Moho Forum

I am trying the "Offset Bones" feature for the first time in Anime Studio Pro 6.1 (Mac OS 10.5., and it behaves unpredictably when I make changes AFTER offsetting things. Maybe I just don't understand all the quirks.

These are the steps I've gone through to create a character with bones:

1. Create skeleton layer.
2. Create several vector layers inside skeleton layer, each one containing part of the character (right arm, left arm, neck, head, etc.)
3. Use the Translate Points tool to move all objects away from each other in preparation for bone-adding.
4. Add bones to separate body parts, inside bone layer.
5. Use Offset Bones tool to move bones back into position. The body parts follow.
6. Test bones with Manipulate Bones tool. All good.
7. Add two new switch layers (Eyes, Mouth) inside skeleton layer.
8. In the switch layers, draw eyes and mouth in correct position related to the OFFSET head layer. The head, when offset, is above the neck.

When I preview the figure or active the Manipulate Bones tool, all the body parts move to their correct positions EXCEPT the eyes and mouth, which remain at the same vertical position but ALSO jump to the right.

If I translate the points for the eyes and mouth layer -- to try to manually offset them so they'll go in the right spot -- they continue to jump to exactly the same spot.

The first time I tried offsetting bones, and then tried to make modifications to my work, I had points twisting all over the place. This is my second attempt.

Is there something wrong with my workflow? Is this a known bug? Is there any way I can salvage my character, or must she remain strangely eyeless?

If anybody's willing to take a look, the project is here (and the layer is the "Lady Thumpton Skeleton"). Please don't be cruel: this is still a rough version and I am not a visual artist.

http://dangermuff.com/Boat%2001c.anme

Cheers,
Muffy.
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Correction: translating the eyes and mouth to the left and then down WILL put them in the right position during preview, but that's pretty crazy.

And if I move the switch layers outside of the Skeleton layer group, they stay in the correct positions when previewing.

Further tests show that this only happens with group or switch layers inside the skeleton group. If I create a new vector layer directly inside the skeleton group layer, everything offsets correctly. If I put that vector layer inside a group or switch layer, however, then the vector layer is ALWAYS offset up and to the right.

But I can't make this happen in a brand new skeleton layer group, so it's something about this PARTICULAR group.

You need to bind the switches for the face to the head bone.(bone 5)

Using the bind layer tool located under the add bone tool.
Click on the switch layer,
click on the bind tool,
then click on the bone you want it to bind.
Repeat as needed.

Actually it look pretty good, nice colors, nice background, nice character design.

Thank you, Super8mm! That works perfectly.

Can you spare a second to tell me why? The Bind Layer tool doesn't make sense to me as described in the manual. Why do I need to bind the Switch layers, but not the Vector layers (eg. Hair and Face, which move automatically with the head-bone)? Is this simply a requirement for Switch and Group layers?