something I too think would be quite handy, if possible.

 

But of course now, one can always choose Edit weights to get the info.

[mtpeak2]

Mirrorbones works great, you just need to make sure you have the settings and options correct for what you are trying to do (and your model is CFA'ed correctly).

 

Something I'd like to see is mirror mode for bones mode. Once you rig your model and use the mirrorbones plugin, but find you need to make adjustments to the rig, it would be easier to use mirror mode rather than running the plugin again (you need to change the settings and options for this). Mirrorbones can get confusing when trying to do a specific task (mirror bones and weights, mirror bones only, mirror weights only or adjusting bones on the opposite side of the rig). I think the dialog needs to be updated so it is easier to understand what the task (check box) is actually doing.

[Gerry]

Mirror bones flips CP weights. If you have a case that doesnt' work, present it in a thread so we can figure out why.

Well that's just it. I don't think it's a faulty prj or model, I don't fully understand the settings. I've run it about four times on this one model* and managed to get only a partial result. I did watch Holmes' rigging tut again as he suggested, but he's using it to flip the bones, while I need to mirror the cp weights. I've got all the LiteFace bones in, I select the head (root) bone, and some cp's get weighted but not all. It also generated an extremely long report of cp's with incorrect assignments (e.g., it tells me a cp is weighted twice to the same bone), but they were right when I started.

I'm currently going through and weighting the cp's manually. It's laborious but no moreso than any other step of the process, and less frustrating than running Mirrorbones over and over.

 

*FYI I am doing a "save as" with the model, not running it repeatedly on the same one.

[Tom]

I have often thought it would be totally cool if we could get Sweeper to be an animatable tool. Plug in your requests and then ask the software to build the "sweep" over time (that the user defines).

 

Pull that file into the choreography and then film the model building itself over time from any angle you want.

That seems like it would be pretty magical...

 

Here is a film where a guy builds natural objects over time. Do you think he built everything (like the nautilus shell) at once and then revealed it using a mask? or...???

 

http://www.etereaestudios.com/docs_html/nb...movie_index.htm

 

 

Tom

[thejobe]

maybe a 3D decal applicator that when part of the decal is not on the model on screen that it will prompt you to auto wrap the remainder of the decal around the model with no stretch applied.

Are you familiar with editing decals after they're applied? You can move cp's around and see exactly where the decal is positioned. It will even update automatically in the model window.

 

No I never heard anything about or even know how that is accomplished.

[NancyGormezano]

maybe a 3D decal applicator that when part of the decal is not on the model on screen that it will prompt you to auto wrap the remainder of the decal around the model with no stretch applied.

Are you familiar with editing decals after they're applied? You can move cp's around and see exactly where the decal is positioned. It will even update automatically in the model window.

 

No I never heard anything about or even know how that is accomplished.

 

Right click on the decal (or a particular stamp of the decal) - choose EDIT - up pops the uv editor - select & move the cps around. Best to do it while having both the uv editor & the model window both open to see how the mapping changes (I like to tile vertically)