CompuServe Thread

>> Are you able to create layers like in photoshop? No. You DO have the ability to "float" a selection, but once you "render" it becomes part of the bitmap. >> What does digital paintbrushes mean? I assume they are referring to the ability to paint over time and to paint with filters and effects. There are pressure sensitivity settings, opacity and masking abilities. >> How about the file conversions from fli/flc and avi to quicktime? It seems to require quite a bit of memory to load large files. Be sure you have plenty of swap space allocated. I don't work much in QT, so I can't really comment on quality of the conversion. From what I can tell, AAS works in true-color mode (no compression) for editting — and then you can save it using whichever codec you prefer. I would assume that it does QT as well as any other app. using the same codec. >> Does it squeeze the audio into the desired frames well? It handles audio VERY well. You can modify the pitch and tempo independently – something I haven't seen elsewhere. There are also more "typical" controls for volume, reverb and stereo channel manipulations. Once a movie is created, you can play it back in "real time" with the audio perfectly synced. Video for Windows will skip frames as necessary to facilitate real-time playback. >> If I already am using photoshop, ani pro, digital video editing >> software, and 3d studio what are the main benfits It gives you a convenient "one-stop shop" to prepare animated sprites, titling, special 2D effects, path-based animations and audio-matched animations. It by no means replaces Photoshop, Painter, Elastic Reality and the like, but it does well taking the "best of" these packages. I do have a gripe about its performance on my system. As I mentioned, since it works in true 24-bit (32-bit maybe???) color — in real-time — it requires LOTS of memory. For me to load up large animations, I have needed huge amounts of swap space. Hope all this helps. – Dave

hi sam. got this message after David's reply (which answers most of these). >> learning curve. If I already am using photoshop, ani pro, digital video editing software, and 3d studio what are the main benfits << there are several, including the ability to generate animation "according" to soundtracks. i could go on about the nuances of the package (like Kai's Powertools), but the ability to slice and splice flics and soundtracks alone is something i have seen no other package do this well. AAS is a darkroom for the PC. no, it doesn't have layers but…. using a clipboard, this would be redundant really as clipboard images can be saved… one friend of mine likened clipboarding to AAP's "cel" concept with expansion to other win apps (great insight). there are several "key" abilities in the package though that have not been stressed such as progressive undo/redo (a welcome addition), a marvelous text editor which is capable of handling multiple fonts, sizes, effects and such within the text construction window, all with the ease of the AAP tool. this is impressive. another unsung heroic feature is the painting-over-time ability of several "tools"… creating gradients for example with a spray tool over several frames. but more than anything in the program, the highlight for me is "animated masks"… we now have an ability to literally construct a mask-per-frame for control over paint-over-time functions… a quantum leap above "layers". in addition to David's mention of the sound functions (pitch and tempo stretch functions are amazing, btw), you also have ability to handle multiple tracks at a time (a "layering" of soundtracks if you will) for mixing and matching, volume control and such, during which the animation (if it exists) can be viewed. flipside of this functionality is that in the same way you can "stretch a soundtrack to fit an animation… you can stretch or squeeze an animation to fit a soundtrack (also a novel idea) for true frame tweening. are some of the ramifications becoming apparent now? <g> i haven't touched on the scriptor and its power to do unattended presentations, or the new modular ink plug-in capability (opens up a whole 'nuther world), nor the newer tools like AIRBRUSH which have been desperately needed for years… it's worth checking out at your local MMedia dealership. 🙂 -dave

Stephen, …………………be….careful…..what….you……ask….for……you might just get it. : ) Brendan G.

>> My god! This Animator Studio thing is exactly what I need! I've been producing a lot of animations with soundtracks, using Animator Pro, but getting sync sound from wav files onto the videotape audio track (or playing in the windows player) has been hellish. How do I upgrade from AniPro? Where's all the announcements and information about it? I WANT IT, I WANT IT, I WANT IT!! << there is a document here in animator library which explains it all… you may wish to contact Brian Rudolph or Nik Grant on latest pricing too. remember, keep AniPro too! Anistudio is not a "substitute" but complimentary! -dave

File Info for ANIMSTUD.TXT Section: Animator Studio/Pro Contributor: 74601,3525 Size: 8172 Submitted: 4/27/95 Type: Text Accesses: 155 Title: Autodesk Ships Autodesk Animator Studio Keys: AUTODESK MULTIMEDIA PRESS RELEASE 4/25/95 – Autodesk ships Autodesk Animator Studio – the complete 2D creative environment for animating with unlimited color and synchronized sound. (approx DL at 2400 baud: :30)