Moho Forum

but why to keep the switch layer, wouldn't be better just copy and paste the keyframes using just one vector layer?

I guess you could use one vector layer but this shark character is quite complicated and is not always consisted of the exact number of points so it really needed a switch layer to swap between layers. Plus it's so easy to change the animation at anytime with a switch layer. Normally I try to use the exact number of points to take advantage of the added functionality of interpolation too. In the library content files that came with AS there are some little alien characters that i donated. If you look at this file you will see one of them has a head turn built in. It's so easy to make a simple rotating head with switch layer interpolation. And by dragging the switch layer keyframes further apart you can adjust the speed in which the heads turn which is really cool.

I guess it's a hang up from my 3D animation days. When i create a character I like to give it all the built in freedom of moves i can and switch layers allow me to do this. Switck layers are a very dynamic way to animate that allows you to play with ideas on the fly.


D.K

It is a lot of work and result is very nice. But regarding to use of switch layers to do the job, I think you can reuse them and apply to create "Actions" They can be reusable, conbinable and frame independent (can overlap). In this sense you could have this shark turning while it is swiming and swim while is side faced. More options same work. I prefer actions.

VERY GOOD JOB ANYWAY

----------------------
Es un monton de trabajo y el resultado es muy bonito. Pero en relación al uso de la switch layers para hacer el trabajo, creo que puedes reutilizarlo aplicandolo para crear "Acciones". Estas pueden ser reutilizadas, combinables, e independiente de los fotogramas (pueden superponerse). En este sentido podrías tener el tiburón girando mientras nada y nadando mientras esta de lado. Más opciones, mismo trabajo. Yo prefiero las acciones.
MUY BUEN TRABAJO EN TODO CASO[/i]

Hi Genete,
I have tried using actions but they can be very problematic when they overlap. Some actions will not work smoothly with each other and you run the risk of ending up with a movement that is rubbish so i opted for the reliability factor of switch layers as i want other people to be able to use these files without problems. At least with a switch layer system you can get the best of both worlds by inserting actions if you want to and still maintain reliability of movement.

D.K

hi Dk, you are right, it's better use switch layers, now i understand.

is just i never think in make reusable animations, for me is always make one short, or some little movie, but never make a puppet to use several times. so i'm not good for thinking about this concept.

DK,
here I present to you an example of a simple skech of a fish movement (turn and swim) without the use if switch layers, using instead actions tool.

It is needed a better approach of hidding the tail, but the result is acceptable. (Consider this is my first animation with turning movement).

You can see that turning can be done at any frame (turning before and re-turning after). And there is no syncronisation problems with tail swiming.
**sorry for my bad english**
Waiting your coments,
Best regards Genete.

http://es.geocities.com/genetita/moho/pez2.zip

http://es.geocities.com/genetita/moho/pez2.swf

Nice work Genete. I must appologise as I should have made things a little clearer at the start. Don't get me wrong I love actions and intend to use them especially when I have a boned character. They seem to work well with bones. At the moment though I'm trying to create a no brainer animated clipart product for AS where the user just loads aq file and starts playing with and combining switch layers to make their own animated content in seconds, (See my Wienertoonz V1 product on CP). For simplicity switch layers are perfect for this because they don't require a great deal of understanding of AS. I guess I'm trying to encourage new AS users by giving them the ability to animate something quickly. If the user wants to create their own actions later when they have a greater working knowledge of AS they can still do this and add them whenever they want.

D.K

Superb.

Really outstanding use of interpolation under a switch layer.

Excellent!