Ver 16 plugins

[Vertexspline]

Quick question as I am pondering upgrading right now to version 16 from 12 ---what is status of the usable plugins in version 16 compared to what I might have had in 12 . Thanks again for all the advice and help so far guys.

Rich

[Phil]

in my personal opinion V16 is worth the upgrade. and if your using a 64bit windows operating system very good

[Vertexspline]

Thanks for advice Phil--and indeed a 64 bit system....just wondered if there were any newer plugins that folks found very useful that might not have been around in version 12 days---

Rich

[mouseman]

Note that you can still use the 32-bit version of A:M (as well as the 64-bit version). If there are any plug-ins that require 32-bit, you can always use the appropriate version. Of note is that on Windows, the 64-bit version does not deal with creating Quicktime videos because Apple has not released a 64-bit version for Windows.

[Fuchur]

Note that you can still use the 32-bit version of A:M (as well as the 64-bit version). If there are any plug-ins that require 32-bit, you can always use the appropriate version. Of note is that on Windows, the 64-bit version does not deal with creating Quicktime videos because Apple has not released a 64-bit version for Windows.

 

There is so much, I can't remember of what is all new in A:M v16 compared to v12.

Be aware, that since v13 A:M is using a new structure in its model-files (and others too, including the Plugin-files, if I am not wrong), so that you can import v12 files to v16 (never had any problems with that), but you can't import v16-files to v12.

 

FastAO is a new and very useful plugin available from v15 on. It simulates Ambient Occlusion very fast.

But since you not even got AO in v12 (I think it was introduced in v13, so I am not sure)...

Was 3dPainter available for v12? I am not sure... it is a nice programm that can be bought additional to A:M which gives you 3d-painting-possibilities...

Facial Motion Capture is possible by using A:M Track, another nice programm.

 

Beside the pluginsThere is SSS, AO, IBL, Multicore-support (to a certain amount), a new 64bit-version, Netrenderer, Fluid-Particles, Newton Dynamics, an NLE, OpenEXR-support, A:M Composite, STL-Export, DirectX-Export, countless bugfixes, better hair-particle-shaders (you've got the hair-system, right? think it was introduced in A:M v11), some very useful new shaders, support for 3dconnexions 3d-controllers, and so much more, I cant really remember all of the new features.

 

v12 > v16? You will never ever regrad that.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Vertexspline]

thanks Fuchur-- Very helpful and I think you knew what 12 had pretty well indeed. And also thanks Mouseman---yes I know about that qt non 64 bit issue -----kind of stinks as is nice for quick renders to do in qt and see without having to deal with images sequences and vid editors ---and I have to look into getting a video editor ap that converts sequnces to qt or avi. as I do like working in 64 bit for 3d programs and will have to deal with 32 plugins I guess as needed.

 

Rich

[robcat2075]

My favored way to do Quicktime with A:M is to render to to an uncompressed format (uncompressed AVI will work) and then recompress it in Quicktime Pro ($30).

 

That gives you full video compression options and also audio compression options which A:M doesn't have even in the 32-bit version.

[NancyGormezano]

My favored way to do Quicktime with A:M is to render to to an uncompressed format (uncompressed AVI will work) and then recompress it in Quicktime Pro ($30).

 

That gives you full video compression options and also audio compression options which A:M doesn't have even in the 32-bit version.

 

My way as well. But I prefer to render to an image sequence of stills (jpg, png, tga) and have QT pro assemble into a mov, especially if doing longer sequences.

[Vertexspline]

So ---I could render out image sequences in 64 bit AM and then import those into qt pro and then render out as MOV file. Is there are sense of ability to edit the files around in qt pro? Or are you just able to load a sequence..... I am not at all familiar with it.

 

Rich

[robcat2075]

So ---I could render out image sequences in 64 bit AM and then import those into qt pro and then render out as MOV file. Is there are sense of ability to edit the files around in qt pro? Or are you just able to load a sequence..... I am not at all familiar with it.

 

Ric

 

In a basic fashion, you can select, cut and paste portions from one QT player to another and resave the result. I do this on occasion to quickly trim or combine footage, but it's not like working in an NLE.

 

I also like QT Pro's ability to extract the audio or video tracks from a file separately.

 

But mostly I like QT Pro for being able to import and export many formats and having the most options for compressing things.

[mtpeak2]

If you have both v12 and v16 installed, you can render to AVI (uncompressed) in v16, then import the AVI into v12 and "save animation as" to a QT file. I use v15 to convert to QT, but you should be able to do the same with v12.

[robcat2075]

I use v15 to convert to QT, but you should be able to do the same with v12.

 

Any reason not to use 32-bit v16 for that?

[mtpeak2]

I don't have it installed, I'm too lazy to fix the folder paths and I don't need both installed. Also, had issues with NetRender with both installed, but that was with older versions.

[Phil]

As Robert stated, really no need to use an older version. I installed V16 32 and 64 bit on system. I do most of my work in 64 bit and then run it in 32 bit to render out a MOV file. Heres a link to the Plug-ins. two that gets alot of use are MirrorBone and MirrorConstraint

[Vertexspline]

Thanks Phil comments and plugins link and rest of you guys -for feedback on the qt issues. Seems like its QT pro is a quick relatively inexpensive way to get to image sequences out of AM 64 bit. Thanks--Rich

[Rodney]

Seems like its QT pro is a quick relatively inexpensive way to get to image sequences out of AM 64 bit.

 

It's hard to beat QT pro and anyone who plans to use .MOV format should have it in their toolset.

Can you do without it? Sure. I wouldn't want to however.

 

As you were looking for info on plugins more than utilities like QT Pro here's an added point of interest:

Almost all of the plugins that were making the rounds back in the v12 days are now installed with A:M by default. That's a useful guarantee that they'll be there when you need them. This is particularly useful when it comes to working with other people as plugins will only be available if the user has installed them.

 

More specific information and usage for Steffen Gross's plugins can be found where Phil linked to: http://www.sgross.com/plugins/index.html

Note that there are also some discontinued plugins that are not installed by default but may be of use in a pinch.

 

Plugins are context sensitive so depending on where you are in A:M different plugins may appear. In addition to the Import/Export plugins here are the standard wizards that show up via Right Clicking in a Modeling window (there are a lot of other powerful plugins installed such as Steffen's Newton Physics which has an entire forum area dedicated to it):

[Vertexspline]

Awesome Rodney--did not know about plugins being there ready in latest version am ----smiles. Yes qt pro looks like has benfits of use for sure. I do have Vegas on my main render machine which unfortunately having a either hard drive or mobo issue right this moment and actually Alot of my free time for 3d I need to do on my laptop. So was looking for a cheap easy solution to taking image sequences to be able make qt movies --if only to check out things quickly and if I got am 16 i would prefer to run as 64 bit ..my laptop does have 8gb ram so it may run nicer in 64 bit and I just have to work around the qt 64 bit issue by the ways provided in this thread... a quick other question about version 16 ---with net render as i surmise it will render to the other cores on your machine --so if its a quad core it will render on the four using the one chor--- or do you run like 4 seperate renders? as in frames 1-4 , 5-8, 9-12,13-16 as example ? and can it reach out over a network to other machines or just the one that has AM16 on it.

 

Rich

[Rodney]

We've got to get you to put some paragraph space in there so we can read you.

 

[Deciferin' Mode on]

 

As has been mentioned... with v16 you can use both the 32bit and 64 bits simultaneously so... if you have v16, conversion of an image sequence is as easy as a three step process; Right Click/Save As Animation. Although there are other ways to convert your images to other formats in A:M such as via Camera rotoscope... the old v11 way.

 

with net render as i surmise it will render to the other cores on your machine --so if its a quad core it will render on the four using the one chor--- or do you run like 4 seperate renders? as in frames 1-4 , 5-8, 9-12,13-16 as example ? and can it reach out over a network to other machines or just the one that has AM16 on it.

 

I'm not an expert on Netrender but the short answer = Yes.

If I am not mistaken currently you could run 64bit A:M (and/or Netrender) to render all your sequential images while having 32bit A:M (and/or Netrender) convert them all to .MOV (but not vice versa until Quicktime with 64bit gets resolved)

[Vertexspline]

Rodney--thanks for answers and will try to paragraph better.

 

Rich

[robcat2075]

Netrender must render to an image sequence. It assigns the next needed frame to the next available node. For animations that have sound A:M creates a .sinfo file that helps sync up existing audio files with the newly created image sequence when you import it back in to A:M.

[Rodney]

Netrender must render to an image sequence. It assigns the next needed frame to the next available node. For animations that have sound A:M creates a .sinfo file that helps sync up existing audio files with the newly created image sequence when you import it back in to A:M.

 

I've been meaning to test it but never got around to it.

Is the .sinfo file a text file?

[robcat2075]

yup there's a sample here...

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=347067

[Rodney]

Hey, I remember that topic!

 

That .sinfo file could be quite useful beyond just knowing it exists for the purpose of syncing the sounds files (in terms of xsheet/bar sheet reference).

Especially as the file in XML and could be edited externally from A:M via a utility or plugin (yeah, I know... not recommended).

 

Very interesting.

 

ProductVersion=15

Range=3:1.1125 37:1.1125

Sound=../Cairo.wav

Crop=0 30:28.3076

Range=3:22.2250 34:21.826

Sound=../Cairo_orchestrated.wav

Crop=3:15 40:6

Range=5:11.1125 42:2.1125

 

Thanks Robert.