Are there any DAZ buddies?
Several weeks have passed since I first discovered DS4. It is plain to see this is remarkable software but gees wouldn't it be nice if there was some up to date documentation with a proper index so that I could get on with learning and solving my own problems instead of floundering around the web or coming to this forum.
As a good forum user I've spent hours searching to see if my problem has been discussed before and days vainly hoping someone might answer my question.
Usually a few more days experimentation reveals an answer or a work around but I have a sneaky feeling my solutions are clumsy.
I wish I could find a mentor in a similar time zone who, like me, is retired and has time to help.
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whats your time zone ?
GMT + 8 but hey I'm not difficult to get along with - responses within 24 hrs would be terrific.
I am sure some body will be here to help .
Hi oldblock I'm in the US central timezone. I'm also one of many Daz3D Community Volunteers that will be happy to help you at anytime as long as I understand the question. We all have different skills and I'm sure you can and will get the help you need. So Just start asking away.
you are downunder mate
you are downunder mateSure they are but 24 hours gives me 12 hours to respond in. Plus many of us Daz Helpers are spread out in other places. Some one is online all the time.
Ok well thanks for your response, I'm in the process of creating a fairy who will be inserted into a movie of me constructing a Cubby House for my Grandaughter. I'm working in aniMate2. The aniblocks available with aniMate2 are great and I've picked up how to do most of the editing. My current problem is a very short movement of a flapping wing cycle which spans 6 frames and is contained in a new aniBlock. If I stretch the block to span several seconds I get a repeating cycle of 30 frames 24 of which have no movement.
Question 1: Can I make a 6 frame aniBlock?
Question 2: If not is it possible to copy and paste the 6 frames and fill the block?
Question 3: Or do neither and and copy and paste it in the other timeline
I don't know if you have seen these or not :
Animate 2 Videos.
http://gofigure3d.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=87
Animte 2 User Guide
http://www.gofigure3d.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=86
I don't do animations, but there is an Animation forum here as well here: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/categories/42/ and I'm sure someone there could answer any future questions.
I don't know for sure if you can create a six frame aniblock, I'm sure you can, BUT, that will only last about a quarter of a second. Are you sure that is what you want to do?
you are downunder mate
I am downunder and my time zone is -9 ?
It must be GMT + 9, minus figures are in the US.
ok don't stretch it - you want to copy and paste it 5 times on the aniMate timeline
then right click on the gray - popup will ask if you want to make it on the DS timeline - click yes
bigh,
Copy and paste would be nice but here's the rub - How?
Where do I right click? If I right click on my aniBlock I get Rename, Save as new, Save for legacy animate.
If I right click elsewhere I get Bake to Studio keyframes, Create aniBlock from Studio keyframes, Studio keys, Preferences.
If I right click on a track I get a bunch of options including paste (looks encouraging)
In my right clicking frenzy I accidentally clicked somewhere and got some simple file functions including copy but I haven't been able to repeat it.
just drag 6 instances of the block onto the timeline, prob other ways but what I would do.
If I right click elsewhere I get Bake to Studio keyframes, Create aniBlock from Studio keyframes, Studio keys, Preferences.
thats the one you want - bake to studio keyframe
I guessing you make a aniBlock from the DS timeline - with the wings moving
so then after that - you make as many Block as you need on the aniMate timeline
then do above to do the animation in DS
hope this help
To copy a AniBlock its Left Click AniBlock, Copy then select open Area and Right Click, then Paste.
Great that works many thanks. I can get my fairy flying round my bench saw now (once I've mastered motion capture that is)
Now one more question; I've seen clips of a humming bird hovering and the wings are a flickering blur. How would that be done?
Just a Idea.
You're dealing with one very confused would be animator here. I have recieved various advice and somehow I finished up in a different forum (Go Figure) and still haven't cracked my problem
I have decided to start over both with my fairy and the thread.
My first hurdle is how to clean the slate. I have three aniBlocks which I made and want to be rid of. How do I delete them?
from the scene ?
if yes - click ( edit - figure - clear animation )
if you remove anime blocks which you applied in Animate timeline,,
first you need to single (not need double sorry ^^;)click the animate block I think,,
then, now it change editmode, then click dust box icon, on Animate tab top area.
if you want to delete key of timeline, as bigh said,, do same.
I have already removed the aniblocks from my timeline, what I need to do now is get rid of them from the aniBlock previewer. This way there will be no risk of me doing something dumb with them.
goto DS - look in the aniMate folder - I am guess thats where you save the 3 aniBlocks - click them and hit delete
it will have no effect on the others .
Ok thanks, I'm ready to start over.
I have my fairy open.
Next I will make the wings flap if I select both wings and animate them one will open and the other will close so I imagine I keyframe one on one subtrack and then do the other on another sub track.
My next hurdle, and this where everything has gone haywire before, is precisely how? So far I have managed to somehow acheive animation without an aniBlock (I understand that), make an aniblock without any keyframes in it (coloured bits), make a 30 frame block that works all the way to fthe end but only has a few colouref frames in it, and have an animated fairy without any keyframea anywhere - either timeline or aniMate2. I've already exhuasted this topic and my sanity hence the fresh start.
So,
How many open/close cycles do I keyframe?
Do I crop the aniblock and then stretch it to repeat?
Do I work in Timeline or aniMate2?
How do I create the aniBlock?
just to get you started
lets do one cycle for 30 frames on the DS timeline - so at frame 15 we have down on both wings - at 30 we have up both wings - test
then we click and make aniBlock
then we can make all the aniBlocks as we want on the aniMate timeline - (fast we make smaller - slower we stretch each wing aniBlock )
you could make a big aniBlock using many aniBlock but lets keep it simple
just to get you started
lets do one cycle for 30 frames on the DS timeline - so at frame 15 we have down on both wings - at 30 we have up both wings - test
then we click and make aniBlock
then we can make all the aniBlocks as we want on the aniMate timeline - (fast we make smaller - slower we stretch each wing aniBlock )
you could make a big aniBlock using many aniBlock but lets keep it simple
wrong - we should be down at say frame 7 - up say frame 14 - down 21 - up 27 - frame 30 same as frame 0 ( so add a key at frame 0 )
just play around until it looks right to you
Okay, I'm not much on this this way is better or that way is better stuff. Each person has a different idea about what is right and what is wrong. When the wings need keyframed is up to the person making the animation. The idea of how to do it is the part that they really need to learn. If they need faster or slower is not the point at this time. Let the user decide what they want it to look like, fast or slow depends on the idea they have in mind.
This is my tip: When you work with AniMate and then Burn to the Timeline you can go back and add things only on the timeline. The drawback is once you add keys to the DS timeline you are stuck with them. You can add more in AniMate and ReBurn but all the old Keys you added to the DS timeline will still exist. What does that mean? Simple, only work at DS timeline level when you are sure you are not going to change the AniMate blocks Burned to the DS timeline again.
I hope this helps some.
I am downunder and my time zone is -9 ?So am I but mine is plus 10...if you're on the east coast yours should be the same Wendy.
In regard to help...I work full time but check the forum as freqently as I can. I'm happy to help if it's an area I know.
Success, I have some nice flapping wings and they stretch nicely. I accellorated the cycle 400% and the resultant flapping is a bit lumpy, it sticks and jumps erratically. Will this correct itslf when rendered?
I have spent some time modifying the crouch and jump aniBlock for the fairy's lift off using the graph editor with success.
Fresh question; when I moved the fairy way off in the distance for the start of her flight path part of her clothing stayed behind. I believe Group will fix this but I can't find it.
Similarly I'm looking for create path and can't find this either.
Thanks Pendraia for your interest.
Hi Oldblock,
Are you in Sydney?
Could probably swap some time and info with you
Its been a while which is a good sign. I tried the 'Point at' function to have a head follow a moving object but it points the wrong axis. Can this be changed?