anime studio reg. ver... alternative to layer groups?

rpc9943 · Post by **rpc9943** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:15 am

uhh shoot.

so i got some drawings in to anime studio, not pro version...

i was thinking of doing switch layers and everything... for eyes, mouth.. but oh boy. yeah. no layer groups. looks like i might have to upgrade... simply just to keep those switch layers in line with a moving character, for instance...

any alternative suggestions for the time being -- that is until i can shell out the cash?

RonC

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat May 16, 2009 10:09 am

Bone layers are identical to group layers. I have pro and I don't even use group layers much. I kept getting burned by using a group layer then later needing bones and having to transfer all the layers to a bone layer anyway.

-vern

dueyftw · Post by **dueyftw** » Sat May 16, 2009 11:04 am

Even with pro. I stop and think is anything going to move? Then it a bone layer. Because as vern said it a pain to convert group to bone. The real perks in the pro version is the scripting. I'm always using the sequence image import.

Dale

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat May 16, 2009 3:43 pm

Contrary to popular belief the standard version is no different from pro as far as scripting. The only difference is the lack of a "menu" script folder. In standard menu scripts can be added as buttons.

-vern

rpc9943 · Post by **rpc9943** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:39 pm

ok but say i dont use bones, at least right now... i still just throw them into a bone layer?

RonC

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:43 pm

rpc9943 wrote:ok but say i dont use bones, at least right now... i still just throw them into a bone layer?

Just try it. Does it work?
(most answers come from playing)

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:29 pm

heyvern wrote:Bone layers are identical to group layers....

Reading is believing.

p.s. Switch layers are also bone layers. But you don't add them in that often.

-vern

dueyftw · Post by **dueyftw** » Sat May 16, 2009 10:37 pm

Look, you don't have to use bones on any layer that doesn't move. BUT I can speak for others, when I get things really going and start doing any real animation with AS the layers add up fast. Characters- 10 mouth layers, 3 to 4 for hair, 2 to 3 body or clothing, hands, feet etc. I might have anywhere from 30 to 80 layers, then have front 45 side back. So mutably by 3 by the number of characters. Then backgrounds in group layers that I turn on and off. They range between 10 to 30 layer per back ground. Its not hard to have 200, 300, 400 or more layers. Use the bone layer as a Group layer and label them. That way you can turn off form view what you need and bring them back later. Because vector layers don't use much computer memory so you can have a ton of them. If you have a ton of Image layers they will crash your machine very quickly because they take so much more memory than vector.

Dale