Vern,
This is for you as you asked me directly what a studio needs that an individual doesn't. Well, I answered that in my first post and I suggest you also carefully read jackthegiantkiller's posting as he is making the same points and expressing himself better than I can.
One simple example for you to chew on: handling work across a network. When you produce an animation series, you don't want animators tweaking colour models without explicit permission. This is a networking issue. It requires software that manages and controls workflow being produced across any number of seats. Animators, designers, editors and so on should be able to work on one production simultaneously without everyone tripping over everyone else's feet, deleting or overwriting each others' files - this all takes clever software and all of it is unnecessary to an individual working alone. That is just one example.
Let's agree that Moho is Mike's baby and that the development decisions will be made by him and his new business associates. I feel confident we will all benefit. The old software won't stop working! Relax and enjoy the ride.
Jeff
Will there be more updates to Moho?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
say you want to swap out the head of a character with another...if you have 8 animators each working on that figure for different scenes, they will all have to independently make the changes. A painfully time consuming task, money flying right out the window. But this is the kind of "extremely enhanced" version professionals need - therefore the price upgrade would be most validated.
Jeff, jackthegiantkiller,
I encounter the same problem as one person.
My current project that I am doing all myself has a dozen characters in several different scenes.
Instead of 8 people changing the head in 8 scenes it's just me... same amount of work. Trust me... I have done this several times already.
Even if this was an intro animation for someone's high school graduation video... those features would still be needed.
Because I am just "goofing around" like "collecting stamps" and this is a project I am doing "on the cheap" (free, it is a fun speculative adventure)... you guys think I wouldn't need these features?
Work flow and project management is not limited only to large multiuser environments. A two person shop or a ten person shop... need work flow solutions.
The same time saving techniques for a network of workers are going to be needed for any size organization... 1 or 100 people.
If there are two versions... I will have to buy the "pro" version. That is a done deal. Ever since my experience with After Effects... I always buy the pro version. I spent the extra money and bought the pro version of Flash. And I have only used it on two projects.
I am not that cheap. I will be willing to pay more for an improved version of the software. Usually the "lite" and "pro" versions have HUGE price differences for just a few absolutely critical tools... other wise you couldn't justify the price. That is where I get annoyed.
Technically... my animation work is "a hobby"... but I would like it to be more... I won't be able to do that with crippled versions of an application.
I would bet that the majority of current users of Moho are just singular people doing stuff.
p.s. I am sure none of this discussion will impact LM in any way. Whatever he decides to do with Moho is his decision and I am fine with it. Just want to make sure the smaller voices are heard.
There are no "pro" features that I couldn't use even as a hobbyist. There are features NOW that I don't use that have nothing to do with my "pro" status... just choice. It all depends on the artist.
-Vern
I'm with Vern here. It's impossible to draw a line between hobbyists and professionals when you deal with a complex art like animation. Even if I, personally, could do without the scripting, there will be hundreds of people out there who just _like_ to dive into that. (And I need the scripts, too, because of some of Moho's limitations.)
Isn't exactly this the main reason for the existance of Moho and similar programs: to give amateurs the chance to do as big projects as professionals? To help beginners of the art fight against technological and financial barriers which aren't necessary today?
The same process has happened in the field of music since 1980: before that, music which could be sold in shops could only be produced in extremely expensive studios. Then there were synthesizers and multitrack recorders, then Atari and Commodore and Mac, and nowadays professionals as well as hobbyists happily use the same programs on the same machines. The artistic result only depends on the artistic abilities - as it should be.
Animation is undergoing this change right now: the knowledge is available to everyone, the computation power as well, and slowly the useful software comes into the hands of mere mortal beings. I say that's a good thing. Don't insult beginners and amateurs with a "non-pro"-version of a program.
(As a sidenote: I'll buy Apple's FinalCut HD Express now, for 300$, instead of the FinalCut Pro version for about 1300$. Why? Because for my current projects it is good enough, and it seems to cover all my needs in terms of project size and possible file formats. It still has more tracks than I ever could handle, though. The pro version mostly features exotic file formats and interfaces to established film industry standards. I say that's a clever decision. - Now think of the same amount of features Moho needs to have before one could even think of boiling it down to an amateur version!)
Isn't exactly this the main reason for the existance of Moho and similar programs: to give amateurs the chance to do as big projects as professionals? To help beginners of the art fight against technological and financial barriers which aren't necessary today?
The same process has happened in the field of music since 1980: before that, music which could be sold in shops could only be produced in extremely expensive studios. Then there were synthesizers and multitrack recorders, then Atari and Commodore and Mac, and nowadays professionals as well as hobbyists happily use the same programs on the same machines. The artistic result only depends on the artistic abilities - as it should be.
Animation is undergoing this change right now: the knowledge is available to everyone, the computation power as well, and slowly the useful software comes into the hands of mere mortal beings. I say that's a good thing. Don't insult beginners and amateurs with a "non-pro"-version of a program.
(As a sidenote: I'll buy Apple's FinalCut HD Express now, for 300$, instead of the FinalCut Pro version for about 1300$. Why? Because for my current projects it is good enough, and it seems to cover all my needs in terms of project size and possible file formats. It still has more tracks than I ever could handle, though. The pro version mostly features exotic file formats and interfaces to established film industry standards. I say that's a clever decision. - Now think of the same amount of features Moho needs to have before one could even think of boiling it down to an amateur version!)
...I'd bet for only one Moho version cause I think Moho needs more ESSENTIAL additions/improvements that professional additions/improvements right now... I mean, I am always asking for that additions & improvements, yes... but I think they are more in the line of make things works fine as anyone can expects that a professional must expects, I think all of us want things work fine at last... So maybe this be not a professional or not professional issue... I think that if finally Moho carry out during animation tasks (with those Depth Sort, Timeline/keyframes and many other discussed issues) nobody will be worried about if Moho is a professional or not professional animation program cause it'll simply be the best 
...CIAO!
PS: ...LM! (HI) I know you are around here so GOOD LUCK with all and don't forget tell us something more as soon as possible you can do it, ok? (:mrgreen: PLEEEASE 
)
...CIAO!PS: ...LM! (HI
) I know you are around here so GOOD LUCK with all and don't forget tell us something more as soon as possible you can do it, ok? (:mrgreen: PLEEEASE )
A paint bucket tool? 
That´s it?
Oh well.....
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The paint bucket tool appears to only work properly when there is no color in the shape;
if the shape already has color and you use the paint bucket tool you get a "warning" window pop up that is confusing:
"You are about to create a new shape that sits on top of an older one. Would you rather just modify the older shape´s color, style, etc.?
(Recommendation: Yes)"
When you click yes, the Paintbucket does nothing. If you click yes you get shapes on shapes which is potentially a big headache later in animation.
In any other drawing program one can use the paint bucket tool to change the color at any time. With Moho - the use is restricted to initial fill of an uncolored shape. (Or I guess removing all colors from a shape using the shape select tool and then one could use it.)
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Before you can use the Paint bucket the shape has to be void of color. So you have to make sure that "auto fill" is unchecked if you are using rhe oval or rectangle or freehand tools.
And the Paintbucket always puts a line around every shape. Maybe there is a trick, but I couldn´t get the Paintbucket to just fill in the shape´s color without the outline. I tried to make the line width "0", but Moho always put it to the default of "0.25". So you always get a color for the shape and the outline when using the paint bucket. (Perhaps I missed the instructions regarding turing off the paint bucket outline in the tutorial.)
Then if you draw a shape with a line around it (no color inside), then use the painting bucket you get a colored shape PLUS a new colored line over the line of the shape....
I obviously am doing something wrong and I am hoping someone will correct my errors!
That´s it?Oh well.....
------------
The paint bucket tool appears to only work properly when there is no color in the shape;
if the shape already has color and you use the paint bucket tool you get a "warning" window pop up that is confusing:
"You are about to create a new shape that sits on top of an older one. Would you rather just modify the older shape´s color, style, etc.?
(Recommendation: Yes)"
When you click yes, the Paintbucket does nothing. If you click yes you get shapes on shapes which is potentially a big headache later in animation.
In any other drawing program one can use the paint bucket tool to change the color at any time. With Moho - the use is restricted to initial fill of an uncolored shape. (Or I guess removing all colors from a shape using the shape select tool and then one could use it.)
--------
Before you can use the Paint bucket the shape has to be void of color. So you have to make sure that "auto fill" is unchecked if you are using rhe oval or rectangle or freehand tools.
And the Paintbucket always puts a line around every shape. Maybe there is a trick, but I couldn´t get the Paintbucket to just fill in the shape´s color without the outline. I tried to make the line width "0", but Moho always put it to the default of "0.25". So you always get a color for the shape and the outline when using the paint bucket. (Perhaps I missed the instructions regarding turing off the paint bucket outline in the tutorial.)
Then if you draw a shape with a line around it (no color inside), then use the painting bucket you get a colored shape PLUS a new colored line over the line of the shape....
I obviously am doing something wrong and I am hoping someone will correct my errors!
-
Lost Marble
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If you're not a Mac user, you may have glossed over the Universal Binary support and performance improvements for Mac. As much as Apple may like us to believe, this is not always a simple job. It may not affect you (if you're not on Mac), but it does take development time away from other tasks. On the Mac side at least, this is quite an important update.Toontoonz wrote:A paint bucket tool?
Oh well.....
-
Lost Marble
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2347
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
- Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
- Contact:
If the shape already has color in it, just click it with the Select Shape tool if you want to change it. By turning off auto-fill in order to use the paint bucket you're just making yourself jump through hoops.
When using the paint bucket, if you don't want an outline, un-check the "Enable outline" box in the Style palette right after you fill with the paint bucket.
When using the paint bucket, if you don't want an outline, un-check the "Enable outline" box in the Style palette right after you fill with the paint bucket.
Lost Marble wrote:If you're not a Mac user, you may have glossed over the Universal Binary support and performance improvements for Mac...Toontoonz wrote:A paint bucket tool?
Oh well.....
Hee hee...
I was going to respond to Toontoonz with something really sarcastic about how you must have spent months and months struggling with that paint bucket tool than decided at the last minute to just quickly wip out the universal binary version for the Mac before taking a short nap...
-Vern