Hey all.
I'm a vector artist and wannabe-animator with experience using Macromedia Flash (see http://www.foxmage.com/SpiderWalk.swf) as well as Hash: Animation Master (see http://www.foxmage.com/SpiderGolem.avi). For a long time, though, I've been looking for something that combined 2D animation and skeletal animation, and, well, then I found this website.
Without a trial version available (yet), I would be taking a kind of stab in the dark with this purchase. So, how similar is Anime Studio to what I already know how to use? Can I group and move things and layers as easily as in Flash? Do the skeletons use inverse kinematics like Hash or Poser, or do I have to move bones individually? Does it work using "symbols" you can switch and modify like in Flash, or do you define the images used for different bone positions ahead of time? Does anyone have videos of the software being used?
I was planning on starting a large Flash project soon, but running across this I'm questioning my program choice. How similar is the interface to Hash or Flash, and (if not similar), how long would it take to get the hang of the new interface (it's not like Poser, is it? I hate Poser's tabbed interface)? And what features does Anime Studio not have that Flash does (I've already heard it is lacking in sound functions, which seems as though it would make lipsyncing difficult)?
EDIT: Also, Content Paradise had something about the AS upgrade working as the full if you already own Poser. Does this include the free Poser 5 they offered a few days ago?
So, is Anime Studio right for me?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
You'll probably be able to pick up on it pretty quick. The method it employs for creating shapes and fills is actually much easier than it is in Flash. Also, the boning / IK elements are pretty amazing to use.
The only drawback, is that the software doesn't work in "scenes", the way flash does. Instead, you have only one timeline for the entire animation sequence per document... so if you're going to be changing viewing angles a lot for a scene, you'll probably need at least one document per viewing angle. While you could possibly get around this through massive layer group swaps, it'd get pretty hairy to keep organized before too long.
The only drawback, is that the software doesn't work in "scenes", the way flash does. Instead, you have only one timeline for the entire animation sequence per document... so if you're going to be changing viewing angles a lot for a scene, you'll probably need at least one document per viewing angle. While you could possibly get around this through massive layer group swaps, it'd get pretty hairy to keep organized before too long.
8==8 Bones 8==8
Since you've used Animation:Master, I think you'll have an easier time catching on than someone who hasn't. The spline drawing is similar, as well as the use of bones. The bones have a "capsule" of influence around them, which is similar to AM's bone weighting feature. You can also manually assign points to bones, but using the automatic weighting is easier.
You create your objects, and a bone layer above them which contains the rig. Then you create the animation by moving the bones around at different frames. Different eye and mouth positions can be handled by "switch layers", which contain different eye poses, etc. and you switch between them at different frames.
The bones do use IK, and you can lock bones and use different constraints and limit the angles of the bone movements, similar to AM.
Also, Anime Studio has reusable actions, which are reminiscent of AM's.
It doesn't seem to have symbols like Flash, but you can import Moho objects from one file into another.
As for sound, I think you only get one soundtrack. However, if you need multiple sounds, you'd be able to use a audio editor like Audacity to combine multiple sounds into one sound file.
Lip-sync is handled by a separate app called Papagayo, which is free and available at the e-frontier website. It works with both versions of AS.
I think you'll like it.
You create your objects, and a bone layer above them which contains the rig. Then you create the animation by moving the bones around at different frames. Different eye and mouth positions can be handled by "switch layers", which contain different eye poses, etc. and you switch between them at different frames.
The bones do use IK, and you can lock bones and use different constraints and limit the angles of the bone movements, similar to AM.
Also, Anime Studio has reusable actions, which are reminiscent of AM's.
It doesn't seem to have symbols like Flash, but you can import Moho objects from one file into another.
As for sound, I think you only get one soundtrack. However, if you need multiple sounds, you'd be able to use a audio editor like Audacity to combine multiple sounds into one sound file.
Lip-sync is handled by a separate app called Papagayo, which is free and available at the e-frontier website. It works with both versions of AS.
I think you'll like it.
Sounds very nice so far. Is there a detailed description anywhere about how the "switch layers" work? Like, how difficult would it be to draw some frame-by-frame animation for a very complex three dimensional movement (something like a somersault towards the camera)? Or, say I wanted a character to do a drastic pose change (such as turn 90 degrees) in the same shot; would I need to replace them with a different character model?
Re: So, is Anime Studio right for me?
Hey Kazerad,
PixelDust has covered some of it, so here's just a few minor points:
Switch layers work in a manner either vaguely reminiscent to single-frame poses in A:M, or like the x-sheet lipsynch built-in to A:M (well, from my memories). You can either manuualy select/assign from alternative layers, or use Papagayo to align phonemes (similar to the built-in phonetic breakdown and manual alignment in A:M x-sheet lipsynch) then generate a data file saying which layer to use at which frame.
Here's a somewhat outdated quick view of using Switch layers.
You can use it for frame-by-frame movement, but I wouldn't use it for all Anime Studio animation (imagine having to create frame-by-frame models for animation in A:M). For 90 degree turns you probably will have to use a different model (maybe 2 or 3), although I've watched quite acceptable 2D animation where they simply flip the whole character layer to produce a mirror image of the character. If you use the right movements it can sometimes create the illusion of a snappy turn.
See also Steve Ryan's .swf format tutorials.
Be aware of a few limitations of .swf output from Moho/Anime Studio - see the old Moho manual page about Flash export, particularly masking.
Regards, Myles.
I'm an ex-Animation:Master user myself. Anime Studio (Moho at the time) is probably the closest you'll find to a 2D equivalent, and you should find it relatively comfortable coming from an A:M background (speaking from a perspective of ... umm, something like A:M 7.5 or A:M 2000, I can't remember exactly).Kazerad wrote:For a long time, though, I've been looking for something that combined 2D animation and skeletal animation, and, well, then I found this website.
[...]
So, how similar is Anime Studio to what I already know how to use?
PixelDust has covered some of it, so here's just a few minor points:
Switch layers work in a manner either vaguely reminiscent to single-frame poses in A:M, or like the x-sheet lipsynch built-in to A:M (well, from my memories). You can either manuualy select/assign from alternative layers, or use Papagayo to align phonemes (similar to the built-in phonetic breakdown and manual alignment in A:M x-sheet lipsynch) then generate a data file saying which layer to use at which frame.
Here's a somewhat outdated quick view of using Switch layers.
You can use it for frame-by-frame movement, but I wouldn't use it for all Anime Studio animation (imagine having to create frame-by-frame models for animation in A:M). For 90 degree turns you probably will have to use a different model (maybe 2 or 3), although I've watched quite acceptable 2D animation where they simply flip the whole character layer to produce a mirror image of the character. If you use the right movements it can sometimes create the illusion of a snappy turn.
See J.Baker's post with a .wmv movie tutorial of setting up bones.Kazerad wrote:Does anyone have videos of the software being used?
See also Steve Ryan's .swf format tutorials.
Kazerad wrote:I was planning on starting a large Flash project soon, but running across this I'm questioning my program choice.
Be aware of a few limitations of .swf output from Moho/Anime Studio - see the old Moho manual page about Flash export, particularly masking.
Regards, Myles.
"Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx