#Object Creation?
8 messages in this thread
I have a question about object creation in Imagine.
I want to create a figure, with an "eel-like" body, made of segments which can
be formed into a cycle object to "wriggle" or "slither." What is the best way
to "attach" one segment to the next so that gaps will not show between segments
when flexion occurs? I want the body to be able to flex convincingly without
obvious segmentation, either folds or gaps visible, between segments.
Thanks, George Roland.
George, sounds like your best bet would be to build a spline path for each of
the key positions and then extrude an object along the different paths.
Therefore, you'll have the same number of points, et. al and can morph between
them to create your animation. –Rick
I just Created(am in the process of rendering the anim) a series of
objects that I Think asre similar to what George Roland is refferring to.
I created Psuedo Tentacles by creating an open path and fracturing it
multiple times then extruding along path with a scaling factor of .05
then taking the same path and moving/rotating points and extruding a Disk
again with .05 scaling etc and using Imagines Morph Objects to make it
look like a wiggling Tentacle. I even got a nice marble brushmap to work
on it without it Screwing up to badly.
This same suggestion was made by several people and I'm anxious to give it a
try. Is there a good way to keep the open path's length constant while rotating
or moving points to create different versions of the wriggly object? I tried
one version but used two different paths. I guess they weren't the same length
so the object elongated strangely as it morphed. Also, is there some handy rule
of thumb for the number of segments to extrude? THanks, George Roland
George,
I personnally wouldn't approach the "wiggle" by using spline paths (Not that my
method is necessarily the best), but, as described before, I would create a
base object extruded with sections approx. equal to 5 times the number of bends
you expect to create (ie. if your object is a sidewinder with 3 curves in it's
most "wiggled" state: extrude to at least 15 sections-minimum). I would
extrude the object in a straight line. The reason I would work with only one
object (verses several different spline extrusions) is Imagine's morphing is
powerful, but very tempramental. Sometimes an object that is morphed into
another can literally turn itself inside out in the transition even if both
objects were created from the same set of points. At least by working with a
single object, you have total control of the segment movements.
Working in the TOP view I would copy the base object and paste it beside the
original. From that point you can create the "wiggle" in it's furthest phase
on one side and likewise on the other (opposite phase). You could use SELECT
POINT mode to move each section to exactly where you would like to have the
final curves to be. By using SHIFT MOVE you can move the objects axis to the
center of each segment to aid in rotating the points around that pivot point.
By eye-balling the 2 objects in the TOP VIEW, you can ensure that the lengths
stay pretty close. When you morph these two objects, there is less of chance of
anything acting strange in that the randomness of the spline paths has been
removed.
Granted, the spline approach is a hell of a lot faster, but I think you will
actually save time in the long run by moving the body manually (not to mention
that you will have a better handle on exactly what the morph is doing).
GOOD LUCK…
Alan Henry c/o Presidio Software
Sorry Bro, no way that I know of to "LOCK" the length of the Path when
editing it's individual points, ou might try depressing the Y axis so it
isn't active , that MAY work but I don't gaurentee it.
As to the # of segments I used 100 and it came out nice and smooth
Roland,
I have used the same method…eg….using one solid object with out
splines, and found it very effective. there is another reason for using this
method, it is you can create interesting skin textures and wrinkels which are
very life like because you can "make" them work right in the action editor by
how many transition frames you use. In addition you van do their gross movement
on a spline and add the suttle body movements as morphs. I did this with a
spider which was all to hairy and several fish which had moving fins,gills and
very nice scale effects. You can even fake air bubbles rising using the single
object morph effect.
Lexicor
George,
here's something off the top of my head. Perhaps it will work. Say you
create two paths, A and B. A is 100 units long, while B turns out 125 units
long. Enter Pick Objects mode, select path B, then scale it by .800 in all
axes. This should not affect B's shape, but its length should become 100.
Blaq!