Hello all,
I know this is the newbish question ever, but I can't seem to find out how moho works.
I created a still shot character in flash, and its in .swf and want to bring that over into moho, how would I do that. I know I can save it out to .png, but I thought MOHO could accept flash files (vector files)? Then
Once I get it into moho, how do i rig it so I can animate the character. I went to some tutorials but I didn't see any about rigging and animating an already drawn character.
Please help,
Thanks,
Cedric
importing flash and animating
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
already drawn image and bones
the way I do things is import drawn image as picture file (PNG, Targa) since these file formats support alpha channel (the transparency part that allows background layers to show through). Then I add bones to image indicating the parts I want to animate (arm bones over arm drawing, etc.) Then check the option under the Layers Properties ( I think on the third tab) that allows image to be warped by bones ( I think it's called that, I'm not at PC that has Moho installed). Then animate bones and set key frames. The problem that you will encounter, is that the bones will warp the entire image. That is, if you animate an arm bone, it may distort the head. My work around is to seperate each element (arms, legs, head, body, etc.) and import those seperately. Then bone just those pictures seperately. Then animate all elements accordingly. Hope this helps.
MoHo Excepts .eps or .ai. (Adobe illustrator files) and i think it also excepts .svg. But, to my knowledge, moho doesn't import SWF files.
To start to put bones on your characters, you must first make a bone layer. In your layers panel, there are 4 buttons. In order from left to right they are:
"New Layer," "Copy Layer," " Delete Layer," and "Layer Properties."
Click on New Layer (should look like a piece of paper) and select "bone."
Now you can start adding bones to your character by clicking on the button with a bone shape with a "+" sign below it. This is also found 2nd from top on the left, in the bone section.
Now you have to attach the bones to the layer to be able to move.. well... whatever it is you need to move. Select the layer (not the bone layer) which you want to attach to the bone. Click the button that looks like a dashed-line square with a mini bone in the bottomright corner. Also can be found bottom row, 2nd in from the left in the bones section. Now select the points you want to attach to the bone and press space bar. You can select points either by clicking on them, or selecting mulitply items by dragging a box around them.
Hope that helps
and have fun
To start to put bones on your characters, you must first make a bone layer. In your layers panel, there are 4 buttons. In order from left to right they are:
"New Layer," "Copy Layer," " Delete Layer," and "Layer Properties."
Click on New Layer (should look like a piece of paper) and select "bone."
Now you can start adding bones to your character by clicking on the button with a bone shape with a "+" sign below it. This is also found 2nd from top on the left, in the bone section.
Now you have to attach the bones to the layer to be able to move.. well... whatever it is you need to move. Select the layer (not the bone layer) which you want to attach to the bone. Click the button that looks like a dashed-line square with a mini bone in the bottomright corner. Also can be found bottom row, 2nd in from the left in the bones section. Now select the points you want to attach to the bone and press space bar. You can select points either by clicking on them, or selecting mulitply items by dragging a box around them.
Hope that helps
and have fun--Scott
cribble.net
cribble.net
Ok,
That help greatly, I got the character moving (which is awesome) one small problem now. When I export out to .mov, Everything seems ok, I can see it and all.
When I go to export to .swf all I get is a white screen. Why is that. Im currently using the trail to see if Moho can do what I need. Is swf export taken out of the trail version?
Im using the trail to fully test drive before I purchase this tonight and wanted to make sure it can do all I need.
Thanks,
Cedric
That help greatly, I got the character moving (which is awesome) one small problem now. When I export out to .mov, Everything seems ok, I can see it and all.
When I go to export to .swf all I get is a white screen. Why is that. Im currently using the trail to see if Moho can do what I need. Is swf export taken out of the trail version?
Im using the trail to fully test drive before I purchase this tonight and wanted to make sure it can do all I need.
Thanks,
Cedric
I'm not sure about that...hmm. You might be getting a white screen because you've imported raster files (pictures: Jpeg, PNG etc)
--Scott
cribble.net
cribble.net
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Lost Marble
- Site Admin
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- Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
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The current version of Moho (4.x) cannot export image layers to SWF. So, any images you use will just not appear at all.
The next version of Moho (5.0, currently in the testing stage) can export image layers, but not if you warp them using bones. You can attach an image layer to a single bone, but if you warp them using a bone layer, Flash is just not able to do that kind of effect.
The next version of Moho (5.0, currently in the testing stage) can export image layers, but not if you warp them using bones. You can attach an image layer to a single bone, but if you warp them using a bone layer, Flash is just not able to do that kind of effect.
I finally figured out how to export to .swf using images and warps from moho
http://www.squaredhost.com/dancer.html (don't laugh, its a test
)
I also see what the others were talking about seperating the body parts so other parts won't be affected by the bones.
My question now i guess is...
How do I go about building my character in a vector program and being able to bring the vector file over to moho and then animate (with bones) and then being able to export to flash (.swf)
What I need is to be able to create my character (in whatever program it takes) then bring the character over to moho, rig her, and animate her.
What would be the best path to this. I need to maintain the characters vector format for zooming purposes, plus all these images in the .swf is killing filesize.
Cedric
http://www.squaredhost.com/dancer.html (don't laugh, its a test
)I also see what the others were talking about seperating the body parts so other parts won't be affected by the bones.
My question now i guess is...
How do I go about building my character in a vector program and being able to bring the vector file over to moho and then animate (with bones) and then being able to export to flash (.swf)
What I need is to be able to create my character (in whatever program it takes) then bring the character over to moho, rig her, and animate her.
What would be the best path to this. I need to maintain the characters vector format for zooming purposes, plus all these images in the .swf is killing filesize.
Cedric
-
spasmodic_cheese
- Posts: 330
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:02 am
I actually do alot of my character stuff in flash or illustrator, as soon as you import to moho beware of the vector conversions becuase they aren't perfect.
In flash you can export to AI and try keep the vectors clean as possible because those vectors double in size when you bring them into moho (as moho draws vectors differently and compensates best it can)
then in moho just create bone layer and bring character inside that and make bones on the bone layer.
Umm also if you want to preserve layers i think you have to export peice by peice and reassemble in moho
In flash you can export to AI and try keep the vectors clean as possible because those vectors double in size when you bring them into moho (as moho draws vectors differently and compensates best it can)
then in moho just create bone layer and bring character inside that and make bones on the bone layer.
Umm also if you want to preserve layers i think you have to export peice by peice and reassemble in moho
Ok,
Took your advice and imported the .ai from flash. The character imported in but without it's colors. Gradinates were gone and all. So how did you handle that?
Sorry for so many questions,
But I have enough money for basically one package (MoHo or ToonBoom) and Im really enjoying MoHo with the bone package so Im just trying to get my barings on how this product is used.
Thanks for all that have help get this far,
Cedric
Took your advice and imported the .ai from flash. The character imported in but without it's colors. Gradinates were gone and all. So how did you handle that?
Sorry for so many questions,
But I have enough money for basically one package (MoHo or ToonBoom) and Im really enjoying MoHo with the bone package so Im just trying to get my barings on how this product is used.
Thanks for all that have help get this far,
Cedric
-
spasmodic_cheese
- Posts: 330
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:02 am
yeh it comes in all black, i found that out the hard way too, sorry , i assumed that no one else did this(which is why i didnt mention), moho doesnt have gradient support like flash and illustrator do.
It has been requested for better gradient support...not sure if we'll get it. just have to sit tight =(....
you could try and recreate the gradients in moho but again you cant move gradients away from the center...
toonboom might be for you, but to me its too much like virtual paper. I think you might be better off waiting till moho 5 is released and compare features.
It has been requested for better gradient support...not sure if we'll get it. just have to sit tight =(....
you could try and recreate the gradients in moho but again you cant move gradients away from the center...
toonboom might be for you, but to me its too much like virtual paper. I think you might be better off waiting till moho 5 is released and compare features.