Interpolation Curves not showing in Motion Graph

[Luke Marcatili]

Hi all,

First post here. Summary- I can't work out how to see the interpolation curves in the Timeline, Anime Studio Pro 11.

I am currently using the Anime Studio Pro 11 Free Trial trying to assess the software and determine whether it is worth moving over from After Effects for a new project I'm preparing for. I've also tried ToonBoom Harmony and so far ASP seems vastly more intuitive and pleasant to use and so far it would be my choice of purchase.

Unfortunately I can't work out how to see the Interpolation curves in the Timeline. In the tutorials I've seen and looking at the Users Manual it appears as though the curves should just appear in the timeline when Motion Graph is selected?

To test this I have created a single circle shape, moved the playhead to 1 second on the timeline and keyframed so that the circle moves to the right which works as expected.

There is no interpolation indicated in the Motion Graph. I select the end keyframe and change the interpolation method to Bezier (both via right click & the drop-down menu) and there still doesn't appear to be any curve showing. I've attempted double clicking the keyframes, double clicking the channel icon at the left of the timeline- nothing.

This may be something obvious to experienced users, but so far I haven't found the info that tells me how to show the curves. The Manual tells me that it is not a limitation of the Trial Version. Am I doing something wrong, or is this unusual?

Here are some screenshots:

The Keyframes


Motion Graph with channel selected




Thanks all.

[Lukas]

You're doing it right.

This is either a bug or simply not possible.

edit: As hayasidist says below, it's only possible with 1 point selected at a time.

[hayasidist]

select just one control point and, if necessary, double click the purple icon at the left of the timeline in your last screen shot. that'll expand the graph for the one selected point into x and y (red and green)

(you can't do all the Bezier handles for all the points in one go)

[Luke Marcatili]

Thank you hayasidist & Lukas!

I have the bezier curves now when I only have one point selected. When I manipulate them however it seems to move the point in isolation, distorting my shape rather than changing it's speed. I was hoping to control in and out speeds more than anything, so all the points would need to share the same interpolation curves wouldn't they, so that the shape accelerates/slows at the same pace?

Now that I at least have the curves showing I'll go back to looking at tutorials, maybe I can work it out from here.

Thanks

[hayasidist]

the handles controls absolute x (or y) by time - so the principle can be applied to many points, but not the actual motion.

[synthsin75]

Sounds like you need to work with the layer, instead of vector point, motion graph.

[Luke Marcatili]

Thanks hayasidist & synthsin75,

I worked out that I should probably be working with the layer to control all points so I have progressed a little. Working with it now it appears the blue and green handles manipulate the path in x/y, while red controls it's speed over the path. For now at least I have enough of a grasp on it (i think!) to keep working on it on my own.

Would anyone know a good (comprehensive) set of tutorials to learn Anime Studio? I've found some decent ones here & there but there seem to be a lot of gaps in the info I've found so far.

Thanks again for the help.

[lwaxana]

I just had the same question! Thank you everyone! :D

Luke Marcatili, in my interface, I have either two purple lines or a if I double click on the points icon I get a red line and green line:
green line/thick purple = point's y value
red line/thin purple = point's x value
If you want to track ease in/ease out and fast in/fast out of all the points, you could bind the relevant points to a bone and use that bone as a locator in your motion graph.

Edit: According to the manual, blue = z value.

[lwaxana]

Luke Maracatili, just wanted to add that to read the speed in the motion graph you need to look at the relationship of change in position (x and/or y) over time (frames). For a linear relationship, the slope of the line tells you your speed in a given directional component (velocity) or in the case of a curved line, it tells you the acceleration. steeper line = faster. Hope this helps!