Request for top 10 Anime Studio Pro Version 6 Features

[kefen109]

When anime studio rendering in swf output format.it can render the images and movie files.and the layer effects can be seen in render

[heyvern]

This list is from the first page of submission. I added a few things to the Lua section. Maybe we should start a new topic?

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Here is my list of "top 10" (wink wink). I cheated.

My focus or preference would be bones and scripting. Don't do anything else but bones and scripting feature improvement and I will jump for joy.

I missed some important lua features. Additions indicated in red.

2. New animatable channels: Layer / shape order... oh wow... I get lightheaded just thinking about it.
   
3. Hide bones. Being able to hide bones weather they have a constraint or not. All bones visible or hidden on frame 0 should also be an option. This should be a bone attribute and be saved with the file. When AS is closed and reopened the hidden bones will remain hidden (right now hide controlled bones defaults to off when AS is first launched, very annoying.).
   
4. More/better bone constraints
   • 3.1 Constraints that work across layers. This would be HUGE. A constraint on a bone in bone layer A can target a bone in bone layer B.
     
   • 3.2 multiple bones for one constraint with individual percentage valueThat's the big one for me. Really really really big. I could live with at least 3 bones for each constraint... uh... 4 bones.... 4 would be good... that's the ticket.
     
   • 3.3 Translation limits. Rotation limits are fantastic... now we need a translation limit... really really. I would kill for a translation limit. Not exactly sure what values this would be based on. Pixel dimensions probably? Percent of distance from layer origin? Still trying to work this out in my head. I am thinking similar to how stroke widths scale up and down with scale compensation.
     
   • 3.4 Key framed constraints. Constraints should be keyable. Off-on and value. The value would "animate". If on frame 1 the value is 1 and on frame 25 the value of a constraint is 0 the constrained bone would slowly stop following the target bone over those frames. After frame 25 the constraint is effectively "off". Same for rotation.
     
   • 3.5 Separate target bones for x, y (and z?) position constraint Different constraint target bones for each axis. Yes we have that now with scripting... but it is stinky.
     
   • 3.6 Rotation Translation / Translation rotation built in to AS
     • 3.6.1 The rotation of a bone for a translation constraint should be an option. A check box to include rotation of a parent for the translation target. Currently rotation of parent bone is not included in the absolute position of a child bone.
       
     • 3.6.2 Translation constraint for "aiming" a bone at another bone when either rotates or visa versa. Yes... we have this in script form but it's stinky. Assign a target bone to "aim" the rotation of a bone at.
5. Bone Groups! Yeehaaa bone groups baby! Simple I hope. Able to group bones in a similar way that points are grouped. This would aid in selection and key frame editing. Grab the whole "leg bone group" and move the keys or delete them. I have no idea where this palette would live. I guess it could be up at the top of the document window like the point groups.
   --- I've been using a set of scripts I created myself for this. It's kludgy as heck and a monster to install and maintain but it works. I hope an application solution would work better.---
   
6. Lua additions
   • 5.1 Add Text List msg attribute - Make it just like the "Check Box" with a msg argument when clicking the individual items in the text list. My copy/paste bones menu script is dead in the water without it... so close... so close. I need this msg value to stay with the items in the list to keep track of them... Change the list item selected attribute to a boolean just like a check box. Think of a text list like a scrollable check box list.
     
   • 5.2 Ability to access another bone layers skeleton without switching layers (if this can be done now.... it eludes me).
     
   • 5.3 Icons/images in pop ups and script tool options my thought would be to have an area in the application directory or script directory that would hold these images.
     
   • 5.4 Slider and dial widgets in pop ups script windows for creating pose sliders or dials.
     
   • 5.5 Access to the interface palettes via scripting Ability to, read, modify and change the behavior of the palettes like the layers, time line and style palettes.
     
   • 5.6 Script storage in the file format a section of the file format that can be used to save preferences and values used in layer and pop up scripts. THIS IS HUGE! JUST THIS ONE THING ALONE WOULD KICK ARSE!
     
   • 5.7 Read/Set Key frame interpolation DAGNABBIT!I can't read key frame interpolation with lua? What? Are you kidding? Hours dude... hours spent trying to read the file format JUST to get the key frame interpolation. <sigh>
     
   • 5.8 More scripting access for ActionsActions are huge. Wonderful. But wee need to be able to use them with a script. The pose script could be done using actions if only we had independent access to the actions timeline. For example just being able to read the keys from an action without having to activate it. Poses could be stored there and called up at anytime in the main time line.
7. copy/paste bones. Instead of adding the text list feature just make bones easier to copy and paste.
   
8. reusable libraries - you know... like everyone else wants.
   
9. Importing AS files and styles
   • 8.1 Access to ALL the layers of an AS file... anywhere in the file when importing.
     
   • 8.2 Loading AS object with same named styles uses styles from the open project. If the styles in the loaded file don't exist in the open file then they will be added as new styles... but with simple names (no prepending the name of the document AND layer...yikes!).
     
   • 8.3 Option to load just the styles from another file (with an external link? I guess this would fall under reusable libraries).
     
   • 8.4 Ability to globally change a style reference for many shapes from one style to another. If 10 layers have 5 shapes each, that use one style... change all references to that style to another style. (there is a global color changer in script form so that isn't needed.)
10. Speed up the Mac version... somehow. Maybe add... video card acceleration?
    • 9 and a half (cheater! Only 10!) - Gradients, fills, effects, etc. that "stay put" with a shape and don't move around as the object moves around (image fills especially. Distortion and stretching of image fills.)
      9 and 3 quarters (you're not fooling anyone vern!) - EPS export (vector). I use AS for print. This would be a god send.
11. Control over imported movies AND SOUND (starting, stopping, restarting, etc. This is low on my list since I use other tools for audio mixing and have found the workarounds in ASP to be sufficient for video editing. It would be nice to have these functions handled inside ASP though)

-vern

[synthsin75]

Ah, we finally meet Agent Smith. Welcome from the shadows, Steve.

Here's my list, including requests I agree with.

1) Animated shape order would cut down on quite a lot of separate layers, but it may make layer sorting almost obsolete, so I can see saving that for later.

2) Hide bone groups. I think these two should probably be implemented together. Just like point groups, except with a check box to hide.

3) Bone translation and scale limits. Positive and negative limits (in the AS generic unit is fine) for both axes of translation, and min/max scale limits. Scaling limit is more important to me, as it would be nice to limit a character's bones so that they can only foreshorten.

4) Animated constraints and cross-constraints would be just to amazing to hope for.

Scripting-----------------------------------------------------

5) The ability to access any data with just a layer's object identification (i.e. MohoLayer).

6) Store data to the file format and/or another file 'known' to AS (like the application data file). Especially for the purposes of storing tables.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

7) Transparency in fill effects (i.e. gradient, texture, etc.). (And the restoration of the PNG transparency from the render (ctrl+R) save. This worked in 5.5, but now requires going through all the export menus to render a single frame with alpha.)

We should be able to remove referenced action keyframes wholesale. Animation>Remove Action, then select said action. Referenced actions should be 'findable' throughout the document, I think.

9) More accurate preview, including image opacity.

10) Well, ran out of steam....that's it for now.

[chucky]

Hey G'Day, Agent Smith, glad to meet you.
Here are some ideas, I do agree with Vern's suggestions though, even the ones I don't understand

Shapes and shape effects.
Ordering,
More effects per shape, this is BIG for me.
More control over effects like soft edge and halo,a toggle say, for outside/ inside/ centre only
Editable centre of radial gradient.
Keyframes.
Rework of the styles feature- see below

Libraries Presets
This would be a huge time and effort saver, maybe even a browser palette, with tabs for different sections as listed below, allowing to drag and drop onto bones, shapes or layers, even UI styles.
Dynamics, yes must have dynamics library,
Styles, I think the styles feature needs a slightly different approach, maybe a simple save style to library option.
Layers save layer styles to library.
Freehand settings library.
These library listings could have a check list of options to add when applying.

Bones.
Group bones
colour bones,
Hide bones
Aim bones (vern's script is indispensable ATM), and or triangulate bones
EDIT: oh I forgot rotate bones in z ????? sorry.

Time line.
Select keys and drag to scale- absolute must have
Expandable timeline- as in Mikes earlier discussion on subject.
Improved graph with separate X/Y/Z translation.
Onion skins -anti aliased with colour and transparency options, also the toggle placed not so close to the time line itself to reduce accidental activation.
Actions when editing an action , the referenced action in the timeline should update if possible, that would be wicked.
EDIT: As in Selgin's post below .... Poses....awesome.

Saving/rendering.
A couple more options for vector/flash?- no big deal though.
Gif export- would be really nice.

Will edit later today if I think of any more, I'll try and be minimal.
Edit , it seems Synthsin is thinking many of the same suggestions, this is a positive start, I think.

JBaker says below:

That the "Actions" window opens when AS is launched

of course,this would be cool.(btw J , Mike did post that AS is already 64 bit compatible.. yay.

[Víctor Paredes]

Ok, my feature request are not so sophisticated as many of guys here, I don't understand too much about lua (even when I would love to), my english is not very good and I'm not too smart as a "programmer", but I consider myself an AS user not expert, but maybe almost .

Here is my 2009 list:

1- Please, give this guys all the script access they are asking!:
Scripting is amazing for all users, I can't live without so many of the scripts this amazing guys have wrote and there are so many ideas to make AS ten times better if you open it more.

2- Universal layer order:
Current layer order is great, but it still being so difficult to make thinks like a person raiding a horse and putting his feet again in the ground, or two guys hugging each other, for example (I don't remember who, but somebody had an excellent idea about link independent layers to a bone layer, more than put them inside it. Mike did read it). It would work great with masks too.

3- Option to make bones affect all layers inside
Even if they are inside other child bone, switch or group layers.

4- Ability to select several layers:
- Translate several layers at the same time
- Move, add and delete keyframes from several layers at the same time (it would be very very useful to actions).

5- Poses (like actions, but better):
There is a wonderful script with a lot of potential on this topic, it let you create different poses of your character and tween them just moving a single bone. Poses affect points, color, linewidth, etc. It would solve almost completely the eternal turning head techniques problem, for example, and would be awesome to use with more values, like bones or layer scale.

6- Clone layers:
To have the option of duplicate a layer which copies the original movements in all channels you want.

7- Better control of timeline:
- Timeline should be control just like AS principal window as right click to move, shift+right click to zoom.
- Keyframes added simply with double click.
- independent channels to X, Y and Z axis.
- Beizer curves in graphic mode.

8- Select border or/and fill to masking:
Just a little feature that would make easier simple masking, as eyes or shading.

9- Video layers improvement :
Cut, move, rescale and edit videos with audio in timeline.

10- Color Picker and Style window stuff:
- Color picker in any layer with select shape tool, it's pretty simple and would make painting much faster.
- Lighter Style window, please, it uses so much place than needed!


pd: If someday you need beta testers or if you need to translate tutorials or some help with a Spanish version, you can count with me for sure.

[GCharb]

Hello all!

Sorta new to ASP but one thing I see that could get improved is file handling. The ability to set a local or networked(local or internet) folder as the library forlder in the prefs, also the ability to make location bookmarks, to access them quickly, those would make larger projects ton easier to manage. Also, password access to those folders on network, for group projects.

GC

[J. Baker]

Here's my small list...

1.) That the "Actions" window opens when AS is launched.
2.) Please remember windows locations a bit better. Sometimes there a bit off.
3.) 64-bit processor support
4.) Particle positioning. Let me explain...

I created a small hill in AS and created grass on that hill with particles. Well, there was always blank spots where there was no grass on the hill. So I kept updating the amount of particles to a point where it became a ridiculous amount of particles. While still leaving blank spots on the hill. So I have a feeling that some of the particles were hiding behind others no matter how many particles you had going.

Other then that, AS ROCKS!!!
Glad to here from Steve and hope we here more from SM more often. And keep up the AWESOME work Mike!

[mkelley]

Here's my top ten (and some may be duplicates of others -- I dunno):

1. Fix arm/leg flexations. Absolutely number one, numero uno, note that there are TONS of workarounds on this site about this very thing, meaning it's not done right. But the bottom line is we ALL want a limb to maintain volume as it's bent, and it should be possible to do this without jumping through hoops.

3D programs allow you to define cross sections -- I don't know why something similar couldn't be attempted, where you define the sections of the limb as the two bones change angles. But we need this more than we need almost anything else.

2. Actions relative or absolute to space. Right now if you define an action (like moving an object along the ground) it's always absolute -- put that action in the timeline and dupe it and the object will start again from the same place.

The true power of actions is in making them relative -- so that you could (if you wanted) define a bird's flight by moving it along as it flapped its wings (rather than animate it standing in place) and then dupe this so that it proceeded along a path.

This shouldn't be hard to do and would increase the power of actions tenfold.

3. Allow group transforms to be collapsed. Right now if you group layers and apply transforms to the group those transforms are lost if the layers move outside of the group. There ought to be a way to apply those transforms the the layers, which would make it far easier to have standardized sets of parts (like clothing and shoes) which fit a wide variety of characters without having to resize them all the time.

4. Outlines around masks. I've played around with masking, particularly as it applies to eyes and mouths. Take, for example, a situation where you have a pupil on one layer. It would be nice to use the basic eye shape to control the mask on the pupil, so that as the eye narrows, for example, all you need do is pull down the eye shape and it will hide that portion of the pupil

This does indeed work, except that you get no outline around the mask, which kind of defeats the whole point of this. Oh, you can get an outline at the edges where the mask doesn't touch any masked features (say around the bulk of the eye) but at the pupil it actually masks it won't continue the line. To me it should either give you a line or not, not depend on whether it is actually masking an object.

Yet this seems like such an insanely useful feature it's too bad it doesn't work this way (it would make doing mouth shapes easy -- just define the back of the mouth, with tongue and teeth, and control only one shape as the mask for the lips).

5. Bone libraries. Vern has been working on a copying keys script from one bone setup to another, but it doesn't work very well for those of us who don't use the exact same bone setup as he does. It would be nice if Mike would take a look at this capability, as it would allow libraries of movements to be built up and shared/sold/distributed.

The skeleton should/could need be similar in structure, but it should work even if certain bones are missing (or named differently). That way you could load leg movements onto a horse skeleton from a biped, for example. This would also be insanely useful for any production.

6. Personally I'd like to see tiny icons on switch layers. Having the name of the layers just doesn't cut it at times, and if there was a way to have little images of the layers it would be hugely useful in productions in trying to pick among dozens of switches.

7. More scripting access for Vern <bg>.

8. Ability to see/move/delete/paste action keys on top group layers. Right now if you insert an action by reference you will only see that action on lower layers that have keys, but not on the uppermost grouped layer (so you can't easily move or otherwise determine where this action has been invoked).

9. Improve Papagayo. Yeah, I know, public domain, probably not even Mike's bailiwick, but someone needs to fix it and it doesn't need much fixing. The biggest change/improvement it needs is to simply allow a longer zoom out view (with corresponding ability to move groups of text at that level). Right now it's a huge PITA to drag text around that is any longer than 30 seconds. It shouldn't be all that big a deal to program in two or three more zoom out levels.

And if someone is looking at it then adding other abilities (like indicating things other than phonemes such as emotions, eyebrows, etc) would make it a tremendous production tool. The framework is there for a complete facial track tool that could then be interpreted in AS by master scripters such as Vern (heck, even *I* could write some cool things if PG allowed folks to insert things other than phonemes in the timeline). Is anyone EVER going to look at this program again?

10. More hours in the day to use all this stuff. This last would benefit us all.

[Dodgy]

Some things I've been thinking about since I started using AS heavily for a recent project. Some little, some big.
* More complete Layer switch/morphing. Mixing of layers and/or the ability to morph nested switch layers as long as they have the same topology. Useful for being able to blink at the same time as talking, or having front and side mouth shapes with the same topology/layer names which you can morph between while talking. For example, have a switch layer for front and side, and within those, switch layers for phonemes, so you can morph side>Aah to front>Mmm simply.
* Stopping the current frame slider from going past the animation end frame.
* The ability to multiselect layers and then edit their common properties all at once. Save clicking on half a dozen layers just to turn Scale Compensation off on all of them.
* A flip layer depth to easily go from the front view of a character to a back view.
* Paste in the Timeline being split into 'Paste Pose' and 'Paste Keys'. Paste Pose will paste all values of the skeleton as new keys, so the pose from a frame is preserved, paste keys will only create keys on those bones which have keys on the copy source frame.
* Ability to stretch bones in the Y and X directions, not just along the length.
* Point animation stored as deltas rather than absolute, so if you decide to move points at the start into another location, the animation still works. Further to this, if you add a point between tow points on a curve with point animation, the new point could animate between them, interpolating. It wouldn't be perfect, but would be a good starting point.
* Rescale Animation to have a 'Layer and children' option.
* Tools to work like the FA tools, where you can do various selection functions with the tools active. Saves a lot of time drawing and editing drawings.
* Gradients along an edge to give more controllable soft shading.
* Soft body for points, for wobbly bellies etc.
* Shift/Alt/Ctrl combination for hot keys, and the ability to assign menu items new hotkeys
* When the Colour picker window is up, the ability to choose any colour from the screen.
* A separate colour palette for adding colours in AS, and/or a way of painting on the swatch png.
* Change Camera so push forward zooms in, pull back zooms out. It's not the intuitive right way around.
* When changing to multiple views, then one (or more) view should contain the original view (or views) settings.

[rylleman]

Wihoo, some attention from the developers. Thank you!
In addition to my first list which I still think stand as a solid request list from me I've got the following;
1. Proper keyframe interpolation. (alright that's on my old list as well but is VERY IMPORTANT.)
2. Linux version crashes when Wacom pad is enabled. This is going to be even more alarmous with the next version of Xorg where the pad is enabled by default. (viewtopic.php?t=9978&highlight=wacom).
Also the pen reaction is a little slow on linux, more precicely the release of pressure clicking. AS releases just a few milliseconds to late so you often happen to move bones and elements just a little after you are supposed to have released them. This is unique for AS, no other linux app. I have installed has this behaviour.
3. Remove that very annoying "Tracing image"/"New image layer" question on drag-drop from file managers. (viewtopic.php?t=11350&highlight=tracing)

[patricia3d]

Just imaging a low poly 3d character with only 500 poly.
In these Poly if each poly is treated as one layer and complete character will be a group of 500 layers.
Now this character can rotate 360 degree in AS PRO?
Main idea is import OBJ file ( 3D character ), not like OBJ but each poly import like each Vector layer. For the compatibility there should be restriction that each poly should have 4 co-ordinates. Import each face, read the co-ordinates and create a vector layer with these co-ordinates.

There should the feature to import such type of character. Users can create the character in 3D Modeling applications like Blender. AS Pro should import the OBJ file ( each poly import like each layer ) and on top there should be a Group Layer maintaining all these layers. And now when we rotate this group layer, complete character can rotate in 360 degree. How is this idea?

[Genete]

All the above and:

-First fix all the current known bugs. That's essential.
-Better Linux support: export to movie, presence in the download shelf.
-More animatable channels. All parameters should be animatable.
-Access to frame 0 with a toggle keyboard combination and return to the current frame stroking the same keyboard combination again.
-Rework tools in fazec's style.
-Recent Documents.
-Drag action keyframe in group layer implies drag action keyframe in child layer recursively.

-G

[GCharb]

Hello all

The ability to tweak( point motion ) animation on top of a set of actions/switches.

Meaning, you setup an animation, you use a bunch of poses, actions and layer switches, you get a pretty decent animation then you could tweak it in a non-destructive manner, as if it was only one layer and using point motion.

This way you could add very fluid stretch and squashes, exagerate some expression according to specific motion or scene etc.

This alone would give AS Pro an incredible boost in power and useability.

GC

[dueyftw]

1) Make ASP a real 3d application. Add ground, and infante planes. Light sources, spot and sun. Import poser pz3 files including cameras. Or have ASP export to poser in a pz3 file.

2) Buy the scripts that certain people have written and include them in the next update.

3)More than one time line at a time. So I can see where all the keys are on the other layers.

4)Color picker! That or a scalable swatch.

5)Get rid of all the demo user files or place them in a separate folder. They just bog down the program when new users down load from you website. Pay someone to redo the help files.

6)Have the 3d preview as a rendering camera.

7)Integrate Papagayo with AS.

8)Poses, rip off Daz studio.

I’ll save 9 and 10 for another time

Dale

[chucky]

With improved .obj import and utilisation.... I concur
It could be a big ask, but with ASPRO's current 3D feature set, there is potential for some VERY cool developments, fine tune the toon render and add a z rotation for bones and 3D binding, the possibilities are endless.
I think users right now realise this but few actually can make the current feature work for them as it is.
I think z rotation of bones would be useful for 2D elements also,as I found out in my 'hello jelly' thread.
I would like to suggest light too source but that's probably a huge task so I'm not too anxious for that one.
Thanks for the interest Agent Smith