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Topics for Animators Club
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These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Topics for Animators Club // Roundtable
Post by 3dfrog // Oct 19, 2007, 2:11am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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Hello everyone
I would like to have a topic for each Animators Club every 2 weeks. I am hoping people can make suggestions. Until the next trueplay release we are unable to use bones in shared space so it kind of limits us. But there are other things we can do in the meantime.
Please make your suggestions on this thread. I will try to have as many covered in upcoming meetings as I can.
We already did bouncing balls and cameras. I am always willing to give an introduction to the animation editor at the meetings too for those new to it.
I am thinking for the next meeting a walk cycle with just keyframed objects. I have to figure out a character that doesn't use bones though. I'l try to get a stick figure together for people to use before the meeting. Hopefully I'll come up with something suitable. If people have other ideas for the meeting we can do that too. |
Post by Délé // Oct 19, 2007, 6:27am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Here's a few topic ideas:
1. Using Physics
2. Using Behavioral Animation
3. Combining Styles; physics, behavioral, and keyframed |
Post by Paul Boland // Oct 19, 2007, 8:48am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Here's a topic I'd very much welcome.
How to create and successfully animate Star Trek phaser beams!
I do a lot of space ship battles in 3D in my games and while I do have a method of creating phaser beams (for a better name), mine tend to wobble or pass out through the other side of the ship they are striking. I end up having to manually manipulate the phaser beams on a frame by frame basis which is very tedious and time consuming.
What I'd like is a tutorial on how to successfully create Star Trek phaser beams so ships can fly through space and blast each other without the phases wobbling or passing through the ships they are stiking (unless I want that to happen, that is!). |
Post by 3dfrog // Oct 19, 2007, 9:23am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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I would like to explore physics, my only concern is doing this in shared space, people say it really bogs it down. If I am wrong I am all for it.
Is behavioral animation same as scripted animation? This would make a good excuse for me to try out some myself. I think thats a good idea. And seeing how to combine them with keyframe would be great. I got kind of a sense of procedural animation from your bouncing ball. This will definitely be one of the topics.
Is a phaser beam like a laser beam? lasers and phasers would be a good topic. I bet we'd get some good solutions. Added to the list.
Keep em coming. |
Post by Paul Boland // Oct 19, 2007, 10:47am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Is a phaser beam like a laser beam? lasers and phasers would be a good topic. I bet we'd get some good solutions. Added to the list.
I take it you're not a Star Trek fan ;).
Yes, a phaser beam is like a laser beam. Unlike some sci-fi shows where you see lasers as small bolts, Star Trek phasers are continous beams, like a laser beam. All I want is to make my beams fire from the phaser emitor and strike the target ship. Unfortunately, mine are a bit drunk at the present! LOL!
Thanks for adding it to the list. Hope you can help me out!
Oh, one thing, if I can't make it to the online TruePlay Animators Club night, do you publish your results on the forums for us to access? |
Post by jamesmc // Oct 19, 2007, 12:36pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Here's a quickie laser/phaser shot. It needs some kind of effect showing the energy growing like it does on the Star Trek space craft.
I used a cylinder and a ruby gem shader for transparency. Put your wmv player on loop so you can experience the full effect of multiple laser shots on a borg (cough) vessel. |
Post by 3dfrog // Oct 19, 2007, 1:07pm
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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Fun Laser James. Is that for your toon house scene? I hope you will be able to make the meeting when we cover this topic and bring it along.
Sorry Paul, I'm not a trekkie. I have watched and enjoyed star trek, but I don't remember what the phaser looked like. Been a long time. I am willing to share any projects I bring to the meeting on the forum as well, hopefully others will be willing to share too.
I bet dele can make wicked laser beams with his scripting, he's the man! |
Post by Paul Boland // Oct 20, 2007, 8:27am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Yes, that's sort of what I mean but what I'm after is the laser being animated. What I mean is, to see it shoot from the emitor to the target. The way I do it at the moment is to use a cylinder too but I start off with it very small and hidding inside the emitor. Then over the course of five frames, I select one end of the cylinder and drag it to the target, and then for 20 frames, it stays active. That's a total of 25 frames a shot. On the 26th frame, I remove the laser completely.
The issue I have is, when I drag the end of the cylinder for the five frames and make impact on the target, for the next 20 frames where it's meant to be still, the end of the cylinder keeps moving! I'v tried setting the animation property to 0 (static) in the Animition Editor but it doesn't seem to work. The end of my phaser beam keeps moving and I have to then frame by frame manually adjust the phaser beam. It's a pain but it does give me the results I want. But surely there's a more easier way to achieve this?
I'm willing to post a small example if you need to see my work.
And 3DFrog, no worries about not being a Trekkie, it's not a requirement, but if you and the rest of the folks in the group can offer a solution to this, it'd be great! |
Post by jamesmc // Oct 20, 2007, 8:59am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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You may have to lock the beam for those frames. I have the same problem with the camera wanting to do tweening when the object is I'm viewing is stopped.
As soon as I figure out how to lock a target I'll let you know. lol |
Post by 3dfrog // Oct 20, 2007, 12:16pm
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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The reason the cylinder is moving is because the default interpolation of the f curves is bezier. You need to make sure the cylinder is keyed at the same location on the frames that begin and end the frames where it stands still. Then set the interpolation for tx,ty, and tz on the matrix of the object in the 4d animation editor to linear. To do this have fcurves tab open, select the beginning and end keys of the channels I said, right click on them, in the contextual menu go to interpolation and select linear from the sub menu.
If you have any questions about this let me know. You can upload your file and I'll have a look. |
Post by Paul Boland // Oct 22, 2007, 8:55am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Thanks, 3DFrog, appreciate the help. I'll see if I can get the results I want now.
Also, sorry, I seem to have highjacked your thread here. Didn't mean to do that. Let's get back on topic. Surely others have animation topic requests! |
Post by 3dfrog // Nov 20, 2007, 5:21am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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Hi folks
Another animator's club is this Saturday. It is a holiday weekend so don't know how many people will be there. I guess we'll keep it light. Any ideas for a topic? I was thinking just cycles. Any cycle you want to make to bring. walk, run, swim, skip, anything. What do you guys think? I want to make the official posting today so people have a little time to make something. |
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