All Mixed Up

[MJL]

I just started back up with A:M after my bump on the head. I'm modeling a mixer for an upcoming project. A simple thing. I "Photoshopped" out the fader nobs for a decal and will model the actual faders so they will slide with pose sliders.

 

My challenge is this: I'd like to make the meter "lights" look like they are moving. For each meter light I'd like to use decals in series kind of like a GIF, with about 3 or 4 decals cycling, to make each meter look like the level is going up and down.

 

Any ideas on the best way to go about this?

[robcat2075]

Are they moving in response to a slider on the console or in response to "sound"?

[MJL]

The simplest way would be for them to respond to the slider, I would think.

[robcat2075]

So if the slider moves up the lights move up?

 

How about.... you make a image series of the lights progressing from none on to all on and use a pose to link the "frame" property of that image sequence to the position of the slider.

[MJL]

use a pose to link the "frame" property of that image sequence

 

Thanks Robert,

That's what I need more information on.

[robcat2075]

The simplest solution is to make a Pose that moves both the knob and the LED lights together:

 

SimpleMeter.mov

[TheSpleen]

The simplest solution is to make a Pose that moves both the knob and the LED lights together:

 

SimpleMeter.mov

slick

[MJL]

As usual, Robert, your generosity as well as your knowledge abound. The solution is simple and elegant and will be implemented anon, as soon as possible. However, volumes could be written from my ignorance of certain aspects of this wonderful software. I've never done an image sequence before (I've never even seen that nifty little icon before), how is this made? And (he asks: feeling quit dimwitted) how does it get into the timeline?

[robcat2075]

I've never done an image sequence before (I've never even seen that nifty little icon before), how is this made? And (he asks: feeling quit dimwitted) how does it get into the timeline?

 

I made my image sequence in After effects by animating the a white rectangle to move from the bottom to the top of the black rectangle in 10 frames. Each frame got saved as a JPG with a frame number in the filename

 

meter000.jpg

meter001,jpg

meter002.jpg...

 

But you don't need After Effects. You could paint ten frames in a paint program and save them with those incremented filenames.

 

Then on the Images folder in A:M and choose to import an "animation or image sequence"

[MJL]

Thank You, Robert. I'll do my best to make you proud.

[robcat2075]

Easy way is to paint the LED strip with all lit first and save that as image009, then black out the top LED and save that as image008, then black out the next one and save that as image007... and so on...

[MJL]

I cheated. I made the bar and the LED image sequence (15) in A:M. I've decided I want the meters to be separate from the sliders so the "lights" can be animated to the pulse, in groups, of the music. and I'll have the faders move separately and randomly.

 

If I want, say 5 or 6 meters pulsing at once I can just make 1 pose slider that controls them all. Here's a few of the images in the sequence.

 

Edit: Calling it quits for the night, I'll pick it up again tomorrow.

[Gerry]

Hey Myron, some time ago, Marcos (xtaz) did a really nice tutorial on driving decals with smartskin, which may be of some help here. He actually made it in response to a query of mine so the tute starts out with "Hello Gerry" which still makes me smile!

It's on his website at http://xtaz.com.br/index.php?option=com_co...0&Itemid=63 , and here on the forum it's http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33460 . This may help you find a wider range of solutions to your question. In any case, it's a really cool solution with many applications.

[Gerry]

The simplest solution is to make a Pose that moves both the knob and the LED lights together:

 

SimpleMeter.mov

 

Nice as usual, Robert!

[jimd]

another great simple Robert

thank u

[MJL]

Well, I made separate sliders for the meters and the faders with several groups for each. Thank You Robert, your method worked great!

 

Thanks to everybody else for the other suggestions.

 

Here is a quick, low rez render with cheezy camera work, but I got it done.

 

Edit: Be patient, it loads a little slow.

Mixer.mov

[Gerry]

Myron, that's really terrific! Keep going!

[largento]

Looks great!

[TheSpleen]

Excellent!

[livewiresrus]

Impressive

[MJL]

Much simpler than it looks, I'm afraid. It is just a simple mesh with a decal on top. What did the trick was Roberts tutorial on how to use an animated sequence for a decal and control it with a pose slider. I added a set of "Master" meters to the upper right hand corner, using the same method, and posted it

.

 

When rendering the wireframe, I forgot to change the name and settings and replaced the Quicktime move that I spent and hour and a half rendering with the single frame of the wireframe.

 

here is the decal I used and the wireframe

[John Bigboote]

GREAT technical animation... but I really like the 'monster' boogie-woogie soundtrack!

[MJL]

LOL, Thanks Matt. A friend of mine kept flattering me on my song writing skills, and being such a slut for that sort of thing I told him I'd write him a song for his band to record. That clip is the beginning of the demo I made so he could hear it. He is a big ZZ Top fan so I told him I would let them influence the feel of the tune. Once the Mike Branch Band gets it recorded, (very soon, I hope) it will be our next video.