Other tut ideas?

[robcat2075]

What other ideas do people have for tutorials that would teach something that needs to be in a beginner course?

[MJL]

Putting a basic set together and using the ground plane or making your own.

[jason1025]

image based lighting for beginners, Radiosity for beginners.

[johnl3d]

Simple animated materials ?

[Rodney]

Simple animated materials ?

 

Can you give an example of an effect to create here?

A waterfall for instance?

 

(Similarly, I think Robert's tank tread distortion might be an animated decal/image sequence)

[Xtaz]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

[robcat2075]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

 

that's problem #2

[Darkwing]

So should perhaps TAOAM take another direction and not necessarily target brand new people, but rather it's larger intermediate userbase? People somewhat like me where all I ever actually do is just a few things and never venture into the greater expanses (as someone mentioned radiosity. Like I only even vaguely know what radiosity is, let alone how to go about using it). I don't know, it's just a thought which can most likely be better haggled out by you guys.

[robcat2075]

So should perhaps TAOAM take another direction and not necessarily target brand new people, but rather it's larger intermediate userbase?

 

I think that would be a different project, but there's no reason someone can't lead the effort to do that.

[Walter Baker]

A quick question, when new users buy the program, ( disc or sub.) don't they have to register with e-mail address before it will work?

If so would AM have those? So some one could create a message or promotion of AM Forum and send it to them.

Just a thought to encourage new users to visit or join the group.

[robcat2075]

Putting a basic set together and using the ground plane or making your own.

 

When you say "using the ground plane", what do you mean by that?

[MJL]

When you say "using the ground plane", what do you mean by that?

 

 

The ground plane, to me, is something of an anomaly. It is a grid but there are no control points to manipulate. I'm still not sure where it's color comes from. I can't seem to put a decal on it. It will apparently accept a material.

 

I just remember my frustration as a new newbie trying to make it be something other than the grey-brown monolithic

enigma that it seemed to be. The frustration put me off for quite a while from trying anything more.

[robcat2075]

When you say "using the ground plane", what do you mean by that?

 

 

The ground plane, to me, is something of an anomaly. It is a grid but there are no control points to manipulate. I'm still not sure where it's color comes from. I can't seem to put a decal on it. It will apparently accept a material.

 

It is a model like other models, but it's just one big, single patch with four corners. If you double click on it in the Objects folder you can edit it, or replace it with a denser grid if you wanted.

 

 

I just remember my frustration as a new newbie trying to make it be something other than the grey-brown monolithic

enigma that it seemed to be. The frustration put me off for quite a while from trying anything more.

 

It's apparent color comes from the brown "rim" light in the chor (which is in the wrong place to be a "rim" light)

[RU2D4]

I always had the most difficulty trying to use constraints and existing actions on characters that I made. Always way too complex. I don't know about a tutorial, but making it simpler maybe? I noticed some of the comments before about not so many posts from beginners, doesn't seem like many people are posting, either because they get the software and think they are going to make the next 3D movie on their own (like I did!), or there just aren't many out there. I don't know, but I do recall someone posting a long time ago about not having a reference manual, just the simple one that came with their software package. I got a spiral bound, 612 page, paper backed manual when I got A:M in 1999. It had every thing you needed to know! I've never learned anything from a classroom or an online tutorial... ever! Always out of a book, so I could go at my own pace and when my mind drifted, I could backtrack to where I left off.

[Darkwing]

Oh, that reminds me, perhaps delving a bit into having more than one action occurring at the same time, or transitioning. And I don't mean dropping two .act files on it and setting its start and end times, but actual chor animation

[robcat2075]

I always had the most difficulty trying to use constraints and existing actions on characters that I made.

 

For existing action to work your new character must have the same rig installed. That's one limitation.

 

I don't know, but I do recall someone posting a long time ago about not having a reference manual, just the simple one that came with their software package. I got a spiral bound, 612 page, paper backed manual when I got A:M in 1999. It had every thing you needed to know!

 

The Technical Reference is still out there, now in PDF form

 

http://www.hash.com/index.php?pcode=manuals

 

 

It contains everything except for some very recent features and changes.

 

If I ever finish the New TaoA:M it will have more mentions of the Tech Ref in it so people know it's there and where to look in it.

[Bill White]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

 

Maybe there are a few. Oh boy, emoticons too!

 

It may also be in the nature of a beginner that we have so many questions about everything related to A:M, and are still confused by concepts and terminology, and hate to come off as the idiots we know we are. (Okay, it may just be me and the 'we' was to deflect:)

 

As a beginner, I'd like to thank you all for your tuts and explainations I am discovering by hunting through the forums. The taoa:m thing (pdf) was a pleasure to find, and I enjoy reading about the tao revised planning. Anyway, hi everyone! Sorry if this has become off-topic.

 

Bill....

 

now, if I can figure out how to post this.

[Darkwing]

That gets me to wondering, do we have a FAQ here or something?

[John Bigboote]

It just occurred to me... as I was making a flying logo and thinking how easy it is to do in A:M... that a '3D Text' or 'Flying Logo' tutorial may be of interest to new folks. I ALWAYS thought, and told Martin back in the day- that A:M is a STRONG PLAYER in a motion-graphics toolkit... and that if he marketed or appealed to that crowd then A:M would sell more units- taking away from the '3D Invigorator' or even the 'Cinema4D's sales. But- he was repelled by people who used 3D tools to make a living... and went for the 'hobbyists' instead.

 

I would certainly be happy to contribute to a tutorial, (hair, 3Dtext motion-graphics, Newton...) and would hope that a 'standard' would be set... whether it be in print or screen-capture- there needs to be some continuity or packaging/branding involved... TAOA:M was a nice book, well-made and consistant from page to page... it looked like it all came from the same 'mill' or 'hand'. That is something that needs to be retained and oversaw/edited

[robcat2075]

Welcome to the forum, Bill!

 

 

It may also be in the nature of a beginner that we have so many questions about everything related to A:M, and are still confused by concepts and terminology, and hate to come off as the idiots we know we are. (Okay, it may just be me and the 'we' was to deflect:)

One of the basic benefits of TAoA:M is to get everyone on the same page for basic skills and terminology

 

 

As a beginner, I'd like to thank you all for your tuts and explainations I am discovering by hunting through the forums. The taoa:m thing (pdf) was a pleasure to find,

 

Tell me more about how you found it. Theoretically everyone who buys A:M should know it's there immediately but is it not?

[Xtaz]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

 

Maybe there are a few. Oh boy, emoticons too!

 

Bill....

 

now, if I can figure out how to post this.

Hi Bill.... welcome to A:M and its world.... thank you for posting here. Our effort to bring new tutorials is for you. I encourage all begginers that are reading this topic to post what kind of tutorial do you want to see...

Bill what do you want to learn ?

[themike38]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

were in here just waiting for the new tuts to come out

[Xtaz]

were in here just waiting for the new tuts to come out

Thanks Mike .... We need your assistance. What kind of tutorial do you have in mind ?

[robcat2075]

How many beginners do we have? I see so few here in the forum......where are they ? Why doesn't they post here ?

were in here just waiting for the new tuts to come out

 

The current TAoA:M tuts are still good! The new ones may be a while in arriving so jump in now and start discovering A:M.

[Bill White]

Welcome to the forum, Bill!

 

Thank you!

 

As a beginner, I'd like to thank you all for your tuts and explainations I am discovering by hunting through the forums. The taoa:m thing (pdf) was a pleasure to find,

 

Tell me more about how you found it. Theoretically everyone who buys A:M should know it's there immediately but is it not?

 

After reading enough through the forums, I finally read where 'tao' wasn't just the concept "The Art Of", but a set of tuts and started hunting for it. I never actually saw a link to getting it in a message or a faq, but went to the ftp part of the site for some manual information and found it there. I can't be sure it isn't in some bold print on some page one somewhere, but I never saw it. Ever stand in a store at a shelf that has what you want, but have to ask someone where it is anyway? Perhaps a link pinned in the newbie section with 'things you'll want for sure when starting out' would have been handy.

 

This is my second foray into A:M. Bought the cd for 2001 version (8.5 on the cd) but only did the examples through most of the manual for character anim. I used it a few times for simple text anim (fontwiz) and have flown a few cameras around through models and played with the volumetric lights, simple stuff to be included in intros/outros for video projects, but recently spent a few weeks attacking the character anim part of the program for a silly online video contest, and had so much fun doing it came back for v.16.

 

I wish I knew enough to know what would help me along the most, but it's everything at this point. Constraints are a current search, and plugins and what they'll do.

 

Bill....

[Bill White]

Hi Bill.... welcome to A:M and its world....

Bill what do you want to learn ?

 

Hi Xtaz! Thanks.

 

I'm still so new I'm trying to figure that out, but shall not be too intimidated to publicly ask thanks to you guys and your kind welcomes.

 

Bill....

[RU2D4]

There are still those beginners who may not be able to get online to access the information. Some beginners may be younger and would benefit better with a book that comes with the software. You can read a book late at night easier than a .pdf or online tutorial. That would appeal more to beginners under the age of 18, I think. I didn't get A:M until I was about 21, but the manual that came with it was still like my best friend. I may have hugged it! It walked you through the software with tutorials at the end of every chapter, starting with modeling. I do think the standard bone structure can be a bit confusing when it comes to animating. Constraints are already built into it and you need to learn the Aim At Target constraint right away for the points associated with the feet and some other things like the bone that overrides the thigh bone. I never figured that out and ended up using the pelvis as the base bone while using the chain of bones (I forget the term) to make the legs fit the up and down motion just to walk (and then dance!). I used Aim At for eyes to follow an object, and Kinematic and Orient Like... that was all. Everything else was just too much to figure out, and new users are probably going to want to do things on their own. Just my 2 cents.

 

Also, I found an A:M .mdl to X-file conversion software awhile back from Obsidian Games (AMXtex). It was a great way to move into 3D gaming or what not. I can't find anything like it now, but if an add-on could be added to A:M by someone who understands file conversion, it would add a great deal of fun to the whole thing. I don't know the standards now, but I have the DirectX8.1 SDK for Visual Basic 6.0 and let me tell ya... oh boy! It's been snuffed but I thought you should know.

[mouseman]

Suggestions for consideration:

 

Chor actions -- when it makes sense to split up a character's movements within a choreography into multiple actions. Planning that out before animating. Whether you can move a whole bunch of keys from one chor action to another (say to split upper body and lower body actions) after they were originally animated in a single chor action.

 

Also, more instruction on interacting with objects, and what happens for example if after animating the scene you realize you need to move the location of the object the character grabs to another location, how do you fix up the rest of the animation?

[robcat2075]

Yes, those are possibilities for tut coverage

 

Briefly i can tell you...

Chor actions -- when it makes sense to split up a character's movements within a choreography into multiple actions. Planning that out before animating.

 

I regard these situations as rare. it usually makes sense to animate all in the chor.

 

An exception is the parades scene in TWO where 60+ people have to march all together but play different instruments. The feet were all the same Action, but each instrument needed a different upper body Action.

 

 

 

 

Whether you can move a whole bunch of keys from one chor action to another (say to split upper body and lower body actions) after they were originally animated in a single chor action.

 

Have you tried a copy and paste? that might work...

 

Also, more instruction on interacting with objects, and what happens for example if after animating the scene you realize you need to move the location of the object the character grabs to another location, how do you fix up the rest of the animation?

 

 

Can you describe this to me more? I dont' understand quite what you need to do here.

[RU2D4]

I saw a quote in this topic about Martin Hash not interested in you for not being a hobbyist.

 

I notice that DirectX8.1 is it!

 

I have monoboom.com and it's just a thang! But developing files for a 3D environment is exciting to me, if you want to just plain out dis me then that's your perogqtive!

 

So, I don't earn money, for now. But monoboom.com is intended to sell (yes, SELL!) your product. you need to hone in on the the x-file conversion tool, which is just a file conversion tool. I am close to putting out the .exe file for you to see, just a tour thru a 3D world!

 

The music is tough. Everything is tough! EVERYTHING is tough!!!!

 

So, back off!

 

You don't add much on your end so i don't much on mind. ya Dig?

 

And actually the music is so simple!

 

Pretty soon, monoboom/Rooms is meant to give users an avenue to creating 3D environments. That's it!. With a bit of intuition, and storyline...

 

Sbarky will show the first storyline example....

 

I may be snuffed tonight!!!

[RU2D4]

That must sound like totally psycho, but, you have to work with things.

[robcat2075]

If you look for Fucher's signature he has available .X tools listed there.

[itsjustme]

You don't add much on your end so i don't much on mind. ya Dig?

 

Not really. Your post is cryptic and disjointed, so I don't understand what you're trying to say. There are a lot of ways I could respond, but none of them would be productive.

 

The next one of your posts I read like this will force me to use the "ignore" function on these forums...I can't help or comment about anything I don't understand. I'm way too busy to run in circles with you.

[RU2D4]

Yeah, sorry about that, I'm still chasing some demons away. The x-file support I was looking for would help A:M users who want to put their models into a real time rendering environment. I know A:M is directed more at final animations, but it would help open a door to make it more versatile, not that I think I have any worthwhile opinion or stance to make such a suggestion. I'll look into Fucher's stuff. The program I'm finishing up right now will (this is the part that I'm not sure will work yet, but it's the last step) load x-files off of my website. The x-files were .mdl files converted to x-files using some software I mentioned before (please don't read my old posts!). They will mostly be decaled with images created with A:M and Ulead. I really think you would enjoy seeing your models work in a real-time world, so I continue to work at it. It would be like actually being in an animated film, not just staring at it on a screen. The other issues include getting High-Order Primitives to work as well as a whole host of material possibilities. That's the idea, but I just don't see any interest from others. I thought A:M users would be interested, but I may be wrong. I like the ignore feature and think you should use it for my late night nebular posts if you like. I would really like to see a way to edit my previous posts. I'm the caretaker at the Overlook Hotel (The Shining).

[itsjustme]

Yeah, sorry about that, I'm still chasing some demons away. The x-file support I was looking for would help A:M users who want to put their models into a real time rendering environment. I know A:M is directed more at final animations, but it would help open a door to make it more versatile, not that I think I have any worthwhile opinion or stance to make such a suggestion. I'll look into Fucher's stuff. The program I'm finishing up right now will (this is the part that I'm not sure will work yet, but it's the last step) load x-files off of my website. The x-files were .mdl files converted to x-files using some software I mentioned before (please don't read my old posts!). They will mostly be decaled with images created with A:M and Ulead. I really think you would enjoy seeing your models work in a real-time world, so I continue to work at it. It would be like actually being in an animated film, not just staring at it on a screen. The other issues include getting High-Order Primitives to work as well as a whole host of material possibilities. That's the idea, but I just don't see any interest from others. I thought A:M users would be interested, but I may be wrong. I like the ignore feature and think you should use it for my late night nebular posts if you like. I would really like to see a way to edit my previous posts. I'm the caretaker at the Overlook Hotel (The Shining).

 

This is the first of your posts that I've seen that made sense (At least that I can remember, I'm sure I haven't read all of your posts though). I'm sorry to hear about your having to deal with some issues, but I hope you can understand that if you let those issues affect others, they will not be pleased. I'll avoid the "ignore" feature if possible, but I hope you can find a way to limit your posting while in that condition.

 

There has been a lot of interest in 3D environments around here for quite a while. If you search for "Arctic Pigs" or "HAMR", you will see some attempts to integrate that sort of thing into A:M...I believe they are presently abandoned, however. That doesn't mean there isn't still an interest.

 

Good luck on your project, I'm curious to see what you come up with.

[RU2D4]

I'd show you my project right now but I cannot upload a .exe file. The x-files and textures are in a folder called \Rooms which you would put on your hard drive to make a directory called C:\Rooms\. But you need the Tubes.exe file to view them in the 3D program. So, I can't actually share the program with you unless you can hurdle this obstacle. Eventually, I just need to change a string file from "C:\" to "http://www.monoboom.com/" so it loads off of the internet. I'm very willing to share. I have loaded the files onto my cheap Wal-Mart laptop and it works. I am sure it will work on any computer because it uses HAL (hardware abstraction layer).

 

There is no stopping once in that condition and I do not have a perspective that something I type affects others. Sorry, but it's just the nature of the beast. Don't be sorry for me! "It's something that I enjoy" - Ozzy Osbourne