I'm setting up a character, and I'm experimenting with using actions for facial expressions. This works well when I store a complete expression, but when I try to break it down a little further, I run into interference.
For instance, I created 2 separate "winking" actions -- one for each eye. I had thought I should be able to combine these two into a single "blinking" action that closes both eyes. But when I try to have both of them there at once, the second action tries to re-open the first action's closed eye. How can I avoid this? Do the actions have to be on specific layers? Does that mean that I'd have to put each eye on its own layer?
Or did I make a mistake by creating a complete keyframe for the entire face, and if I created a keyframe only for the specific points that I'm changing, this won't happen? That just occurred to me. Maybe I should try that.
Combining actions with intended priority
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
All you need to do is make sure no points (or bones) are keyed on the actions that shouldn't be moving. If there are points that don't move at all they should not have a key set.
Make sure that your timeline settings have the "Selected Points" or "Selected Bones" channel thingy turned on.
In the right blink action for example select all the points that you WANT to move. Select the inverse of those points (CTRL + I? I think. It is CMD + I on the mac. You can do this from the menu as well).
Now with all of the points that SHOULDN'T MOVE selected select the selected point motion key and delete those keys.
Now the only keys are for the points you want to move in that action. Do this for all your actions and you should be golden.
Keep in mind you can't "add" actions on the same points... I don't think anyway... one action will overwrite the other if they move the same points.
There may be overlap depending on how the actions are done.
p.s. It would be nice to have a way to apply actions using "add" so the effect can be added to any additional motion already there.
-vern
Make sure that your timeline settings have the "Selected Points" or "Selected Bones" channel thingy turned on.
In the right blink action for example select all the points that you WANT to move. Select the inverse of those points (CTRL + I? I think. It is CMD + I on the mac. You can do this from the menu as well).
Now with all of the points that SHOULDN'T MOVE selected select the selected point motion key and delete those keys.
Now the only keys are for the points you want to move in that action. Do this for all your actions and you should be golden.
Keep in mind you can't "add" actions on the same points... I don't think anyway... one action will overwrite the other if they move the same points.
There may be overlap depending on how the actions are done.
p.s. It would be nice to have a way to apply actions using "add" so the effect can be added to any additional motion already there.
-vern
Actions were a little confusing to me when I started to work with them. But now I think I understand them.
Imagine this setup:
Head
-Left eye
-Right eye
If you create a "eyeblink" action in the Head layer they will be usable in every children layer with the same name. So If your root action "eyeblink" create keyframes in two differents layers (child of the Head layer) those frames will be available for every child layer. BUT ONLY THE KEYFRAMES OF EVERY CHILD LAYER. I mean. The "eyeblink" of the Left eye layer WILL NOT AFFECT to the Right eye layer. But remember you should make (create it) the action at Head layer level. After, when editing it you can go deep in the layer hierarchy (always deep - child of a child and not a brother because if not you will get out of editing mode) and select the layer on which you want to insert the keyframes.
I hope it makes sense for you. If not let me know and I post an example.
Regards
Genete
Imagine this setup:
Head
-Left eye
-Right eye
If you create a "eyeblink" action in the Head layer they will be usable in every children layer with the same name. So If your root action "eyeblink" create keyframes in two differents layers (child of the Head layer) those frames will be available for every child layer. BUT ONLY THE KEYFRAMES OF EVERY CHILD LAYER. I mean. The "eyeblink" of the Left eye layer WILL NOT AFFECT to the Right eye layer. But remember you should make (create it) the action at Head layer level. After, when editing it you can go deep in the layer hierarchy (always deep - child of a child and not a brother because if not you will get out of editing mode) and select the layer on which you want to insert the keyframes.
I hope it makes sense for you. If not let me know and I post an example.
Regards
Genete
Here an example.
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff ... tions.anme
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff ... ctions.swf
I love actions!!!!
Regards
genete
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff ... tions.anme
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff ... ctions.swf
I love actions!!!!
Regards
genete
That confused me the first couple of times, because I created the action *on* the nested portion that I wanted, and so the action was not available on the parent level. Fortunately I saw someone else mention that on another thread (or maybe it was you over there too, Genete!) and it makes much more sense now.
The only thing I haven't tried yet, and this could be a stumbling block, is that I want to try doing a head turn with point animation using actions, not bones. I am anticipating that I'll discover that I can't use my old eye blink actions for the new head position, because it'll bring the eye points back to their original position -- I'll have to make a new eye blink animation for each head position, I expect. But I haven't tried yet, so I don't know for sure.
The only thing I haven't tried yet, and this could be a stumbling block, is that I want to try doing a head turn with point animation using actions, not bones. I am anticipating that I'll discover that I can't use my old eye blink actions for the new head position, because it'll bring the eye points back to their original position -- I'll have to make a new eye blink animation for each head position, I expect. But I haven't tried yet, so I don't know for sure.
On the other hand, why don't just go with bone motion AND point motion also?Touched wrote:I would, but I need a very specific look for my head turn, which I don't think I can reproduce with bones, and even so, I'd need to touch it up with point motion anyway, so why not just go point motion all the way?
In fact, bone motion is a kind of point motion but with less keyframes...
Use bone motion for rude movements and point motion for fine movements. I have not tested but perhaps actions for fine point motions movements could be done the way you said.
Remember: Point motion is always x and y at the same time. Bone motion also but with two bones you can make independent the x from the y movement of a point. Also point motion is always a straight line between two keyframes, but point motion by bone motion could be a straight line, a circled curve or a ellipsed curve with my springy rig. You have more control, I think.
Anyway that's the grandeur of AS is that you can have lot of tools to do the same thing. Choose your favorite one!!.
Best
Genete
Well, of course there will be bone animation for large movements, and I have bones to control the pupils and such. No getting around that! It's just the details and the turning of the head that I'm doing with points. This character is way too complicated to rig up a bone setup to make it rotate the way I want, I think. Or, rather, it's probably possible, but I can do it more easily this way, I think. I'll post an example of Pepper in motion in the next few days.
EDIT: Ha, you edited and added many of the same thoughts here. ^^
EDIT: Ha, you edited and added many of the same thoughts here. ^^
I have had an idea talking with you about this issue.
You use an skeleton to make the large translations (rotations) and the point motion to perform the small movements details. Well, this is, in my opinion, the best option for make a good animation.
But you want reusability of the poses of your character, isn't it?. There is a problem with the points and the actions (their movement is absolute and a fine tuning is always an absolute movement if you do it by point animation. But (although I know it could be insane...) what happen if you add a bone for evey point that you want to fine tuen control? You can make a relative movement to his parent using an action and later you can recover that small movement making a "negative" action. It doesn't matter where its large displacement root bone is the small bone will go to its proper position due he have a relative movement to his parent (root bone). Of course you don't need a bone for every point, only for those which would be moved fined for some poses.
What do you think?
You use an skeleton to make the large translations (rotations) and the point motion to perform the small movements details. Well, this is, in my opinion, the best option for make a good animation.
But you want reusability of the poses of your character, isn't it?. There is a problem with the points and the actions (their movement is absolute and a fine tuning is always an absolute movement if you do it by point animation. But (although I know it could be insane...) what happen if you add a bone for evey point that you want to fine tuen control? You can make a relative movement to his parent using an action and later you can recover that small movement making a "negative" action. It doesn't matter where its large displacement root bone is the small bone will go to its proper position due he have a relative movement to his parent (root bone). Of course you don't need a bone for every point, only for those which would be moved fined for some poses.
What do you think?
Yes, I want some degree of reusability, but I think it would be faster to adapt a more basic model to each scene than to spend too much time working on a one-size-fits-all system.
I see what you mean about using the different ability in movement of bones, for example using a bone's rotation to create an arc of movement rather than a point's linear movement, but I can also achieve that with points with an extra keyframe or two, or using Crashcore's "curve to point motion" script. I think adding a bone to every point is one way to do things, but I don't think it'll be my way. ^^ Basically I'll use bones where possible, points where most optimal, and actions when I need to do something very complicated that I want to do again.
I see what you mean about using the different ability in movement of bones, for example using a bone's rotation to create an arc of movement rather than a point's linear movement, but I can also achieve that with points with an extra keyframe or two, or using Crashcore's "curve to point motion" script. I think adding a bone to every point is one way to do things, but I don't think it'll be my way. ^^ Basically I'll use bones where possible, points where most optimal, and actions when I need to do something very complicated that I want to do again.
Yes, you are right. Sometimes I get lost in make the one-size-fits-all system and finally abandon the project. It is my fault.Touched wrote:Yes, I want some degree of reusability, but I think it would be faster to adapt a more basic model to each scene than to spend too much time working on a one-size-fits-all system.
I see what you mean about using the different ability in movement of bones, for example using a bone's rotation to create an arc of movement rather than a point's linear movement, but I can also achieve that with points with an extra keyframe or two, or using Crashcore's "curve to point motion" script. I think adding a bone to every point is one way to do things, but I don't think it'll be my way. ^^ Basically I'll use bones where possible, points where most optimal, and actions when I need to do something very complicated that I want to do again.
But anyway, meanwhile I get lost, I'm having lot of fun!!!!!
