body rotation

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tiannaidan
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body rotation

Post by tiannaidan »

someone may have already asked this but I can't find it in the forum so I'll ask it. How do you animate a person turning (left to right etc) in anime? I know how to do it in flash but there are no bones involved so it is a lot easier. The manual really doesn't cover this. Would there have to be several different angle views in a switch layer meaning having to redraw most of frames manually then putting in bones? A lot of work doing it that way. Hope there is an easier answer. If I have to go through all that I might as well keep using flash
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

I did this, that I have to do additional work on.
http://vimeo.com/7192111
The head, hands, and feet are on switch layers but the chest, legs, and arms cannot be switched since they use more than one bone and they use flexible binding which cannot be done with switches using one bone rig.

One alternative to switching artwork for flexible binding art is to swap the art by using Translate layer.

Visible layers have a translate layer of x=0.
Unseen layers have a translate layer of x=50.

Just need to make sure that there's a translate layer keyframe at the previous frame just before the switch.
Example: frame 100 x=0, frame 101 x=50.
Example: frame 185 x=50, frame 186 x=0.
wena
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Post by wena »

O.K super8mm

Tell us haw you did the film, I assume in AS?

Wena
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

Yes, ASP

From front view to facing side view to a profile view is as simple as swapping the art as needed.

Here are 2 examples:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ttolwmzmqnz

There are two ways you can swap art for a bone rig.

Star switch.anme uses the Visible checkbox.

The file star switch.anme uses the visible checkbox to change from one star to another. In the example it's just a color change but it can be a rotation of a character just as easily.

The downside to doing this is you can't see the results unless you select the bone group layer or folder layer where the art is which can get confusing.

--------------------------------------------

Star switch off screen.anme using Translate Layer

The Star switch off screen.anme file make the artwork invisible by tossing it off screen way off to the side. I use Translate Layer x=11. It's just far enough it will never be part of the visible part of the movie.
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neeters_guy
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Post by neeters_guy »

Thanks for sharing the technique and files, super8mm.

tiannaidan, search the forum for "head turn" and you should get some good ideas.

Some links for you to get started.

super8mm previous discussion on this subject:
Karate guy takes opponents in any direction (WIP)
An in-depth, but unfinished, discussion on using bones to do any sort of body rotation:
New hand rig results
Finally, Darth Furby's monumental work on head turns:
Video Training: How to Make a Head Turn with Actions PART 3

There isn't an "easy" answer per se. If you take the time to study the information here, then you will find an easy answer that works for you.
Smoof nickel
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Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:38 pm

I hear ya

Post by Smoof nickel »

I also used to use flash, but trust me man this is way easier. You will have to put all the different directions the character is facing into one switch layer. The Karate man shown above is a perfect example of this. You will only need two directions ( maybe even a back position if you'd like ). From there what you have to is copy and horizontally flip the side positions hence left and right :wink:

In short. There is no easier way. I however do recommend you keep using AS because it beats flash to tar on many levels.

Happy Holidays

-Smoof
Do not evaluate your attempts or your intentions. Instead, evaluate your results.
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

You will have to put all the different directions the character is facing into one switch layer
I don't use any switch layers for the body, that would mean putting a bone rig copy in every switch and tediously aligning all the bones every time you switch. my method uses only one bone rig for all the poses.
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