#44 - Animation - Animation Techniques 4
I attempted to use a motion path to guide an object for the first time and I can say that once again it didn't go entirely to plan. I began by using the CV curve tool to create a totally random curve for my object to follow. Then, when I tried importing a model to use on the path, the problems began. With my Jedi star fighter, the whole scene would keep freezing, just like in the original star fighter scene from where it was imported. This leads me to believe that the issue with this model is probably to do with the model geometry rather than file corruption. Evidence for this is shown in the picture below. This is what happened when I tried to attach the star fighter to the motion path.
As you can see, the components of the ship have aligned themselves on the Y axis (presumably because the pivot point is in the wrong place), however the two highlighted green messes suggest that something is very wrong with the model. I have no doubt this is part of the cockpit, which was a struggle to get right in the first place. I will attempt to have a look and fix it but it will take time as the file keeps freezing.
I tried again with the Venator model, and although this one didn't cause Maya to keep crashing, I had a problem with the actual key frames. Whenever I set a key frame the model would then stop following the motion path automatically. I tried to create a handle to attach as the parent of the Venator, and make that follow the motion path whilst editing the key frames for the Venator. This also didn't work, because the Venator would split up into all of its separate components (yes I did combine them all when I imported the model) when it followed the parent handle. I tried adjusting the pivot point and although it did improve the positioning slightly it did not ultimately fix anything.
So I left the Venator going around the motion path without any exciting rotation or other movements.
For the sake of practising setting key frames on a motion path, I did the task with a simple cube instead, as this could not split off into different chunks and look ridiculous. It is kind of hard to see but the cube simply rotates inwards 30 degrees whenever the curve goes inside. It turns out I didn't need a parent handle, the reason it wasn't following the motion path was because I was setting a key frame for every part of the object. If I input the front twist on the object's motion path settings and set the key frame for that one movement it would continue following the path. Hopefully this solves the problems with the Venator splitting up, as I won't need to attach it to a parent which might have been what was causing it to split. I did intend to upload a video of it but the file size was too big for Blogger.
Clearly this whole task did not go exactly to plan, although I did manage to get an object following a motion path with rotations. It is unfortunate that I could not get one of my models working with it, and I will have to somehow figure out how to overcome this problem when I use motion paths in my animation. I will probably try setting the models up in a different order; ensuring that the pivot point is in the right place, then combining them, or the other way around, whichever works best.
As you can see, the components of the ship have aligned themselves on the Y axis (presumably because the pivot point is in the wrong place), however the two highlighted green messes suggest that something is very wrong with the model. I have no doubt this is part of the cockpit, which was a struggle to get right in the first place. I will attempt to have a look and fix it but it will take time as the file keeps freezing.
I tried again with the Venator model, and although this one didn't cause Maya to keep crashing, I had a problem with the actual key frames. Whenever I set a key frame the model would then stop following the motion path automatically. I tried to create a handle to attach as the parent of the Venator, and make that follow the motion path whilst editing the key frames for the Venator. This also didn't work, because the Venator would split up into all of its separate components (yes I did combine them all when I imported the model) when it followed the parent handle. I tried adjusting the pivot point and although it did improve the positioning slightly it did not ultimately fix anything.
So I left the Venator going around the motion path without any exciting rotation or other movements.
For the sake of practising setting key frames on a motion path, I did the task with a simple cube instead, as this could not split off into different chunks and look ridiculous. It is kind of hard to see but the cube simply rotates inwards 30 degrees whenever the curve goes inside. It turns out I didn't need a parent handle, the reason it wasn't following the motion path was because I was setting a key frame for every part of the object. If I input the front twist on the object's motion path settings and set the key frame for that one movement it would continue following the path. Hopefully this solves the problems with the Venator splitting up, as I won't need to attach it to a parent which might have been what was causing it to split. I did intend to upload a video of it but the file size was too big for Blogger.
Clearly this whole task did not go exactly to plan, although I did manage to get an object following a motion path with rotations. It is unfortunate that I could not get one of my models working with it, and I will have to somehow figure out how to overcome this problem when I use motion paths in my animation. I will probably try setting the models up in a different order; ensuring that the pivot point is in the right place, then combining them, or the other way around, whichever works best.
Comments
Post a Comment