So, I have a character viewed from the front. I'm going to want him to have several different arms. What I mean is, he'll have an arm that'll move side to side, but he'll need another arm that's supposed to be stuck straight out in front of him, toward the camera.
When I was making different hands, I would put them in a switch layer.
I was wondering though, with the arms, if I just make several and don't put them in a switch, and just make the unnecessary ones invisible by animating the layer visibility, are there any advantages/disadvantages to either method?
switch layer vs simply animating layer visibility
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
Re: switch layer vs simply animating layer visibility
If you want to switch layer visibility, you have to do two extra steps (select the layer you want to switch off, and select the layer to switch on). In a switch layer you can do this with one step (switch to another layer). Plus, there is a special tool in the toolbox that lets you switch layers on the spot if you have the switch layer selected in the layers panel, which saves you even more time while animating.basshole wrote:I was wondering though, with the arms, if I just make several and don't put them in a switch, and just make the unnecessary ones invisible by animating the layer visibility, are there any advantages/disadvantages to either method?
I used to think switch layers were easier as well...however there's something to consider. You can not move a layer front to back in 3D space using the Z axis if that layer is inside a switch layer. So just be careful how you construct things that may need to overlap.
For instance, if you wanted your left arm to be in front of the torso on frame 4...move it away from the body on from 7, and then moved it behind the torso on frame 10, this would require that you change the z axis by a few decimals in order to change the back to front order of your arm layer. Using this example however, none of this works if you were to then put that entire character inside a switch layer of it's own and call that switch layer, "Character - Facing Front". (This is if you were to plan on switching to another character rigged up to face sideways. You'd probably have a few views in mind) The point is, in my experience, the layer orders could not be animated if you constructed it inside a parent switch layer. Instead, I had to put each view of my character in a group folder and then make it invisible when not in use. So keep that in mind.
And feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...I'd love to find out that there is actually another way.
For instance, if you wanted your left arm to be in front of the torso on frame 4...move it away from the body on from 7, and then moved it behind the torso on frame 10, this would require that you change the z axis by a few decimals in order to change the back to front order of your arm layer. Using this example however, none of this works if you were to then put that entire character inside a switch layer of it's own and call that switch layer, "Character - Facing Front". (This is if you were to plan on switching to another character rigged up to face sideways. You'd probably have a few views in mind) The point is, in my experience, the layer orders could not be animated if you constructed it inside a parent switch layer. Instead, I had to put each view of my character in a group folder and then make it invisible when not in use. So keep that in mind.
And feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...I'd love to find out that there is actually another way.
Sure, animation is all about proper preparation, clever staging, and excellent performance in timing and spacing. That is why it is the most difficult art form to master. With a good piece of animation I get the idea I'm looking at a stage performance by a world class magician. Nothing is left to chance.
That's pretty much how I have it. . . the side view it's own bone layer, the front view it's own bone layer, but for things I put them in a switch (different facial expressions, and the different hand angles)
As for the Z-depth thing, it would just be the arms in the switch layer, not the entire character. I could move the arm layer in front or behind the torso by manipulating the layer order via keyframes. This becomes an issue for the front view of the character because of the way the pecs overlap the upper arm when his arms are straight down, but shouldn't when the arm is crossing his body.
As for the Z-depth thing, it would just be the arms in the switch layer, not the entire character. I could move the arm layer in front or behind the torso by manipulating the layer order via keyframes. This becomes an issue for the front view of the character because of the way the pecs overlap the upper arm when his arms are straight down, but shouldn't when the arm is crossing his body.
