Request for top 10 Anime Studio Pro Version 6 Features

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:35 pm

I've been doing a bunch of scripting lately and something just hit me...

Many of the features requested could be done with scripting right now... with out waiting for a "new version".

If the next "great feature" were to be limited to just one... it would be more access to the application through lua. Then someone like me or others could create any new features we want.

Some things could be added like:
Simpler script access
Tool for modifying utility scripts (multiple layer scripts in one layer?)
Adding standard menus (not just in the script menu)
Modifying existing menus (draw, bones, animation, etc)
Adding/Modifying floating palettes
Standard "widgets" for on screen tools like buttons and sliders.
Modifying the time line
More complex key commands and double clicking for tools
etc etc...

If you build in the tools for this... the skies the limit for new features. It would almost be like... open source development that isn't open source.

Lately I've been looking at ASP the same as Flash in that respect. Flash allows simple key frame animation for simple things that don't require knowledge of ActionScript. I look at lua scripting in AS the same way. You could literally "script" animation in AS much the same as you script animation in Flash using Action Script.

Just a thought.

-vern

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Fri May 25, 2007 3:50 pm

I have an addition. This is not a possible feature. IMHO this is mandatory.

Auto backup of the anme file. Selectable time for autosave. All the decent programs would have it.

(Just loose 1 hour of animation for a surprisingly crash.)

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:57 pm

A fade transition option for switch layers.

For instance if you are using image layers in a switch. It could be a way to soften the transition.

This would be tricky to implement easily since it would require some kind of setting for duration of transition but it would be cool.

-vern

funksmaname · Post by **funksmaname** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:44 pm

Here are my 2c's - i will add to this list as i think of more!

1) better 3d positioning control: maybe top/side views with a movable camera, as well as to place 2D layers in 3D space and show keyframe info on paths (just like toon boom studio!)

2) timeline: i'm still waiting on response to my 'how to?' post - but anyway, i think you should be able to see all nested layers timelines together, and each bone, or bone group, should be seperated somehow on the timeline (i know this would make a lot of stuff on the timeline, but maybe use a 'shy layer' mechanism like on adobe after fx to hide things you dont want to see)... soon as you have a lot of bones moving on consecutive frames the timeline becomes totally useless.

3) copy/paste bones

4) (implementation of 'ctrl+C/V') fixed below! thanks for the info!

back with more later.

muuvist · Post by **muuvist** » Wed May 30, 2007 4:25 am

funksmaname wrote:4) implementation of 'ctrl+C/V' copy paste of whatever you select (?? - i have to use the copy/paste buttons on the timeline to duplicate keyframes!)

There is a keyboard shortcut for this:
If the frames are highlighted you can copy and paste with option+C and option+V on a Mac, and... (I'm guessing) Alt C and V on windows.

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Wed May 30, 2007 4:51 am

muuvist wrote:There is a keyboard shortcut for this:
If the frames are highlighted you can copy and paste with option+C and option+V on a Mac, and... (I'm guessing) Alt C and V on windows.

wow!. thank you muuvist!. wow.

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:00 am

Not valid for linux.
When I select any keyframe(s) and then touch any key of the keyboard the keyframes ar unselected.
I'll report it in the bug section because it is documented in the help system but don't work in the linux version.
-G

larpon · Post by **larpon** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:59 am

1. Option to let Image layers be untouched in quality/smoothness on animation export and current frame render.
2. Optional Realtime effects/opacity
3. SVG import
4. Save preferences?
5. Native QT/GTK2 UI on linux
6. Remove grouping selection box and replace it with Ctrl+g to group things
7. More intuitive UI.. Selection and move tool can be combined to one tool like in every other paint/vector app.. Selection only.. you can select points freely when you're not over a shape.. when over a shape/point you switch context internally and move selection instead..
8. Remove every "Moho" appearance from manual/tutorials/readmes .. hell even variables in the linux startup script

.. it confusing for new comers.
9. Color selection by dropper on _any_ color in any layer.. even the GUI colors could be cool to include.
10. USB coffee machine plugin for AS with a huge button accessible from any context.. label it: "COFFEE NOW!"

my 10 cents

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:59 am

8. Remove every "Moho" appearance from manual/tutorials/readmes .. hell even variables in the linux startup script

Just don't remove it from the lua scripting integration!!! Please please don't! I don't want to have to edit all my scripts!

-vern

larpon · Post by **larpon** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:09 am

A good old regular expression or even a string search and replace couldn't do the trick?

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:33 am

Yes of course it could be changed with search and replace...

But why bother with scripting? Why make us go to all that effort because they change the name? Only the script writers would be effected and we don't care if it says "moho.document:Layer()" or "anme.document:Layer()"

I have a ton of scripts and a lot are posted on my site (which I would have to edit, test and repost)... there is code here "posted" in threads which probably won't be updated. It seems like it wouldn't be necessary. It's such a small thing.

All the changed scripts would have to be tested. Even a seemingly simple change like that could have consequences. Then there are those who didn't update their scripts (some who have written scripts but no longer support them). They wouldn't work anymore.

I would go along with a transitional change over. Like what is done with Flash and deprecated code in action script (I use scripting in AS now like I use action script in Flash). They support it for a while then eventually the content creators are responsible for phasing it out.

-vern

funksmaname · Post by **funksmaname** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:48 pm

4. The ability to undo settings changes for layer properties

5. The ability to see fill/line effects (gradients!) and layer blending effects without having to render!

6. The ability to create masking layers without having to group things in different folders... it makes masking while controlling layer order difficult

working with AS, so will come up with more soon no doubt!

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:57 pm

funksmaname wrote:4. The ability to undo settings changes for layer properties

5. The ability to see fill/line effects (gradients!), brushes, and layer blending effects without having to render!

6. The ability to create masking layers without having to group things in different folders... it makes masking while controlling layer order difficult

working with AS, so will come up with more soon no doubt!

Brush preview is already a feature. Go to "Display Quality" drop up menu...

Postality · Post by **Postality** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:53 am

I've been away for some time now and I've just noticed this thread so I'll just list a few things that I've been waiting for.

1. A gravity system. This would work quite nice with the new bone dynamics we've got (which was another one of my requests earlier in development).

2. A collision system. Another complimentry request to the others. Could be something simple as things being on the same depth "Z" being able to collide.

NOTE: With the 2 above requests combined with the already amazing feature "bone dynamics", we'd have a very nice "ragdoll" system that would be fantastic for many diffrent things. Esspecially for this animators that enjoy making action animations such as myself.

3. Animatable Layers - AKA switching which layer is in front of another during timeline/ animation. This would be a VERY good thing since it would make turning a fake 3D head amazingly possible / easy. Not to mention that it would open up doors in rotaion in 3D space etc. I'm pretty sure I've seen many people ask for this one.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:38 am

Animatable Layers - AKA switching which layer is in front of another during timeline/ animation.

I have written a layer script that does pretty good layer ordering in animation based on bone keys. It works with layers and z depth though, not shapes. I love it love it!

viewtopic.php?t=7842

It does a bunch of other things too.

I have tried to script shape order on vector layers. This is actually possible but would require the script be on every layer that needs to animate layer order. I haven't ruled out doing this as it would be fantastic, but the current solution only requires one script on the parent bone layer and it works so well.

I also tried a version that changed the actual layer ORDER in the layer palette not using z-depth. This works quite well, but it changes the document layer structure during animation... which can be very confusing.

I compared the two solutions and find z-depth is the best way to go for now.

-vern

Request for top 10 Anime Studio Pro Version 6 Features

My Additions