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Tutorial: Introduction to animation in DeleD

 
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Jeroen
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:02 am    Post subject: Tutorial: Introduction to animation in DeleD Reply with quote

I've released a tutorial on basic animation in DeleD. It can be found in our Wiki: Animating a simple lamp.

Feel free to post comments in this thread. Smile
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tatts
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Joined: 21 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this looks like it is a very good tutorial and looking forward to using it with the program Very Happy

Anyway should I assume it would be best to animate using seperate objects and not a single mesh?
I see that you can assign vertices, does that mean there is some type of support for mesh deformation?
Is it possible to set joint limits?
What is the max number of joints limited to?
Are there going to be any type of mesh constaints?
would probably be better if I just ask to see a fearture list i guess eh! sorry for all the questions.
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Jeroen
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's good to ask questions. I can answer them in this thread right away. All answers accumulated will make for a fine tutorial someday too. Smile

Quote:
should I assume it would be best to animate using seperate objects and not a single mesh?


In lots of cases, using seperate objects is more flexible but there's nothing stopping you from using a single mesh. However, using a single mesh is more difficult because you can have polygons being deformed when being animated. For example, imagine a human figure. Rotating the head would deform the polygons of the neck. Vertex weighting might help here, but they are not supported yet.

Another example is the lamp I used in the animation. If it was made of one single mesh, things would deform at the joints. Play with the .dxs to see what I mean. Smile

Quote:
I see that you can assign vertices, does that mean there is some type of support for mesh deformation?


I'm not sure what you mean, but maybe you're talking about the example I just mentioned (the head and neck)?

Quote:
Is it possible to set joint limits?


No, not yet. At the moment, joints don't have any restrictions. You can rotate them as much as you like.

Quote:
What is the max number of joints limited to?


Do you mean if you can only use a maximum number of joints per skeleton? If so, there are no limitations to that at all. You can use any number of joints.

Quote:
Are there going to be any type of mesh constraints?


Do you mean limitations to how many polygons/vertices you may use? If so, no limitations in that area either. Smile

Important: the animation system in DeleD is very, very basic. We did this intentionally because we want a system that is very easy to use. Animation is hard by nature, no matter what program you use. Our aim is to enable as many people as possible to start animating things. We try to do this by offering a simple system.

Some people will out-grow the possibilities DeleD has to offer (be it in animation or any of the other main features) and they will move on to the bigger packages, like Maya or 3D Studio and the likes. Others will stick with DeleD because they can do what they want to do with it. In this case, relative simple animations. We will, of course, expand the animation possibilities in DeleD while making sure its simplicity stays in tact. I just want to express that DeleD will never be a full-blown animation package (or general full-blown modeling package for that matter) because we did not design it like that. Smile

edit: enhanced readability.
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Last edited by Jeroen on Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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tatts
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Joined: 21 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks jeroen, I am more tired than I thought, I have been up all night and havent been to bed yet, technically I asked the same question 3 times here sorry.

To sum it up, Your definately best to use sepperate objects. the second question you answered with the first. not sure why I even ask sinse it relates to the first.

Quote:
Are there going to be any type of mesh constraints?


Quote:
Vertex weighting might help here, but they are not supported yet.


there pretty much the same thing just different sites and creators use different termanology for the same type of tools.

I fine with simple animation, As stated it is going to be nice to make a scene and have moving objects in it. and definately looking forward to it.
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Stiglr
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just had a look at the Wiki for basic animation.

A few questions:

1) How do you assign limits to animations, for example, maximum angle to which it will rotate?
2) How do you determine the "hinge angle" of a rotation?
3) There seemed to be some incomplete info there about setting up parent/child relationships, but it wasn't fully fleshed out. You'd need to be able to name various objects and their relationships before exporting...


The other part of my question is, the tutorial was using Pro 2.0. I have 2.4.2 CE and the animation menu isn't selectable at all. I was under the impression that 2.42 CE was the most current, open source version (and thus was what used to be a "pro version". Is this the case, and if so, why doesn't animation seem to work on it (the Animation menu header is greyed out and stays that way even if I select objects)?
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Jeroen
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stiglr wrote:
Just had a look at the Wiki for basic animation.

A few questions:

1) How do you assign limits to animations, for example, maximum angle to which it will rotate?
2) How do you determine the "hinge angle" of a rotation?
3) There seemed to be some incomplete info there about setting up parent/child relationships, but it wasn't fully fleshed out. You'd need to be able to name various objects and their relationships before exporting...


About 1 & 2: currently, you can't set limits (as in maximum angles etc) to your rotations. You just select a joint and rotate it by selecting the Rotate tool in Skeleton mode and dragging the mouse in any 2D view. I don't know what you mean by Hinge angle though, so can you elaborate?

About 3: joints of a skeleton are in a parent/child relationship. You can provide names for your joints and all 3D objects you assign to your skeleton. Is that what you mean?

Stiglr wrote:

The other part of my question is, the tutorial was using Pro 2.0. I have 2.4.2 CE and the animation menu isn't selectable at all. I was under the impression that 2.42 CE was the most current, open source version (and thus was what used to be a "pro version". Is this the case, and if so, why doesn't animation seem to work on it (the Animation menu header is greyed out and stays that way even if I select objects)?


Yes, 2.42 CE is the most complete version and contains everything that LITE and PRO combined had to offer.

To use the animation system, you need to create a skeleton first. To create a skeleton, select Joint in the Item Creation treeview. This will put you in Skeleton mode automatically, which will enable the Animation menu options. You can, of course, select Skeleton mode yourself too. Now click in any 2D view. This will create a new skeleton with one joint. Place some more joints by clicking in a 2D view again. This will create joints that are linked together. Select joints by using SHIFT+leftmouse.
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Stiglr
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, I'll try what you suggest to get the bones and joints going....

Hinge angle: just placing a joint somewhere doesn't define the angle, especially if the parts involved aren't straight along the axes.

If you look at other 3D packages, when you create a rotation, you usually see a colored arrow gizmo (similar to the one you see in each of the viewports) that describes the hinge line itself. The child part will rotate along that hinge. That's what I'm asking about.
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LesterBoffo
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another Targetware modder checking in, Hi Stig, Hi all.

I'm curious as I haven't downloaded DeleD yet, does it import .ac and can you create "joined" single parts out of multiple parts, for the eventual export to Collada?

I'm also wondering if there will be Metasequoia (.mqo) importing possible?

cheers

lewis
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alexdavid
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PostPosted: Tue May 04, 2010 4:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi guys,..
i am new in this forum,..
i found that it is very helpful for me because it contains very informative posts and sharing s,..thanks
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EricMild
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm also finding it a bit difficult to define the angle on the hinges. Just a lot of trial and error so far.

I'm not too sure if the http://weightwoo.com/fat-burning-furnace Fat burning furnace program works that well.
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