Is there a way around this action problem?

[NealF2]

When I create a head turn, for instance, all the parts of the head and face get moved and create keyframes in the action timeline.

Back on the main timeline, the head turn works as expected. But if I have the head turned and want to move the eyes or eyebrows while the head is turned, they snap into a weird position once I hit play.

I'm figuring that the keyframes in the action and main timeline are fighting each other.
So...

Is there a way to be able to move the eyeballs or eyebrows even while the head turn is active on the main timeline?

Thanks.

[slowtiger]

Last time I used this my setup was like that:

Both pupils on the same vector layer (and nothing else).

3 Actions (with smart bone):
- head turn: pupils animated in point motion only. This allowed for perspective distortion in the extreme positions.
- pupils vertically: pupil layer movement vertically only
- pupils horizontally: pupil layer movement horizontally only

For the eyebrows I had point motion only for 2 actions, and it worked. I took care to only move points horizontally in the head turn and only vertically in eyebrow action.

I don't know if the sequence of creating these actions matters, I did the head turn first, then all other actions.

[NealF2]

Let me see if I'm understanding correctly.

You created actions specifically for the pupils and eyebrows. Was this a different action than the main head turn action? Or is it all being done in the one head turn action?

What I'm doing is one action that turns the head about 3/4 to one side. In the action I need to move everything - pupils, brows, nose, mouth, etc., which, of course, creates keyframes.

When I get back to the main timeline, the smart bone dial works as expected. The head with all it's parts, turns the way I want.
But if I want to move the pupils or eyebrows while still on the main timeline, they snap to a totally different position as soon as I hit play.

So I'm thinking it's a conflict between the keyframes in the action and the ones I'm trying to do in the main timeline.

Are you able to do that?
-------------
Just noticed another thing.
I was able to rotate an eyebrow but not translate it. I don't have rotation keyframes in the action. So it's more evidence that it's a conflicting keyframe problem.

If this is normal, then there must be a workaround. I'm sure many people need to move things on the main timeline during an action.

[slowtiger]

Head turn, pupils v, pupils H, eyebrows are all different actions. I can easily combine smart bone animation with additional point or layer animation, no jumping around of elements here.

[NealF2]

Ah.
So you're not doing the whole head turn in one action.
So in your main head turn action you're just moving the basic head shape. The eyes, nose, etc. will have to be made into another action.


I gotta try that. Seems like more work, but if it works, that's all I need.

Thanks.

[slowtiger]

No, sorry, i need to explain more in detail.

My head setup is a bit convoluted, but I needed separate layers for some stuff because of masking and layer ordering.
- head bone
- - hair
- - nose ( with animated line width)
- - pupils
- - mouth, eye (lid) (these masks pupils and maybe teeth/tongue)
- - lips
- - face (with eyebrows)
- - ear 1
- - ear 2
- - back head

The head turn action involves all of these, most with point motion, ears only have layer transformation and ordering. The turn is from 3/4 left to 3/4 right, some layers get mirrored in the middle. I made sure to move points ony horizontally in the head turn action timeline. An action can involve several layers and timeline channels!

Eyebrows action: only vertical point motion in face layer.

Pupils H action: only horizontal layer movement, but could've done with point motion as well.