Anime Studio 6 Info
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
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synthsin75
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camino1961
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synthsin75
- Posts: 10028
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:20 pm
- Location: Oklahoma
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I figure I'd post this here as well, for a heads up. This is part of a message I sent to Steve (who has said he's the only support version 6 has right now). Some AVIs do indeed work but not ones that work in 5.6. You can check out the file below.
...
Also, I can no longer import AVI files that I can import into AS & ASP5.6. It seem ridicules that a major version would lose functionality. But if that is the case, EXACTLY what codecs, bitrates, audio codecs, etc. will version 6 except??
What's not working (that works in 5.6) is:
AVI format
DivX video codec
MP3 audio codec
2500kbps video bitrate
224kbps audio bitrate
720 x 576 resolution
24 fps
5 secs
You can get the AVI file here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nnydkymmoaw
-------------------------------------------------------
Also, while I'm at it:
::::::::::::Gradients and Image textures:::::::::::::::
These are influenced by bones regardless of point binding. This makes them unusable for most anything but background.
::::::::::::::::::Timeline:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Clicking with a tool in the workspace is not a reliable way to make an animation channel shown. For example, if you need to add keys to a bone channel, clicking in the workspace will actually key the nearest bone. That may not be the bone you intended to key, and will be adding a hold keyframe you'd have to keep deleting.
So the workflow would be:
1. Click in workspace, to show channel of current tool.
2. Add the key you intended to add.
3. Delete the unintended keyframe.
4. Repeat for every channel you are needing to initialize without manipulating within the workspace.
Seems new versions shouldn't limit workflows.
Although as a work around (yes already), using the animation menu entry "copy current frame" to copy zero to one will show all by keying all on frame one. And this can be doen for the whole document, but then you lose the benefit of abbreviated channels where you may need them. At which point, you might as well consolidate the channels and have no further access to direct, individual keyframe manipulation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
...
Also, I can no longer import AVI files that I can import into AS & ASP5.6. It seem ridicules that a major version would lose functionality. But if that is the case, EXACTLY what codecs, bitrates, audio codecs, etc. will version 6 except??
What's not working (that works in 5.6) is:
AVI format
DivX video codec
MP3 audio codec
2500kbps video bitrate
224kbps audio bitrate
720 x 576 resolution
24 fps
5 secs
You can get the AVI file here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nnydkymmoaw
-------------------------------------------------------
Also, while I'm at it:
::::::::::::Gradients and Image textures:::::::::::::::
These are influenced by bones regardless of point binding. This makes them unusable for most anything but background.
::::::::::::::::::Timeline:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Clicking with a tool in the workspace is not a reliable way to make an animation channel shown. For example, if you need to add keys to a bone channel, clicking in the workspace will actually key the nearest bone. That may not be the bone you intended to key, and will be adding a hold keyframe you'd have to keep deleting.
So the workflow would be:
1. Click in workspace, to show channel of current tool.
2. Add the key you intended to add.
3. Delete the unintended keyframe.
4. Repeat for every channel you are needing to initialize without manipulating within the workspace.
Seems new versions shouldn't limit workflows.
Although as a work around (yes already), using the animation menu entry "copy current frame" to copy zero to one will show all by keying all on frame one. And this can be doen for the whole document, but then you lose the benefit of abbreviated channels where you may need them. At which point, you might as well consolidate the channels and have no further access to direct, individual keyframe manipulation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can do this for tools, but not for the Menus as far as I'm aware. Or can someone point me in the right direction?selgin wrote:There is a form to add shortcuts to menus on 5.6. I don´t remember well where it is, but I remember is a file you must edit using notepad or similar. I'm not at home right now, but when I go there I'll search it.Dodgy wrote:LOVE the new morph mixer thing, but is there any way it can be made non-modal, or assigned a hotkey pls? Having to open it every time I move through the timeline is a pain in the butt
With this, blend morph will work perfectly!
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synthsin75
- Posts: 10028
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:20 pm
- Location: Oklahoma
- Contact:
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synthsin75
- Posts: 10028
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:20 pm
- Location: Oklahoma
- Contact:
The "hidden channels" came up during testing but I have to say I don't see it as this huge show stopper of horrible work flow stopper. At first I did but now as I have been working with AS 6 for... a while it is not a big deal anymore.
You only have to have ONE bone keyed for ANY CHANNEL to see that channel for ALL bones. One bone. Just one. If you need to key bones on a channel at some point you MUST key that bone eventually. AND you only have to key it ONE TIME to show the channel for the hours and hours of additional animation you will do.
When you need to key a bone... you still have to click it... whether you can see the channel or not doesn't preclude the fact the bone has to be clicked or key framed in some way in order to have a key frame. Either click it or right click the channel in the time line whatever.
I am working on a video tutorial to cover this entire topic. Show how I work. Show why this is not such a huge deal. Maybe it might be a help... maybe not. whatever people think of it it's going to be one of my SHORTEST video tutorials.
(by the way Youtube HD makes tutorials look OUT OF THIS WORLD!)
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The only time this is an issue in AS 6 is on the VERY FIRST KEY FRAME CREATED. Once you have that key frame the channel is visible and it isn't an issue again. You only have to do this ONCE and the channel/s are visible and off you go. Those channels don't vanish on frame 1567 after you have animated for a few hours. You only have to worry about it way back in the beginning when you are just starting the animation process.
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I can see a case for "fixing" this. I even may agree it would be nice to have the option to show those channels before they are keyed. Like a preference or something.
Quite frankly... I LOVE not having that huge scrolling list of channels when I'm only using maybe... 4 of them. I like seeing that a channel is not keyed at all because it isn't there. I'm starting to get use to it now.
It's "different". The big issue is that it's "different" now. It's hard when things change or are different. No one likes change.
-vern
You only have to have ONE bone keyed for ANY CHANNEL to see that channel for ALL bones. One bone. Just one. If you need to key bones on a channel at some point you MUST key that bone eventually. AND you only have to key it ONE TIME to show the channel for the hours and hours of additional animation you will do.
When you need to key a bone... you still have to click it... whether you can see the channel or not doesn't preclude the fact the bone has to be clicked or key framed in some way in order to have a key frame. Either click it or right click the channel in the time line whatever.
I am working on a video tutorial to cover this entire topic. Show how I work. Show why this is not such a huge deal. Maybe it might be a help... maybe not. whatever people think of it it's going to be one of my SHORTEST video tutorials.
(by the way Youtube HD makes tutorials look OUT OF THIS WORLD!)
-------
The only time this is an issue in AS 6 is on the VERY FIRST KEY FRAME CREATED. Once you have that key frame the channel is visible and it isn't an issue again. You only have to do this ONCE and the channel/s are visible and off you go. Those channels don't vanish on frame 1567 after you have animated for a few hours. You only have to worry about it way back in the beginning when you are just starting the animation process.
------------
I can see a case for "fixing" this. I even may agree it would be nice to have the option to show those channels before they are keyed. Like a preference or something.
Quite frankly... I LOVE not having that huge scrolling list of channels when I'm only using maybe... 4 of them. I like seeing that a channel is not keyed at all because it isn't there. I'm starting to get use to it now.
It's "different". The big issue is that it's "different" now. It's hard when things change or are different. No one likes change.
-vern
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Víctor Paredes
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5690
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:18 am
- Location: Barcelona/Chile
- Contact:
I have to assume that it's really a not so big issue 
.
Sorry for being so irritated at first. I'm working seriously on AS 6 today (in an exercise of dinamic turning head with turning lipsync too, all thanks the fantastic blend morph
) and it really feels better and more ordered to have the channels hidden. I still thinking there should be a way to see all of them when you want to, but it's far to be a must.
Please, accept my apology.
Another thing, I'm working with gradients on a head and it's infinited times better for this two little linked circles. You will see what I'm talking about tomorrow, when I upload my finished turning head
.
I'm loving AS 6.
.Sorry for being so irritated at first. I'm working seriously on AS 6 today (in an exercise of dinamic turning head with turning lipsync too, all thanks the fantastic blend morph
) and it really feels better and more ordered to have the channels hidden. I still thinking there should be a way to see all of them when you want to, but it's far to be a must.Please, accept my apology.
Another thing, I'm working with gradients on a head and it's infinited times better for this two little linked circles. You will see what I'm talking about tomorrow, when I upload my finished turning head
.I'm loving AS 6.
Last edited by Víctor Paredes on Mon Jun 01, 2009 7:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Víctor Paredes
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5690
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:18 am
- Location: Barcelona/Chile
- Contact:
OK, This head has be done in a couple hours. It's far to be perfect, but works really fine
here is the anme file
http://sharebee.com/401f76d0
That is my idea: you have a head with 3 one frame actions representing 3 positions, left, center, right. Then you have a switch layer with all the set of mouth needed for lipsync, but each mouth with actions to left, center and right too. Make sure all use the same amount of points and interpolate checked.
Make your lipsync and then use the blend layer (actually, the order in which you make wouldn't be a problem) to determinate all the turns you want. Voila, you have a pseudo 3d turn PLUS pseudo 3d lipsync!
The head I have uploaded just have center and left action, and I haven't complete the set of mouth yet, but it works as example.
Ok, but the turn is not absolutely automatic, you will need to make some adjusts between interpolations of head, specially with layer order, but it's fast to do.
Gradients works great, but aren't interpolated on switch layers, so you can't use them directly on mouths, but that is not a mayor issue.
Have fun
here is the anme file
http://sharebee.com/401f76d0
That is my idea: you have a head with 3 one frame actions representing 3 positions, left, center, right. Then you have a switch layer with all the set of mouth needed for lipsync, but each mouth with actions to left, center and right too. Make sure all use the same amount of points and interpolate checked.
Make your lipsync and then use the blend layer (actually, the order in which you make wouldn't be a problem) to determinate all the turns you want. Voila, you have a pseudo 3d turn PLUS pseudo 3d lipsync!
The head I have uploaded just have center and left action, and I haven't complete the set of mouth yet, but it works as example.
Ok, but the turn is not absolutely automatic, you will need to make some adjusts between interpolations of head, specially with layer order, but it's fast to do.
Gradients works great, but aren't interpolated on switch layers, so you can't use them directly on mouths, but that is not a mayor issue.
Have fun
Last edited by Víctor Paredes on Mon Jun 01, 2009 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
I can come across as a huge butt head sometimes. Please let ME apologize. Selgin, no need to apologize. Synthsin75, Mkelly, I apologize to you both for coming on too strong... for being the "fan boy". Keep pushing AS to be the BEST it can be. I will too.
My only goal is to get a FAIR and BALANCED view of the application. I just want to make sure that if there is something new and unfamiliar that you spend time with it FIRST before jumping to quick conclusion on its value.
I was in the same boat. I was initially blown away by the new features but then started to question some things. BUT... after spending time with it... really spending time with it... it got easier and easier. Things started to make sense. Just like when learning Moho initially there's going to be a learning curve.
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Story Time with Vern
A while back I went to one of the job placement agencies that focused on graphic design, web design etc.. You had to take tests!!! Tests dagnabbit! AAAAAGGGHHHHH!
So they stick you in front of a computer with the software you are being tested on and your little instructions on what you have to do and away you go.
I have been using Photoshop since v2.5. For web development I was using "Golive", a program I also have used since it was v1.0. I don't have the latest greatest versions of any of these programs... obviously one of the reasons I was taking a test at a job placement agency so I could afford the upgrades.
Photoshop and Illustrator were like new applications. The new versions were so different I got a bit nervous at first. I was also testing for web development and was using a new version of Adobe Golive.
I got through the tests fairly well. I wasn't an "expert" but I did pretty okay... I sweated bullets though.
If a new version of Photoshop felt so alien to me after using it for 20 years... I knew that change is inevitable. Software changes. The processes change for accomplishing tasks. Totally new key commands. Things you took for granted are different. New tools etc. New versions create new challenges.
--------------------
Keep this in mind as you use AS 6. It is different. Many of the old things we are use to don't work the same way. Is this "bad"? You won't know till you use it enough to become familiar with it. At some point you may decide you don't like how it works in this new way or you many find it's a better way. Give it a chance.
-vern
My only goal is to get a FAIR and BALANCED view of the application. I just want to make sure that if there is something new and unfamiliar that you spend time with it FIRST before jumping to quick conclusion on its value.
I was in the same boat. I was initially blown away by the new features but then started to question some things. BUT... after spending time with it... really spending time with it... it got easier and easier. Things started to make sense. Just like when learning Moho initially there's going to be a learning curve.
----------------
Story Time with Vern
A while back I went to one of the job placement agencies that focused on graphic design, web design etc.. You had to take tests!!! Tests dagnabbit! AAAAAGGGHHHHH!
So they stick you in front of a computer with the software you are being tested on and your little instructions on what you have to do and away you go.
I have been using Photoshop since v2.5. For web development I was using "Golive", a program I also have used since it was v1.0. I don't have the latest greatest versions of any of these programs... obviously one of the reasons I was taking a test at a job placement agency so I could afford the upgrades.
Photoshop and Illustrator were like new applications. The new versions were so different I got a bit nervous at first. I was also testing for web development and was using a new version of Adobe Golive.
I got through the tests fairly well. I wasn't an "expert" but I did pretty okay... I sweated bullets though.
If a new version of Photoshop felt so alien to me after using it for 20 years... I knew that change is inevitable. Software changes. The processes change for accomplishing tasks. Totally new key commands. Things you took for granted are different. New tools etc. New versions create new challenges.
--------------------
Keep this in mind as you use AS 6. It is different. Many of the old things we are use to don't work the same way. Is this "bad"? You won't know till you use it enough to become familiar with it. At some point you may decide you don't like how it works in this new way or you many find it's a better way. Give it a chance.
-vern
Found a bug
I found a bug in version 6.
If you do the morph example in the manual and then click FILE -> NEW and create a new shape with a fill the time line gets filled with the fill actions from the previous file.
What I mean is I finish the demo from the manual (with the morphing fill colour), then I create a new workspace. I create a circle and fill it, then in the time line there appears an animation for the fill colour change from the previous animation.
It is easily fixed by going to ANIMATION -> CLEAR ANIMATION FROM DOCUMENT, but this is something the clean-up routine should do when I click NEW under the FILE menu. Again, not a big problem, but a new user may not know how to fix this...
If you do the morph example in the manual and then click FILE -> NEW and create a new shape with a fill the time line gets filled with the fill actions from the previous file.
What I mean is I finish the demo from the manual (with the morphing fill colour), then I create a new workspace. I create a circle and fill it, then in the time line there appears an animation for the fill colour change from the previous animation.
It is easily fixed by going to ANIMATION -> CLEAR ANIMATION FROM DOCUMENT, but this is something the clean-up routine should do when I click NEW under the FILE menu. Again, not a big problem, but a new user may not know how to fix this...