Bones. Question on making them only move sometimes???

[Venkman]

hello all.

So I'm working on this sweet little Ninja animation. He is a basic person and his bones are all set up. However. he has a sword on his back, and sometimes I am going to want him to take out the sword and fight!

So I was wondering, I want the sword to be a bone that is an extension of the left hand. You know what I mean? So that the sword will move with the hand?

My problem is that, when I create a bone on the sword that is a child bone of the hand.... it moves ALL THE TIME.... even when the sword is on the ninja's back and not in the hand.

Is there a way I can make it so that this bone appears only when the sword is pulled out of the sheeth and then disapears when it is put back?

if i didn't explain clearly then let me know...

here is the project file.

http://s44.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1EWU ... 8X8KDQ6K8G

[Lost Marble]

I would attach the sword bone to the hand from the very beginning. Then, create two "sword" vector layers - one should be attached to the sword bone, and the other attached to the character's back.

Start out with the sheathed sword visible and the drawn one invisible. Then, as he draws the sword, turn the sheathed one off and the drawn one on. The drawn sword will always move properly with the hand, but by playing with the visibility of two layers you can make it appear as though the sword is sometimes sheathed and sometimes drawn.

[Venkman]

hey good idea, i'll try it, thanks

[7feet]

Generally, when you want to have a character pick something up, it's better to have 2 copies of the object. In this case, you would have the sword in the scabbard, and another copy of the sword that is attached the child bone of the hand you now have. Just leave the sword in the hand as if he is holding it.

Heres the trick. At the beginning of the shot, the sword in the scabbard is visible, but the one in the hand is hidden. When the hand goes up to pull the sword out and the sword bone is in the right position, make the 1st sword hidden and the bone sword visible. Then you don't have to worry about it jiggling around when you don't want it to, or play around with a bunch of bone translations to try to make it stay in one spot.

Here it is using your file:
http://www.sharemation.com/MoreMohoD/Sa ... tion2.moho

[Rasheed]

Here it is using your file:
http://www.sharemation.com/MoreMohoD/Sa ... tion2.moho

That's a nice mod 7feet, but I think if the sword is pulled into perspective (pointing backwards), the scabbard should be as well. Now it looks like the sword is shrinking.

[7feet]

I thought of that (don't think I didn't, now) but that didn't fit into "can I do this example in less than 10 minutes?" frame. In the original, I looked for a quick way to make it look more like the sword was being pulled out of the scabbard. The tracking was at the end of the scabbard properly. but seemed to have an odd angle towards the end of the pull. I added a bone to the scabbard, but the bone scaling seemed to make the actual transition out of the scabbard a little easier. If the hand was animated, say as a switch layer that was proper, it would sell that (my addition) particular effect more. So I guess that's a bit of exageration, minimal effort for maximum affect, that didn't quite work. Have a serious-bloodyforreal-money job in the morning or I'd mess with it. Rent first.

[Venkman]

I coouldn't open the file you posted because Moho says it was made with a later version of Moho.... but would that make sense? I just downloaded mine like a week ago?

[F.M.]

There is a newer version as of Friday.

[7feet]

Oo[ps, was playing with the new version. Look in the Announcements section for the link, or just go to the Lost Marble homepage.

[Rasheed]

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