My XP box crashed and locked up and all kinds of hassle! However I figured since it was in development I would keep it on the back burner and upgrade it if a newer version became available. It has some very fundemental features and looks to be quite intuitive... so I hope it becomes more (LESS) buggy!
~8)
Have anyone tryed synfig?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
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dragon silk
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:27 am
- Location: 50 miles before Canada
- Contact:
downloaded Synfig some time back...
The world should be glad I'M NOT KING!
I couldn't resist myself:
(It still being in a Alpha stage but soon Synfig 1.0 would be released!)
Current outstanding features:
* Deletion of multiple waypoints (what we call keyframes) at multiple layers at the same time.
* Non linear and special types conversion of parameters. Include time dependent conversions.
* Bline curves definition.
* Link of multiple any compatible parameter between any layer via export.
* Resuable libraries (you can include a file inside another and the changes in the first will be reflected in the second).
* 1 frame actions are possible.
* Switch layers are possible.
* Noise distort. Gradient distort.
* Full color spectrum gradient incuded transparency.
* Curved gradients (which follow an animatable bline)
* Particle plant layer.
* Animated gif export.
* Edition of scenes or object portions in separated windows with its own timeline and keyframes.
It is free and available for linux, Windows and Mac!!!
Planned features:
* Multiple soundtracks (no sound is suported at the moment)
* Bones (with all the avobe benefits of non linear constraints)
The wikiis growing a lot lately...
Want more? visit synfigand join to help!
-G
(It still being in a Alpha stage but soon Synfig 1.0 would be released!)
Current outstanding features:
* Deletion of multiple waypoints (what we call keyframes) at multiple layers at the same time.
* Non linear and special types conversion of parameters. Include time dependent conversions.
* Bline curves definition.
* Link of multiple any compatible parameter between any layer via export.
* Resuable libraries (you can include a file inside another and the changes in the first will be reflected in the second).
* 1 frame actions are possible.
* Switch layers are possible.
* Noise distort. Gradient distort.
* Full color spectrum gradient incuded transparency.
* Curved gradients (which follow an animatable bline)
* Particle plant layer.
* Animated gif export.
* Edition of scenes or object portions in separated windows with its own timeline and keyframes.
It is free and available for linux, Windows and Mac!!!
Planned features:
* Multiple soundtracks (no sound is suported at the moment)
* Bones (with all the avobe benefits of non linear constraints)
The wikiis growing a lot lately...
Want more? visit synfigand join to help!
-G
I managed to build synfig for osx, both the native and the one depending on x11, the version using x11 is more stable.
Take a look here: http://wiki.synfig.com/Build_instructions
You can find complete instructions how to build.
Take a look here: http://wiki.synfig.com/Build_instructions
You can find complete instructions how to build.
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DarthFurby
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: New York City
- Contact:
I've played around with the Windows version of Synfig and here are my thoughts:
Things I liked:
-Point motion(i.e. shape tween, vector morph) in Synfig is better than in Anime Studio. I mean WOW. You can add or remove points from a vector shape anywhere on the timeline without destroying the shape or morph. So in frame 1, a shape can have 3 vector points, but in frame 5 it can have 50. This is really great for having vines appear out of nowhere. In Anime Studio you have to establish all the points in a shape from the beginning or the morph breaks. Synfig does not have this problem. It's really elegant.
-Actions. Sort of.
-Can link properties(like After Effects). For instance, you can link two separate shapes to share the exact same rotation, color, position, transparency etc...so that if you change those properties in one shape it immediately changes those properties in all other linked shapes.
-Really nice raster special effects. Great for textures too.
Thing I didn't like:
-No bones.
-Can only export to raster formats. No vectors(swf, ai, svg, etc)
-No camera.
-Can't rotate layers in 3d space.
-No audio.
-buggy.
My thoughts:
It's missing way too many important features, but otherwise Synfig is a fantastic tool with some brilliant features. Unfortunately it's a loooooooong way from ever realizing it's full potential.
Things I liked:
-Point motion(i.e. shape tween, vector morph) in Synfig is better than in Anime Studio. I mean WOW. You can add or remove points from a vector shape anywhere on the timeline without destroying the shape or morph. So in frame 1, a shape can have 3 vector points, but in frame 5 it can have 50. This is really great for having vines appear out of nowhere. In Anime Studio you have to establish all the points in a shape from the beginning or the morph breaks. Synfig does not have this problem. It's really elegant.
-Actions. Sort of.
-Can link properties(like After Effects). For instance, you can link two separate shapes to share the exact same rotation, color, position, transparency etc...so that if you change those properties in one shape it immediately changes those properties in all other linked shapes.
-Really nice raster special effects. Great for textures too.
Thing I didn't like:
-No bones.
-Can only export to raster formats. No vectors(swf, ai, svg, etc)
-No camera.
-Can't rotate layers in 3d space.
-No audio.
-buggy.
My thoughts:
It's missing way too many important features, but otherwise Synfig is a fantastic tool with some brilliant features. Unfortunately it's a loooooooong way from ever realizing it's full potential.
Hi Darth! 
I would like to comment some of your thoughts:
-Total control over tangents (full beizer splines)
-Intuitive management of vertices widths. No need to select a Width tool to modify them.
-You can set what ever vertices of the shape you want as “disabled” (not editable by user) but visible (they are rendered) so you don’t worry on modify them accidentally.
What we call keyframes in AS are called waypoints in Synfig. Waypoints holds the current parameter value and its interpolation method.
-Can only export to raster formats. No vectors(swf, ai, svg, etc). As well as the one of the best of Synfig are the effects it is not possible to export them to non raster formats. On the other hand latest additions allow to export to a huge variety of formats (PDF for example...)
-No camera. Not needed if there is not 3D environment. With the zoom, rotate and translate effects you can make whatever kind of camera you want. See Rohel’s posts on rostrum camera movements.
-Can't rotate layers in 3d space. That’s true. But even this is a cool feature of AS I haven’t seen it being used by many users beyond make 3D backgrounds (and with some problems on sort layers by depth option)
-No audio. Hey, AS audio is so limited too!
. Only useful for lip sync IMHO.
-buggy. Yes, but it “was” buggy. Now is more stable than you can imagine. I hardly make it crash under linux.
I have more to comment:
-True libraries capabilities. You can import a file animation into another one. If you change the original one you see the changes reflected on the holder file. That’s not possible with AS because you make a copy of the imported one. In Synfig you import a reference to the animation file.
-Full control on interpolation method: includes left and right values and manual interpolation if you want (apart of the smooth, constant, linear standard interpolations).
-Animatable gradients. Curved gradients!
-Animatable z depth of layers/shapes.
-Navigator window (small view of the whole canvas for zoom positioning).
- I miss brushes and textures abilities too.
And the most important: it is free.
-G
I would like to comment some of your thoughts:
Yeah! And that’s not all!:Darthfurby wrote:I've played around with the Windows version of Synfig and here are my thoughts:
Things I liked:
-Point motion(i.e. shape tween, vector morph) in Synfig is better than in Anime Studio. I mean WOW. You can add or remove points from a vector shape anywhere on the timeline without destroying the shape or morph. So in frame 1, a shape can have 3 vector points, but in frame 5 it can have 50. This is really great for having vines appear out of nowhere. In Anime Studio you have to establish all the points in a shape from the beginning or the morph breaks. Synfig does not have this problem. It's really elegant.
-Total control over tangents (full beizer splines)
-Intuitive management of vertices widths. No need to select a Width tool to modify them.
-You can set what ever vertices of the shape you want as “disabled” (not editable by user) but visible (they are rendered) so you don’t worry on modify them accidentally.
I guess you’re talking about Synfig’s Keyframes. Opposite to AS, Synfig have true Keyframes (“poses” of the animation) what allow the user create “static” views of the objects and can be (or not) affected by the other pieces of animation. It is like the AS lock keyframe tool but already done automatically. In Synfig, keyframes can be duplicated, deleted and moved what gives a lot of control on the animation. They affect to all the current Canvas (what can be understood as the As layer).-Actions. Sort of.
What we call keyframes in AS are called waypoints in Synfig. Waypoints holds the current parameter value and its interpolation method.
That’s the really power!. All compatible parameters between different layers/shapes are linkable. And that’s not all! You can convert a parameter to be some different combination of other parameter, current time included (for example you can set a parameter to be an average of any other compatible two, a real parameter to be converted to a sine function of other parameter or the current time) and that can be done recursively. And there are a lot of conversion types...-Can link properties(like After Effects). For instance, you can link two separate shapes to share the exact same rotation, color, position, transparency etc...so that if you change those properties in one shape it immediately changes those properties in all other linked shapes.
I love them all.-Really nice raster special effects. Great for textures too.
-No bones. That’s the main difference with AS.Thing I didn't like:
-Can only export to raster formats. No vectors(swf, ai, svg, etc). As well as the one of the best of Synfig are the effects it is not possible to export them to non raster formats. On the other hand latest additions allow to export to a huge variety of formats (PDF for example...)
-No camera. Not needed if there is not 3D environment. With the zoom, rotate and translate effects you can make whatever kind of camera you want. See Rohel’s posts on rostrum camera movements.
-Can't rotate layers in 3d space. That’s true. But even this is a cool feature of AS I haven’t seen it being used by many users beyond make 3D backgrounds (and with some problems on sort layers by depth option)
-No audio. Hey, AS audio is so limited too!
. Only useful for lip sync IMHO.-buggy. Yes, but it “was” buggy. Now is more stable than you can imagine. I hardly make it crash under linux.
I have more to comment:
-True libraries capabilities. You can import a file animation into another one. If you change the original one you see the changes reflected on the holder file. That’s not possible with AS because you make a copy of the imported one. In Synfig you import a reference to the animation file.
-Full control on interpolation method: includes left and right values and manual interpolation if you want (apart of the smooth, constant, linear standard interpolations).
-Animatable gradients. Curved gradients!
-Animatable z depth of layers/shapes.
-Navigator window (small view of the whole canvas for zoom positioning).
- I miss brushes and textures abilities too.
Maybe the loooooong time is getting shorter day by day... It is worth to try.My thoughts:
It's missing way too many important features, but otherwise Synfig is a fantastic tool with some brilliant features. Unfortunately it's a loooooooong way from ever realizing it's full potential.
And the most important: it is free.
-G
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Barry Baker
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:58 am
- Location: UK
- Contact:
Well, I for one find the 3D camera and rotation an absolutely essential part of what makes Moho so wonderful. Since these features were introduced in version 5, I don't think I have done a single piece of Moho animation that does not use 3D space! It's not just useful for backgrounds, but my characters benefit from having 2D/3D heads, and being able to interact with 3D particle effects.Genete wrote: -Can't rotate layers in 3d space. That’s true. But even this is a cool feature of AS I haven’t seen it being used by many users beyond make 3D backgrounds (and with some problems on sort layers by depth option)
-G
It's not an argument for not trying out Synfig, but don't play it down to make a point! Synfig looks really interesting - I'll explore it when I have some time.
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Barry Baker
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:58 am
- Location: UK
- Contact:
The best version for now is for linux. But Windows version binary has been released too. If have a Mac you should build it by yourself.
Please visit: http://www.synfig.com/download/ for installing form binaries and/or from sources. You can follow the build instructions from that page.
I'm running the latest svn version just doing the build instructions under linux. I use Ubuntu 6.10.
-G
Please visit: http://www.synfig.com/download/ for installing form binaries and/or from sources. You can follow the build instructions from that page.
I'm running the latest svn version just doing the build instructions under linux. I use Ubuntu 6.10.
-G
