Bones w/ images plus animation question

bupaje · Post by **bupaje** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:39 pm

I was testing boning an image vs a vector layer. I wasn't sure how best to keep the fish from contorting with the bone movements since there aren't points to bind to. I ended up using several helper bones which I locked to keep those areas from moving. Like to know if that is what most of you do or am I missing something obvious.

I reused some of art to try to get the turning and other details but you can see the turn needs some work and the moving into the distance is a bit jerky. I also set the bone dynamics for the fins -which I like- but they bounce too rubbery; if I do want them to spring back but not bounce several times from that one movement which settings should I adjust? If you ever saw a fish called a ram swim you might know how they do it, they dart foward and the fins go down and they stop everything snaps open -just doesn't keep bouncing. I can move each fin over and over but be nice to use the bone dynamics.

Here is a video of the movement...

http://stormvisions.com/moho/fish3.mov

I am also having some problem with the z depth, side to side tail swimming action of the fish. The only way to do this is to break up the fish into several pieces -is that correct- since you can't move the bones into the z direction and I don't think I was able to move a selected group of points, part of a sinngle image, in the Z either.

Sorry for the rambling question, on the way to work and wanted to get this out there before going.

Post by **Lost Marble** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:05 pm

It looks like an awful lot of bones to me. The only bone movement I saw was in the fins - the dynamic bone movement, is that right? If that's the only movement you want, then I would probably add just one bone down the length of the body, and one bone for each fin that should move. If you adjust the strength of the bone in the body, you can make sure it covers most of the areas that you don't want to move.

However you arrange the bones, I think bone strength is going to be important in this situation.

As far as the "bounciness" of the fins, try adjusting the "damping force" in the bone dynamics. As you increase the damping force, it's kind of like packing a spring with cotton. The spring will still try to return to its original position, but the cotton (the damping force) will prevent it from bouncing around too much.

Too much damping force, and the spring will seem sluggish, so the trick is to find the right amount.

I think a neat feature for a future version of Moho (I should shut up right now) would be to automatically make a layer bounce up and down while you adjust the bone dynamics. That way, you could see the result right away as you adjust the values.

bupaje · Post by **bupaje** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:10 am

If that's the only movement you want, then I would probably add just one bone down the length of the body, and one bone for each fin that should move.

Thanks. I missed the simpler solution again.

I don't think I'll be using images much except for fills and backgrounds because the vectors are so much more versatile; I am more comfortable with non-vector 2D so I guess I might also be able to use them if I plan and draw the fins and other elements seperately and assemble them in Moho. Mmmmm... gives me an idea for the Suggestion forum.

As for the upcoming features -too late, now the cats out of the bag and we'll be pestering you.