Moho Forum

Mikdog wrote:They use this technique in ODDJOB JACK.

--- Speaking of which, I have submitted a file to this section of a completely rigged Odd Job Jack character, all in AS Pro with converted and optimised Flash content. It's very kindly hosted by cribble; see the sticky at the top of this section.

OK, OK let's get back to my original excitement about using 3D obj files for a reference to do a walk cycle.

Genete was correct in his warning in this case. I inadvertently had script files in my posted zip folder that were from the Pro version of AS.

But, rather than throw out the baby with the bath water, I'll try a legal approach. Since those that have the standard version can't rotatee 3D obj files I created an animation of a 3D obj 24 step walk cycle with 360 degree rotation for each step.
Now then those that don't use 24 frames in their walk cycles can do the math and use the reference layers that fit their style.
The 3D obj files were created by Gary (Fiziwig) in Poser 4.
I PERSONALLY created the animation of the turning walk cycle in ASP.Here's the zip file.
To use this file, set a place on the timeline to the angle you want your character to walk and build on the positions of the limbs you see in the 3D obj. The angles match the frame number on the timeline. ie, 45 is 45 degrees, 90 is 90 degrees etc. Hmmm... will that create a problem? Seeing as they are on the timeline? I'll have to experiment more on that. Probably have to copy and move key frames, heh? EDIT: No problem for AS pro users they can rotate the obj frame anywhere.
The step positions are viewed by turning them on in the layers. One at a time.
.

Bob P

rplate wrote:OK, OK let's get back to my original excitement about using 3D obj files for a reference to do a walk cycle.
...
But, rather than throw out the baby with the bath water, I'll try a legal approach. Since those that have the standard version can't rotatee 3D obj files I created an animation of a 3D obj 24 step walk cycle with 360 degree rotation for each step.
<snip>
To use this file, set a place on the timeline to the angle you want your character to walk and build on the positions of the limbs you see in the 3D obj. The angles match the frame number on the timeline. ie, 45 is 45 degrees, 90 is 90 degrees etc. Hmmm... will that create a problem? Seeing as they are on the timeline? I'll have to experiment more on that. Probably have to copy and move key frames, heh? EDIT: No problem for AS pro users they can rotate the obj frame anywhere.
The step positions are viewed by turning them on in the layers. One at a time.
.

Bob P

In my AS Basic I see nothing but empty white layers in all layers at all angles. Inside the ANME file the paths to the external OBJ files are all specific to your (Bob's) computer (e.g. "/Users/rplate/Desktop/AllBones/allFrames_1.obj")

In order to use the file each user must open the ANME file in a text editor and change all the paths to the correct path on their own system. Then it works.

--gary

Genete wrote:I can't believe it!

You should read the section 6 of the license.txt file provided with Anime Studio:

OOPS!

I missunderstood the whole thing! Yes, supplying files from the pro version to standard users is not... good.

I was under the impression that it was a simple matter of changing some files on the hard drive from someone else's ORIGINAL files (not files from the pro installation).

My mistake! I jumped the gun and should have read more carefully. I have an excuse though... I'm a bit grumpy and on edge at the moment.

-vern

fiziwig wrote:In my AS Basic I see nothing but empty white layers in all layers at all angles. Inside the ANME file the paths to the external OBJ files are all specific to your (Bob's) computer (e.g. "/Users/rplate/Desktop/AllBones/allFrames_1.obj")
In order to use the file each user must open the ANME file in a text editor and change all the paths to the correct path on their own system. Then it works. --gary

I think I have fixed the download to open properly now. I tried it on several other computers and it work without any text changes.
I had to go into the Anime script as Gary did and remove all path references with a search and remove.
download here
Gary, or anyone who would check this on your computer for me and let me know?
Sorry for the inconvenience to all.
.
Bob P

A tutorial that is all based on the above download link, which I have also PUT HERE.


...........

For those of you that have the AS Pro version you won't need to save the files because you can simply set the "Y" rotation angle for the (group/bone) layer.
Then proceed to build your walk on the reference figure as you work your way up through the step layers.
Just make sure you put YOUR animation in YOUR OWN bone layer. My bone layer is a group layer to rotate all the step layers at the same angle.
So before you set an reference angle, highlight my bone layer.

Again thanks to Gary for making the 3D obj files that make this possible.
.
Bob P

Just wondering?? Will somebody try opening the download above and let me know if it's working? PLEASE!
I didn't get any responses as to whether this download is working.
Fiziwig said earlier he had problems opening it properly in AS standard.

Also I failed to mention: Those using the above download in AS Pro need to erase the document animation before trying to use the walk references.
The AS standard users start with a new project and import the Quicktime .mov step layers for reference.

I'm working on using the Aya 90 degree side view walk using these reference layers. She's already rigged with bones so shouldn't take too long. Even for a bonehead like me.
I'll post them as soon as I get done.
.
Bob P

Yes, the new file upload works fine.

Nice little tutorial. I'm going to try to animate a figure walking in a big circle.

--gary

Hey that's pretty cool!

It took a while to open. This is very useful and it is NOT cheating. I could take a 3D character I designed and place it in AS this way.

I had no idea you could rotate "groups" of 3D obj layers like that. You know you can ANIMATE the 3D layers by just keying visibility on and off. Then you can rotate the parent layer and all the 3D layers just do their thing.

This is way over the top and would require too many separate obj file layers... but for simple stuff it might be fun.

p.s. took ages to key the visibility for all those layers.

-vern

It would be nice to have a script that did all that visibility keying. Someting like import image sequence but 'import 3d obj sequence'

Dale

heyvern wrote:Hey that's pretty cool!
It took a while to open. This is very useful and it is NOT cheating. I could take a 3D character I designed and place it in AS this way.
I had no idea you could rotate "groups" of 3D obj layers like that. You know you can ANIMATE the 3D layers by just keying visibility on and off. Then you can rotate the parent layer and all the 3D layers just do their thing.
This is way over the top and would require too many separate obj file layers... but for simple stuff it might be fun.
p.s. took ages to key the visibility for all those layers.
-vern

Hmmm... I wonder, can you put those layers in switches?
.
Bob P

Hmmm... I wonder, can you put those layers in switches?

Absolutely. I should have done that in my test. Less work. You just rotate the switch layer. They work just like group or bone layers.

-vern

I wasn't able to try this out until I got home last night. This IS cool rplate! Thanks for sharing! Renaming one of my obj's to the file name(s) you used worked great. I was able to see my obj from different angles and use them to trace new layers.

rplate

Where did you get the model? I have a small collection of BVH files that I would like to apply to it. Every thing that I currently have in poser is too big and I would like have something simple. A link to a pz3 if it is public domain.

Thanks

Dale

heyvern wrote:

Hmmm... I wonder, can you put those layers in switches?

Absolutely. I should have done that in my test. Less work. You just rotate the switch layer. They work just like group or bone layers.
-vern

I tried this in Anime Studio Pro with the downloaded file using Switch Layers. It was easy to do. EDIT: Apologies, as I was learning how to publish iWeb pages I erased the sample movie. However:
I just did the switches on top of my built in animation and used every 3rd switch layer rather that all 24 steps. This should work in the standard version as well because the switch layers are on separate keyframes than the .obj layers. Actually the obj layer won't even be seen in the standard version.
Bob P
PS: Trying out iWeb so this is MY first web page.

dweyftw
Where did you get the model? I have a small collection of BVH files that I would like to apply to it. Every thing that I currently have in poser is too big and I would like have something simple. A link to a pz3 if it is public domain.
Thanks
Dale

The Poser pz3 file (from Fiziwig ) is on page one of this thread