Questions about users' guide and a few specific features

[turner]

Hi -

Ok, first, I'm on OSX - I don't know if that will matter or not -

First item - is there either an improved/searchable user guide, or a way to find specific tutorials/tips for features?

I did search here, but haven't found exactly what I'm looking for.

Moho seems like it's very appropriate for a project I'm starting; however, the main feature of Moho I need for this is its multiplane and depth-of-field features.

I'm trying to find some definitive information regarding setting up multiple planes, setting them apart in the X dimension, and accurately conrolling depth of field.

The other main feature I think I need to come to grips with is particles, and specifically how to get them to generally follow a path if possible.

My intent is to primarily use imported Illustrator artwork, and I would also like to possibly bring in some footage rendered from Apple's Motion.

Any help appreciated!

thx
Andrew

[Lost Marble]

For multi-plane effects, you can separate Moho layers in depth (Z). Using the Translate Layer tool, hold down the Alt key (Option I think on a Mac) and drag the mouse up and down to move a layer forward and back. Moho layers can be fully positioned and animated in true 3D space, even though they are only 2D. By positioning layers at different depths along the Z axis, the moving the camera around (see the Camera tools), you can easily get the parallax effects of a multiplane camera.

Depth of field can be turned on using the File->Project Settings menu command. Depth of field effects cannot be animated in a single shot, but you could also simulate depth of field by applying different amounts of layer blur to Moho's layers, and layer blur can be animated.

To get particles to follow a path, the trick is to animate your basi particle shape following that path. Then, insert the shape into a particle layer to get hundreds of them following the path. You'll probably need to turn off the velocity and acceleration settings of the particle layer (or at least turn them way down). Here's a sample of some particles on a path:

http://www.lostmarble.com/misc/heart_flow.zip

I haven't tried Apple's Motion software, but I assume it outputs QuickTime. You can import QuickTime movies into Moho - just select File->Import->Movie. Before importing, be sure that the QuickTime movie has the same frame rate as the Moho animation, otherwise it will end up playing back faster or slower than it should.

[turner]

Hi, and thanks for the reply.

My primary need is the DOF system and while I think I have it figured out (e.g. units are grid units?) I'm having some trouble getting it to work right -

Mainly, it seems to work, then suddenly apply to everything-

http://www.turnerdesign.net/moho

You'll find the Moho file and a test render - you can see the DOF works until the last few frames, when everything goes out of focus. Is that something I did accidentally?

thx
Andrew

[Toontoonz]

I noticed a similar thing happened on a depth of field animation I did, too.
Couldn´t figure out what I did wrong.
In the animation, the blurring of the one layer (where the purple cartoon character is) happens at the very end, similar to what you experienced.
It goes by fast, so one has to move the time line back and forth at the last part (about the last 1/10th) to see how the Purple cartoon character suddenly blurs as he exits to the right. (I was thinking I mistakenly put a keyframe to move the position of the layer on the z axis or something, but checked and that layer was at 0 on the z axis layer position the entire animation.)
http://toontoonz.com/test1.html

[turner]

Yeah, that's about the same thing I'd say.

Are you on Mac or PC?

Also, I'm trying to find out what the "Sort layers by depth" and "Sort by true distance" choices in Project Setting mean.

??

thx
Andrew

[Toontoonz]

Here´s what the maual says (User Interface > Menus section > Project Settings):
"The "Sort layers by depth" checkbox allows top-level layers in Moho to move in front of and behind each other during an animation. Normally, layers are drawn in the order they appear in the Layers panel. However, with this option turned on, layers are displayed according to how far they are from the camera. See the Tutorials section for an example of using this feature. Typically, layers are sorted by their depth from the camera, but if you're trying to create a 3D object using multiple Moho layers (like a cube or pyramid), you may want to turn on "Sort by true distance". This tells Moho to sort layers by the distance from the camera to the layers' origins, rather than by depth. Usually this option will be left un-checked."


I am using a Windows computer.

[turner]

Thanks!

That's good info, I guess I didn't look thoroughly enough...

I'm on a Mac so it seems the "sudden DOF" isn't platform dependent.

cheers
Andrew

[Lost Marble]

About the sample DOF movie. If you look closely, you'll see that the front layer is out of focus at both the very beginning and very end of the animation. Here's what's happening:

Moho computes the DOF for an entire layer based on the distance from the camera to the origin point of the layer. It can't produce different amounts of blur for different objects in the same layer.

In this case, a layer sliding sideways, when it is at the extreme sides of the view, the distance from the camera is greater than when it is in the center of the view (remember, distance is computed to the origin point). So, the blur that gets applied really is only accurate for the origin. The DOF effect works best for layers that aren't very wide (all the objects are close to the origin) or if they are wide, don't span across a large range of the camera's field of view.

If this was a similar setup to an actual animation, I would suggest using layer blur instead of depth of field. It would give you more control, and would allow just the far layer to be out of focus.

[turner]

Oh, ok.

Maybe it should compute the DOF to the nearest perpendicular point from the camera to the tangent of the origin of the plane to avoid this...

DOF will have to go post, then. Thanks.

In fact, the animation I'm planning has an object about 40 times the width of the field of view!

Andrew

[Lost Marble]

DOF will have to go post, then. Thanks.

Or, use layer blur instead of DOF.

[7feet]

Turner - don't know if you had checked out my comment in your other post
http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1484, but it might get you around having to do it in post.