Layers Always Visible in Switch Layers

Rai López · Post by **Rai López** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:12 am

I think that if we can mark a layer how "Always Visible" in Switch Layers we can do very things that now we can't... Well, it is difficult to me to explain, but especially now that we can add bones in Switch Layers (THANK GOD) it'll be usefull to add some parts in a face (eyes for example) that move with bones of the head in the Switch layer and at a time you can animate individualy because you have it in a simple layer instead in all of sub-layers of the Switch Layer... Uf...

PD1: I know that this is "possible" now, groupping the layers of certain mode, but remember that if you put the "eyes layer" inside a Group or Bone Layer, the bones of principal layer not affect at points in the "group inside of the group" layers...

PD2: Ah, perhaps too this feature could help to add a Masking tab in Switch Layers, there is no masking feature directly in Switch Layer available now, and this make impossible get that the texture warp with the bones in Switch Layers like in 4.4 Tutorial do.

PD3: ...What about a Depth Sort tab too in Switch Layers?? With this would be "easily" possible...

7feet · Post by **7feet** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:59 am

I use switch layers for eyes all the time. Also, I put the switch layer inside a group layer so that I can use the eye switch layer as a mask for the pupil layer inside that group. All of this inside one or more bone layers. In this example, I simply attach the eye group layer to the main head bone with the Attach Layer tool. Works great.

--Brian

Rai López · Post by **Rai López** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 11:41 am

First, thanks for your post 7feet, I work too like you say about the grops and masks, well, I think that it works fine at the moment, but now that we can add bones to Switch Layers you can want that all points or textures (of the head, for example) are affected by the bones in Switch Layer (for more "squishy" animation with Flexibly bind points), and if you organice your head in groups inside the groups, it can not be possible because bones in Switch Layer do not affect the points that are in a group inside this, that's all... CIAO!

7feet · Post by **7feet** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 12:38 am

Okay, I see what you mean. But you could, instead of putting the sublayers in the switch layer inside of bone layers instead of groups. I know it's a workaround and more effort, but should allow you to get what you are looking for. You still get the masking options. I don't think you would get the point interpolation, and you would have to animated the bones in one bone layer and then copy the keyframes to the other bone layers. Some work, but whover said everything can be easy?

Now I can see where you are going with "always visible" layers in the switch layer. This and a full set of masking controls for the switch layers would be very flexible for this type of thing.

--Brian

Rai López · Post by **Rai López** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 9:24 pm

Well, I thought too in the possibility of coping Bone keyframes of one layer into another yes... but this not seems very practical at all, it's tedious and you LOSE the POINT INTERPOLATION possibility (that's more IMPORTANT for me), and you can't preview results immediately when, in example, manipulate bones (perhaps if you could control bones (angle, scale & position) between sublayers or diferent groups of bones inside the parent Bone Layer...) I think that Switch Layer are really GREAT since you can put bones in it and it's a pity that there was certain limits and you can't use it in several cases... (like for tutorial 4.4 i. e. what about if this animal had a head and it'd must talk with Switch layer head? The texture of all body would move with bones, but head texture would be STATIC...

I still thinking about the possible new feature... I've obseved that you can put the same name for several sublayers inside Switch Layer, and when you select one of they, all layers with same name are MARKED when "Active Child" box is showed or click over Switch Layer with RMB... well, although this doesn't works like I would want (because only one layer is mostrated at a time although several layers are marked)

...I think that this could be a good (and simple) way to get that I'm looking for, you could put the same name to the layers that you want showed at the same time, well it's clear that this feature not would be so practical than a layer comand of "Always Visible" (for several reasons), but maybe could be a beguinning for more flexibility Switch Layers... Well, now I only have to convince LM of that this "Always Visible" would be a great and USEFULL feature... Only that...

PD: ...