Modeling & Camera Rotation

[wildcard]

I find it a tad annoying how the camera rotation works when modeling. When adding splines you have to re-select a CP in order to have the camera rotate around it, else AM reverts back to the center XYZ coordinates and rotates the camera around there. Depending on the size of the model and how far away you are from the X or Y axis, when having nothing selected, camera rotations feels clumsy and some what disorientated.

 

Does AM hold an option to rotate around last selected CP or CP group or some manipulation key to have AM not fall back to the center XYZ camera rotation.

[robcat2075]

That's the way it works. It rotates around whatever is currently selected and that's the model bone if nothing else is selected.

 

If you are working on some far-flung part of the model you could temporarily move the model bone out there (don't use the translate manipulator). Just remember to move it back to 0,0,0 when you are done.

[Fuchur]

I find it a tad annoying how the camera rotation works when modeling. When adding splines you have to re-select a CP in order to have the camera rotate around it, else AM reverts back to the center XYZ coordinates and rotates the camera around there. Depending on the size of the model and how far away you are from the X or Y axis, when having nothing selected, camera rotations feels clumsy and some what disorientated.

 

Does AM hold an option to rotate around last selected CP or CP group or some manipulation key to have AM not fall back to the center XYZ camera rotation.

 

I cant think of anything... so I find this is a very intuitive way doing it. Best I have ever seen in A:M, because it is so easy to see what you are rotating around. In other programms that is much more complicated...

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[largento]

I think it's just a matter of getting used to doing it. I often just click in the model window and drag select some part of the area that I'm working on. That doesn't take very much time or effort.

[wildcard]

The problem is I've worked with other 3d/CAD like programs that had the camera handle differently, even though I'm using AM longer than any other 3d/CAD program I've worked with, I don't seem to grow used to how the camera works in AM, for I keep forgetting to select a CP if I want to rotate around whats in view.

 

Wishful thinking on my part hoping there would be a hidden trick I've not yet discovered that alter the camera handling more to my liking's

[robcat2075]

How do the other programs pick a new rotation center that is not the 0,0,0 and is not something else selected?

[HomeSlice]

Wishful thinking on my part rolleyes.gif hoping there would be a hidden trick I've not yet discovered that alter the camera handling more to my liking's

If I am understanding you correctly, there is. Follow Robcat's advice. Go into Bones mode and move the big black Model Bone wherever you want the camera to rotate around.

 

Just drag the Model Bone with your mouse. Don't use the translate manipulator.

If you use the Translate Manipulator to move it, the whole bone hierarchy will move too, which is not what you want in this case.

 

You really only need to move the *base* of the Model Bone. The position of the tip of the bone doesn't matter.

You can also just enter the XYZ coordinates of the Model Bone's "Start" position in the Property panel.

 

Like Robert said, make sure you move the Model Bone back into its original location when you are ready to start working with the model in a Pose, Action or Chor.

[Fuchur]

How do the other programs pick a new rotation center that is not the 0,0,0 and is not something else selected?

 

For Example the mousePointer ist used to determine the rotationpoint or there is a static point defined before or the object pivot or the global pivot etc. Keep in mind that most programms use a global space only... A:M has a great and intuitive way doing it.

 

See u

*Fuchur*

[wildcard]

How do the other programs pick a new rotation center that is not the 0,0,0 and is not something else selected?

 

For Example the mousePointer ist used to determine the rotationpoint or there is a static point defined before or the object pivot or the global pivot etc. Keep in mind that most programms use a global space only... A:M has a great and intuitive way doing it.

 

See u

*Fuchur*

 

Mouse pointer, center of screen or something along these lines.

 

The best way I can explain it, along the lines of how AM works, everything you currently have visible in your model windows, becomes automatically selected in the background to determent the camera rotation point.

[Fuchur]

Still I think that A:M offers the most intuitiv and easy way of doing it. Select something, and the selection is the rotationpoint. select something else and that one is the point... very fast, very easy to understand and very powerful. You just need to get a little mor experience if you ask me...

 

There is no easier way in A:M to work with so... everything else is much more complicated (like translating the black-bone / model-bone, etc.)

 

See you

*Fuchur*