Anim8or Community
Artwork => Finished Works and Works in Progress => Topic started by: Kevin Gales on September 17, 2020, 12:19:47 pm
-
I have never taken much time looking at the animation side of anim8or since well I have Blender,Maya and Akeytsu for that...but then since well I am free I decided to check it out I re-modelled the dummy person I used back in the days to learn animation in Blender and AM...
.Then I coded a script that allows me to import videos into anim8or for reference...Keep your eyes peeled I will be attempting to make a decent base animation on anim8or...
I have already rigged the dummy person...I'll update this post soon
The script will be available soon as I compile it...because it's PHP unlike ASL which is already supported by anim8or
-
I'm looking forward to seeing your script. Let me know what you think about Anim8or's animation tools. I'm always interested in feedback of what works, what doesn't and what's missing :)
-
I could not find a better compiler but the one I got embeds a server + gui browser in an executable which allows you to run the PHP program from anywhere ,no need to install anything ,no need for internet...just that the size is ridiculous for such a simple program +-66MB
Anyway you can download here (my google drive) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1peRXSTeDxeiY9PD84w3ijv4c2iFM9LJA/view?usp=sharing (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1peRXSTeDxeiY9PD84w3ijv4c2iFM9LJA/view?usp=sharing)
What does it do?
The program embeds a video into anim8or which can be used as a reference in the background.The video can be scrubbed and resized in scene mode only.
[Technique]
It's simple really, the program first creates multiple objects,assign uv and material to the objects and automatically key frames every object.
[Technique]
Instructions?
Well the package above includes a video tutorial
Known issues?
Well the program is limited to handling only 10 seconds video at 30fps because anim8or would crash everytime I tried to load any file with more than 15 seconds
Only tested on windows 8.1
If there are any other issues let me know.
:)
-
I decided to search the forum to check if someone haven't done this before I came across Raxx's Animated Textures Using Controller Scripts post...I will be trying this one it looks more efficient than mine...only way too complicated...
-
Wow anim8or's weight painting is pretty clean especially in wired mode...I love it...I think it would have been awesome if we could edit the points in figure mode..imagine that.
Anyway I don't prefer having to press CAPS first in order to "unhide" (h/H) I feel like it would have been easy if the buttons were maybe "h and g /h and j" like close to each other and no need for CAPS first.Because the hide/unhide toggle is very essential.
Anyway back to business I have managed to add ik and joints to the rig.The essential areas of human like distortions (marked in red) came out pretty sweet(results of weight painting)
I am only left with rigging the hand.Then the base animation will be ready in no time
Also one more thing I still feel like the bone system should have been just "wires/lines" like ones in blender I once suggested this it's way more cleaner..this way even the hand can be rigged easier. Bonesystem.jpg that's what I am talking about
-
How about reducing the size of the bones in the bone editor ?
-
How about reducing the size of the bones in the bone editor ?
I do reduce them and hide those that are not important...I am just suggesting a cleaner solution
Take for example rigging a hand you will need 10+ bones and you have to manually change the diameter of each bone one by one..do not forget anim8or auto influences only the closest vertex this means...If you prefer influences you will then have to manually adjust the envelopes for each bone...if you use weight paints you'll have to paint each weights relative to each bone properly...That will take you forever...
-
Hi.Sorry,I fail to see the difference between the
Blender sticks and this in Anim8or.
You can choose the bone size default value.
Menu: Options/New joint limits.
Bye.
-
Well...I decided to attach images to show you what I am talking about...you see those influences on the right side of anim8or.jpg I had to do them manually I had to hide some bones so I can see the influences of each bone at the same time to make sure they don't overlap too much...Blender does not show you envelopes but if it did it would still not get dirty.I think the trick is the bone"xray" method they used...
Anyway I agree with you about the idea of default size for all bones or sizing of multiple bones that could come in handy as long as the influences also cover as much vertex so that weight painting can be less lengthy.
-
I corrected my post because both are already possible using Menu: Options/New joint limits.
-
Well, I understand. You dont have a problem
with the size of the bones, but the size of the
bubbles.
-
:) :o Thanks man I did not notice that feature...that will surely save me some time...Wow
-
I've tried automatically reducing the diameter of a bone to be more proportional to ot's length when it's very short. I'll try adding that as an option (perhaps the default) if you think that might help.
-
I've tried automatically reducing the diameter of a bone to be more proportional to ot's length when it's very short. I'll try adding that as an option (perhaps the default) if you think that might help.
Thanks Steve.Claude showed me an option that helps with the diameter, this functions "Options/New joint limits" ...and set the diameter(for all selected bones) works just fine...The problems is the influences/envelopes just like in the anim8or.jpg above...I was forced to hide other bones so I can adjust the envelopes of bones behind them...I think it would have been easy to just make them boxes(I don't know if that's possible) or when you select several bones it shows only the envelopes of those bone (this could work).If neither of the methods is possible.You could just put the hide/unhide toggle and the select all/inverse all options as buttons on screen.(Because so far they are essential features)
Also I have been trying to move around ik controllers(cubes) in figure mode..Is that possible perhaps with a combination of keys or something?
It would be helpful if I can put them where I can see them clearly without the need of changing viewpoint everytime.. since well some are hiding behind the object in other viewpoint.
-
So I decided to try another sequence...in this sequences I tried to work around inbetweens and all...also paying attention to what's working and what is not
Below I have attached the outcome of the test..it doesn't look that organic but that's far as I could go...
I have also attached two anim8or files
the _no finger file contains the dummy rigged with no fingers I had to ditch those..why? check the feedback below.
the other file contains fingers rigged you'll see what I mean by the feedback below..the fingers were not any easy to animate due to hiding IK controllers though I rigged those just fine.Just so you know in the anim8or files below the actual animation begins on frame 76 I ignored animating the first 75 frames intentionally...to sync with the video reference in the background
Feel free to modify the file and post your animation tests on this post or elsewhere.
-
I decided to take a closer look at animation features available in anim8or
and here is a feedback...the intention is not to piss anyone off or discourage anyone from ever trying to do animation in anim8or but this is to highlight areas that needs improvement to Steve
1.Animation in scene mode (do not do that try using sequence mode maybe):
You cannot toggle hide/unhide bones..animating fingers individually is a no go..there are so many bones that will hide each other regardless of the diameter of the bones(however it's not a big deal if you're not going to use so many bones to correct distortions)
2.Rotation Gizmo? :
The gizmo for rotating bones is in 2D that's bad if you rotate to any user angled perspective you will still see the gizmo in 2d meaning...you'll get puzzled about the directions of the angles...this will lead to unwanted distortions
My advice here stick to animating in right,top and left views
3.IK?:
You cannot position IK controllers so during animation..sometimes they will hide depending on where you pulled them..sometimes the ik controllers gets stuck inside other bones and under the dense parts of the mesh.
4.Bones (no limit feature) is not exactly infinity.. thats's bad:
...let's say you're trying to animate a rotating wheel..that won't really appear as required if you're going to use bones...this is because the bones revert their motions after reaching their max angles.This is exactly what causes sliding on the floor. Anyone should try animating a rotating wheel you'll see
5.Path? :The path of an object is attached directly to the object.. that's bad...If you try to modify the path at some point you may find out the path you're trying to modify is hiding inside the mesh.Paths needs to be x-ray or movable.
6.[SOLVED] Keys :Well keying sometimes gets really bad first you have to make sure all bones are keyed at 0 on the first frame...If you forget this..things will get weird..also if you want to make a bone remain in the same position for a number of frames you key those too
For example if you wish a bone remains at x = 10 from frame 10-100
you'll have to manually add x=10 to every key between 10 and 100..seriously this will take you years
:The graph editor is supposed to be editable for such situations
7.Multiple bones rotation:Nope You can't do that...you'll have to rotate each and every bone individually and that eventually gets impossible due to some reasons above such as IK hiding or over populated bones in scene mode which doesn't allow you to hide some bones.This feature is very essential.
-
6.Keys :..also if you want to make a bone remain in the same position for a number of frames you key those to
For example if you wish a bone remains at x = 10 from frame 10-100
you'll have to manually add x=10 to every key between 10 and 100..seriously this will take you years
:The graph editor is supposed to be editable for such situations
Hi.
The graph editor is editable.
Double click on keys on both side and make them corner instead of smooth. Then use the handles
to make the curve flat between both keys.
Here's an example:
-
6.Keys :..also if you want to make a bone remain in the same position for a number of frames you key those to
For example if you wish a bone remains at x = 10 from frame 10-100
you'll have to manually add x=10 to every key between 10 and 100..seriously this will take you years
:The graph editor is supposed to be editable for such situations
Hi.
The graph editor is editable.
Double click on keys on both side and make them corner instead of smooth. Then use the handles
to make the curve flat between both keys.
Here's an example:
Ohh thanks I did not notice the key types...so this means number 6 is solved...
-
Kevin Gales: thanks for your feedback. I know there is much left to do to improve animation and your comments really help.
-
Kevin Gales: thanks for your feedback. I know there is much left to do to improve animation and your comments really help.
Glad to help :)...Anim8or have so much potential.. so far the modelling part is so good...most of the time I am using it for hard surface modelling :)
-
Hi Kevin,
I thought the jump was really good. If i may suggest, take out some frames as he is getting up to the halfway point on the table, just to speed him up a bit as he's mounting the jump, and multiple keyframes to hold his position on landing. Ie: Move and key his 'position' on each frame as soon as he hits the floor.
Some answers maybe:
1)
Hands are definately easiest to animate in sequence mode. Make a whole lot of hand 'poses' and export them into a folder for future use with that figure.
A 'pose' meaning a 2, (or 1) framed sequence. Then its only tweaking of hands/wrists in scene mode when needed.
2)
The gizmo for rotating bones is in 2D that's bad if you rotate to any user angled perspective you will still see the gizmo in 2d meaning...you'll get puzzled about the directions of the angles...this will lead to unwanted distortions.
With practice It'll make more sense and get easier. At the end of the day, Green will rotate the X axis, Blue for the Y axis and Violet for Z. The outer ring will rotate the joint around the 'Screens' Z axis, and the Yellow arrows will rotate around the screens X and Y axis.
I find it easiest to only use green, blue and violet, and from the most sensible view to 'see' the movement on the designated axis.
Setting limits to bones movements can also be helpfull.
3) IK controllers can be positioned, and repositioned when necessary, in figure mode.
4) Anyone should try animating a rotating wheel
That's a gimble related thing, i think, and has been dsicussed a lot in the past. You can 'force' the wheel to rotate smoothly, using the right values at the right positions... i can help with that if you're still having trouble.
5)
You can hide both the bones and the object, making the figure invisible, and leaving the path visible
6)
Solved by Claude
7) multiple bone rotation.
Sorry, not sure if i'm understanding that one. IK is for multiple bone rotation, FK is 1 bone at a time. (?)
Happy to explain more on anything that still troubles you (https://i.postimg.cc/NFQscSY6/Winkwhite.gif)
-
Johnar
1.I guess that could do...I think this makes sense why sequence mode is included separate to scene mode...So scene mode
just becomes where you just put everything together and render....
2.I still don't prefer that... If you have seen Blender's gimball...I like that one cause it doesn't matter what angle
you are viewing from you will be 100% certain which direction the selected bones will go...Try rotating bones after using
the arc rotate to get a user angled view in Anim8or
3.Ohh so you just need to move them using the common object manipulators I figured they could be scaled too..fascinating
4.No comment on that
5.I still believe it could have been much cleaner if the path could be detached and moved to a different location..
7.Sometimes you might need to move only three bones without interfering with the ik (by multiple bone rotation I mean for example just select the head and leg bone and rotate them together something like that...)
However I believe there should be more tutorials on some of these...I haven't seen any anim8or video demonstrating animation of organic human like movements...
-
1.Is there any technique to attach a figure to another figure? for example I created a separate figure for the fingers then another for the hand and arm and I want to join those
2.Is there a way to set multiple bone length?Say I select 5 bones then set same length.... it's already possible to set same diameter...
OR select say 5 bones and resize (I tried the resize tool it doesn't work or maybe I am missing something )
-
for your last 2 questions:
attach a figure to another figure
and select 5 bones then set same length
Not that i'm aware of
-
1.Is there any technique to attach a figure to another figure?
You can make anything the parent of something else so that the child moves along with the parent. This is not as useful as it could be, however, because the child only follows the base location of the parent. You can't attach a ball, for example, the a figure's hand so that the ball folloes the hand of a figure.
I've done some preliminary work on supporting this but it's not really good enough. You need to be able to change the parent-child relationship dynamically otherwise you can't have the figure throw the ball. adding this is much more complex. Hmmm. I just had a thought: you could use two balls and hide one or the other, o amybe I'll finish this up in the next release or so!
-
1.Is there any technique to attach a figure to another figure?
You can make anything the parent of something else so that the child moves along with the parent. This is not as useful as it could be, however, because the child only follows the base location of the parent. You can't attach a ball, for example, the a figure's hand so that the ball folloes the hand of a figure.
I've done some preliminary work on supporting this but it's not really good enough. You need to be able to change the parent-child relationship dynamically otherwise you can't have the figure throw the ball. adding this is much more complex. Hmmm. I just had a thought: you could use two balls and hide one or the other, o amybe I'll finish this up in the next release or so!
Interesting! I am waiting to see how that will turn out if you do manage to complete the experiment... :)