Adding points during animation

[wmartinez]

Hello All.

Sorry if this question is too easy to answer , but I couldn't find a way to add points during the animation. I explain myself.

I have a growing tree. It starts with a little square and I want to make little branches to come out of it and create a huge tree with lots of branches all interlaced. I imagine that I was able to start with the square in second 0, go to second 1 and add some points and stretch them out to create a little branch, then add more points and make the "thing" grow. To my surprise, all the points I added at second one were also added at frame 0, thus I have no square at second 0 no more, but lots of misplaced points.

This makes me wonder: what if I want new points to be created in the middle of the animation? That is, I want to have a square at second 1 and a pentagon at second 2 by adding a point. How can you make that?

BTW, when doing the branches, All the branches were one shape (one fill), so when one branch passed over the other, the intersection became blank (transparent). I can make that using two shapes, but if I need to overlap one part of the shape with itself, is there a way to avoid that "erase" effect ?

Thanks!

William.

[heyvern]

Sorry but no...

You can't "animate" the "adding" of points.

You would need to start out with "more points".

I would use the "Split curve" menu script. It is under the "Draw" script items. This is a great script for adding any number of points to a mesh very quickly.

If later you need still more points make sure you add the points at the correct spot in the animation...

On frame 1... your box could have like 50 points... if you add points there they are "inline" with the shape... nothing "funny" happens.

However, let's say on frame 24 you had moved a bunch of points. If you add points ON THAT frame, frame 24...

... then the points you added on frame 24 will be keyed in the position they were added on frame 24. On frame 1... they will be "out of place".

If you "do it right"... you could create this growing effect... you just have to add the points on the correct frames and key those points carefully.


<sigh>... man this sounds confusing.

-Vern

[Rai López]

Hmmm... Could have several solutions, remember that you can simulate the "creation" of shapes during time playing with his transparency, but well... What about if you create the entire final tree in frame 0 and then invert the process? I mean, create the final tree in frame 0 (as I still said ) and then copy all the 0 frame Point Keyframes at, let's say... frame 72? and join certain points (the branch ones over all) in frame 1, then you can create some middle keys to modiphy the time and form for more interesting/realistic growing effect... Well, I've been doing a quick test with a simple tree and I think it could works for you too (could...), CIAO!

PS: ...AH! And here is the animation I have made (quickly )

[heyvern]

I have been experimenting with my suggestion as well...

YIKES!

I don't know... scary. You may want to think about another solution.

For instance... instead of "growing" a tree by adding points to a "simple" shape. Use a completed shape for trunk, branches, etc...

... animate the growth of the trunk moving, rotating and scaling points (easier)... then have branches "appear" using transparency as Ramón suggested.

For instance, a branch would be "invisible" and very small hidden inside the trunk... then at a certain point it becomes visible and grows.

I found that trying to animate growth from a single shape with a "bazillion" points can become a nightmare... it is strangely fun to do... but still... a nightmare.

You have to constantly "go back" and keyframe "new points" on previous frames. Curves get weird when a bunch of points are packed together in one spot.

Here is my lackluster attempt:
http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/grow.mov

-Vern

[wmartinez]

Thanks guys.

Actually I tried a little bit of both solutions yesterday. That is why I posted the question today

I started with the whole tree in the last frame, and then I went back in time shrinking the branches. I had nigthmarish visions afterwards. There were times when points clutered and I had to take then down one by one, trying to keep the shape. They were simply too many points to handle.

Then I realized there were some little things called layers. I can make the same thing, but at some point I copy all the points to another layer, delete the ones I won't use anymore, and continue shrinking. I may end up using three or four layers, each one will have the growing tree in different stages. Then I play them in order. Voila!

Still, I whish I could create points at any frame. They may be invisible up to the creation point, like layers. The problem is the one visible is the shape, not the points.

Thanks again.

BTW, any idea about the blank spots when overlaping the shape with a branch of the same shape? I mean, any other idea rather than creating a new shape.

Willam.

[heyvern]

BTW, any idea about the blank spots when overlaping the shape with a branch of the same shape? I mean, any other idea rather than creating a new shape.

Willam.

Creating a separate shape is the only option I'm pretty sure. It makes sense though. I have this problem because of the way I do arms and legs. I break them into bicep/forearm, thigh/calf shapes so I can bend them and overlap.

Of course a tree... with branches... big pain in the wazoo I can imagine.

If you plan it right you won't need a shape for each branch. Only parts that might overlap.

-Vern