Lessons Learned

[Shelton]

Sometimes just do it over.

 

I had a simple on/off relationship where in the off state the apron was not showing or 100 percent transparent and on state 0 percent transparent And the apron was visible. Well somehow when I created the relationship I inadvertently hit the wrong pose slider, I then selected the correct apron slider and set the the default state of relationship. Everything worked and test rendered to make sure. Later I removed the pose slider that I inadvertently selected in the creation of the apron on/off relationship. I saved the model. Now last night I wanted to render a test frame and no matter what I did the apron rendered even though the poser slider was set to off or 100 percent transparent. I worked on salvaging the relationship for several hours and realized in a backup file what I had done. I worked on it some more tonight to no avail and finally gave up. I deleted the pose slider and relationship, saved the file, recreated the pose slider, created the on off relationship again and viola everything works again. I was so stubborn knowing I could salvage the old slider. I wasted hours on something that took less than 3 minutes to recreate.

 

Sometimes just do it over. Lesson Learned.

[fae_alba]

I can't tell you how many times I've done the same thing, usually while rigging. I'd find myself going down a rabbit hole trying to get a joint right, and finding myself moving cp's around, spline rings, you name it, only to realize I'd have to do it all over again on the opposite side. Then comes the face palm moment, when I realize that if I simple started over, mesh the joint right, and re-cfa, I'd be good. As you say, lesson learned, it's just for me, I have to re-learn it over and over and over .....

[Shelton]

Paul as I learn more about rigging, the more I have no clue about. That is when I get into trouble. Instead of asking and being patient for the answer, I cause trouble for myself. While I may stumble across a solution most of the time I just mess things up.

 

So with this lesson learned i will continue to post lessons throughout the course of this project.

[robcat2075]

On the other hand... it's hard to know something will take too much time until you've spent too much time on it.

[Shelton]

Second Lesson Learned

 

Never be afraid to ask for help!

 

Chris and I are facing a hurdle in our project. A hurdle of realizing how big a task we have placed in front of us. Time, family, other interests loss of sleep working on a pose for three hours, life... Many things pull you in many different directions.

 

One of the issues was something simple and any other day I probably could have solved it on my own but I finally asked for help. Collaborating with some one like Chris, who has been a stable and calming influence, allows me to ask questions. I have learned a great deal about AM and my abilities through this project. Some I would not have known if I had not asked the questions. So thank you Chris for putting up with me and all my issues.

 

The hurdle is there but I feel better that there is someone I can bounce my thoughts off to get me going in the right directions.

 

Help is out there for those who are not afraid to ask. This forum contains some very talented people who are eager to help. Lesson Learned.

[fae_alba]

Paul as I learn more about rigging, the more I have no clue about. That is when I get into trouble. Instead of asking and being patient for the answer, I cause trouble for myself. While I may stumble across a solution most of the time I just mess things up.

 

So with this lesson learned i will continue to post lessons throughout the course of this project.

 

Join the club with rigging! I've learned a lot just by doing, re-doing, and many many "lessons learned"!

[Shelton]

Planning works. Make sure you plan for issues. I have been down for a few days. On a whim and maybe a little craziness i bought parts to build a new computer. I have had them sitting to side waiting on some time. The other day i tried to start AM and my license was up. So i started scrambling to get the new machine going. Well since i did not make a plan, i had to spend more than i was wanting. Anyway. Here is a shot on Win 7 rating. Bought a lot of nice things. Hoping to see a render test tonight

[robcat2075]

So, what's in the new computer

[Shelton]

X99 chipset, with a I7 5930 6 core 2011 v3 processor 3.5ghz oc with corsair 110i liquid cooler, corsair vengeance oc 16gb ddr4 ram, ssd drives, with amd r9 270 display adapter. With this setup i have had to buy all new components as the motherboard is very particular. I will post the teapot render later tonight.

 

Edit: I have replaced the AMD R9 with a NVIDIA 960ti

[itsjustme]

Sounds like it will be a very capable rig, Steve!

[Shelton]

Lesson Learned

 

I have always been an ATI/AMD guy. I have purchased AMD processors through the years since you could get a lot of bang for the buck. I have always purchased ATI and now AMD graphics cards as they seem to use the hardware more efficiently. Until now. The last two computers I have purchased have been Intel I7. The Alienware is still a very fast computer. It was the top of the line second generation Intel and can render almost as fast as my new one. The new machine is fast! Compared to my AMD systems from 2 years ago, they out render by more than 30% than my FX 8350 and 9500 AMD chips. And now I have purchased a NVIDIA GEforce 960. I had weird onscreen render issues with my R9 AMD graphic cards for several months with AM. For example the bones were not rendering correctly on screen. Or they would be unexpected colors or just weird issues. I have installed the 960 and happy to say no more issues in real time rendering. And it runs quieter than my AMD R9.

 

Never be afraid to try something new and dont do something just because that is the way you always have done something.

 

This applies to a lot of things in life, but even in AM. I was able to build a good looking model quickly this past week because I decided to re use parts and modify them instead of modeling from scratch. Before this I always felt I had to model the whole thing from start to finish. I was able to re use the feet from one model, the legs from another, the chest and shoulder from another and the arms and hands from yet another. I took the basic head from one model, the nose from another the lips from another and the eyes and eye socket from one more. In one evening I had Kira built. Of course I modified all the parts to create Kira. I guess you could say I was a Dr. Frankenstein this past week.

 

It is funny how things in life can change your outlook.

 

Steve

[itsjustme]

This applies to a lot of things in life, but even in AM. I was able to build a good looking model quickly this past week because I decided to re use parts and modify them instead of modeling from scratch. Before this I always felt I had to model the whole thing from start to finish. I was able to re use the feet from one model, the legs from another, the chest and shoulder from another and the arms and hands from yet another. I took the basic head from one model, the nose from another the lips from another and the eyes and eye socket from one more. In one evening I had Kira built. Of course I modified all the parts to create Kira. I guess you could say I was a Dr. Frankenstein this past week.

 

Yessir, once you have a "library" of objects, it's easier to get things done. Having a generic character to modify to make other characters cuts out a lot of time. For mechanical objects, making a library of small parts can make it easier to put together complex looking models.

[Rodney]

You've made me smile Steve.

I'm glad to hear you've got your system(s) working optimally.

And... nice visual! You've got me imagining you working away at creating Kira like Dr. Frankenstein too!

 

There is an interesting dichotomy in what you've posted; advocating for frankensteining the old stuff while just as enthusiastically promoting trying something untried and new.

Both approaches are so very valid. Ultimately, we pick a path...smile/frown, rinse/repeat... discover/rediscover what works.

We face continual decisions in what we should use. There are good reasons to start from scratch or step away from the tried and true but there are just as many (if not many more) for leveraging paths traveled before. If a thing/approach/solution doesn't yet exist then design, modeling, production may certainly be called for but if it already exists it may be ideal to use as is or be modified (made to fit) for more immediate usage.

A:M is powerful software firstly and foremostly because of the design principles and philosophy behind the software... not just the software itself although that has proven powerful too; those 'things' that A:M uses... and reuses.

 

"Reusability is the foundation of Animation:Master" - ToaA:M page 49.

 

 

Aside: I have been neglecting maintenance on my car because of the anticipated expense involved and suffered through many days of watching my car's health deteriorate even more due to lack of that maintenance. Today I bit the bullet, spent the money and my car is fully operational again. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything you've written but figured I would add the thought. Almost gone is the memory of putting myself through the needless pain so perhaps by adding it here I'm trying to learn...