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Puppeteer and TrueSpace 7.51
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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.
Puppeteer and TrueSpace 7.51 // Roundtable
Post by Paul Boland // Jan 14, 2008, 11:57am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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I've 99% moved over from TrueSpace 5 to 7.51. There's just one thing holding me back. Puppeteer.
I got Puppeteer with AniPack when I bought TrueSpace 5 and it together in a special offer from Caligari years ago. While I tested and played around with most of the tools in AniPak, there is only one that I really took off with and still use a lot to this day, and that's Puppeteer. However, upon trying to use the version I have, in TrueSpace 7.51, TrueSpace just hangs. Obviously they are are not compatible.
I Googled and found Black Knight Productions website but sorry if anyone from the site is here, but it seems dated. The last news update is that Puppeteer 2.7 was released and is compatible with TrueSpace 7.1. I've tried sending them an email to see if I can find out if Puppeteer is compatible with TrueSpace 7.51 and the fouth coming TrueSpace 7.6, but all my emails get boucned back to me so I have no means of contacting the company.
This just leaves me with one option, Caligari. I see Caligari are still selling AniPak and I assume the tools on the disc are compatible with version 7.51, but the truth be told, all I want is Puppeteer and US$199 for one extension is steep! So, two questions...
1.
Can anyone tell me what has happened to Black Knight Productions? Are they still in business or have they closed? If still going, how can I contact them?
2.
If I can't get an updated working version of Puppeteer from Black Knight Productions, is it possible to buy just Puppeteer for TrueSpace 7.51 from Caligari?
I'm a real whiz with Puppeteer, can setup and rig my characters very fast with it and really do need it for TrueSpace 7.51. Any help appreciated. |
Post by Burnart // Jan 14, 2008, 12:27pm
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Burnart
Total Posts: 839
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I hate to say it but I think this is another product that has gotten lost somewhere along the way and is unlikely to be updated. (Although I am happy to be proven wrong!)
When you say tS7.5 are you referring to workspace, modelside or both? The rigging and bones etc in 7.5 are really quite nice but it doesn't have a "posing" tool as such - ie. something with sliders for joint manipulation and pose recording, which would be really useful. (Presumably a person could create such things in the LE but thats way beyond me.)
Some other posing tools do work on the modelside ie. Motion Studio (which was available for free at primitive itch - don't know if it still is) and a CK plug I think was called JointMaster. |
Post by 3dfrog // Jan 14, 2008, 12:35pm
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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Hey Paul
I got anipak on the new year sale. Hadn't tried puppeteer til now. It just hangs for me too. Seems this tool is lost :( |
Post by DudeMeister // Jan 14, 2008, 9:25pm
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DudeMeister
Total Posts: 22
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Eventhough the workspace bones don't have sliders they have the great advantage that you can assign .bvh (motion capture) data to the skeleton. With that you can use animation tools like Poser for creating the animations and linking them in Truespace. IMO one of the great improvements in truespace 7.5.
Regards
Da Dude |
Post by JimB // Jan 14, 2008, 10:24pm
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JimB
Total Posts: 341
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I have Puppeteer 2.5.7 Upgrade which if I remember rightly was the last free update,which was obtainable by emailing Greg Bassett.
I am willing to post it if I can get the ok from someone maybe TomG or perhaps Greg Bassett himself.
Can anyone tell me what has happened to Black Knight Productions? Are they still in business or have they closed? If still going, how can I contact them?
I think Greg changed his business,here is a more current website.
http://www.blackknightproductions.com
Oh and his other sites that I know of :)
http://alabsoft.com/bkp/
http://trackcreator3d.alabsoft.com/
Jim |
Post by Paul Boland // Jan 15, 2008, 10:30am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Aw no, sounds like Puppeteer has gone the way of the dodo :(. Dennis, thanks for the update about the version on AniPak, sounds like it's the version I have.
Motion Studio... I did download a version of that when it was going for free but I haven't looked at it yet, so I'll do that. I'll also take a look at the animation tools in TrueSpace 7.5 itself.
Those slider bars are golden to have access to. Once you have a character rigged, it's very fast to animate them with the slider bars. We need slider bar animation controls in TrueSpace.
Anyway, thanks, all, for the info. Not really what I wanted to hear but appreciate it. |
Post by 3dfrog // Jan 15, 2008, 10:43am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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I just checked my version number. It's 2.1!!! If there's a way we can get that upgrade it would be cool. Maybe caligari can contact them so caligari can get the upgrade and add it to our orders page or something. |
Post by Paul Boland // Jan 16, 2008, 10:45am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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That's the same version I have, Puppeteer 2.1. That means it hasn't been updated since AniPak first shipped which was when TrueSpace 5 appeared if I'm correct. Caligari, you may want to make it clear that AniPak is designed for TrueSpace 5 on the website. The current write up says it's for version 5 and above, but Puppeteer, at least, doesn't work with the current version of TrueSpace, which is a real shame.
I tried out Motion Studio last night and after three hours I had to draw the same conclusion for it too. While at least it opens up and allows you to construct a skeleton inside a model, it's funcationality is erractic. Performing movements of rigged models resultsed in strange model deformation and upon playback of an animated rig model, it was very jerky. I read the help documnetion over and over but in the end I removed Motion Studio.
I then dived into the animation tools in TrueSpace 7.51 itself. Watching the supplied videos in the manual does show a lot of power now in TrueSpace's animation arena. I'm hopeful I can do something with it. But I miss the power of Puppeteer. To be able to name joints, set constraints and then control each individual axis via a sliderbar... This is a must have for TrueSpace.
To any 3rd Party Developers out there reading this, if you can develop a Puppeteer style tool for TrueSpace 7.51 and the forthcoming TrueSpace 7.6, you'll have a customer here. |
Post by TomG // Jan 16, 2008, 10:50am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hi all,
While Black Knight Productions has changed focus to 3D on the web (so the website no longer lists the plugins etc), Greg is still out there, and still keen to help Puppeteer owners.
Anyone who requires an upgrade should contact Greg directly on greg.bassett@alabsoft.com, and he will be happy to help out as best as he can.
Hope this helps!
Tom |
Post by Paul Boland // Jan 16, 2008, 10:57am
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Paul Boland
Total Posts: 383
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Thanks very much, Tom. I'll drop Greg an email immediately. Very much appreciate this help. |
Post by TylerZambori // Feb 2, 2008, 10:08pm
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TylerZambori
Total Posts: 100
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Do Puppeteer and Motionstudio work with TS 3.2? |
Post by Norm // Feb 4, 2008, 9:01am
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Norm
Total Posts: 862
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No those plugs were created around ts5.2 I believe. |
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