CompuServe Thread

#Animation help!!!

4 messages in this thread
#2668From: Preston ChesserDec 29, 1994 12:40 AM
The camera apparently "flips" when you attempt to circle the object by going straight over it on the Y axis. It's as though the camera tries to maintain an "UP" position based upon the initial TARGET LOCATION. I've only had this occur when I've tried to circle an object on the Y axis so I got around the problem (if you'll excuse the terrible pun), by turning the object on it's side, turning the camera on it's side (so that the object appears right-side up) and circling the object on the X axis. Hope that helps.
#2687From: Alfonso HermidaDec 29, 1994 9:57 PM
I think the problem you experienced when the camera "flipped" is due to the camera being in a position where the software can't calculate a single orientation but there's an infinite amount of orientations that would apply….this is called a "singular" point. Imagine that you have a camera right on top of an object and looking at a point straight below it. The UP vector can be pointing in an infinite amount of directions and the camera is STILL in the same spot looking at the same point. The best way to solve it is what you did. Approach the animation from another perspective, i.e., turning the objects or the scene on it's side, anithing the eliminates multilple solutions or ambiguity for the software. Alfonso
#3337From: Preston ChesserJan 20, 1995 11:05 PM
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I've only just started dabbling with 3D graphics, and though I'm enjoying it there's obviously alot to learn. Preston
#3615From: Joel AveryJan 30, 1995 2:50 AM
Preston: That sounds like a good approach but If I rotate my objects I'm doomed (way to many objects) but maybe that little axis switch in the options/preferrences menu would help. Thanks for the idea. joel*