Definately, as a first step Softimage providing a better Mixer SDK. Clip
and Mixer access is anything but fun...
Hope you'll get along with the stuff on your end...
-André
kim aldis wrote:
I hit the ground running here in mid project and with the number of shots we
have to push out on a daily basis there's no time to sit back and take
stock, but yeah, that would be the kind of thing. I was also thinking
something along the lines of a tool that would try and fix or build new
clips based on differences. There must be a way to make this stuff easier.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
Behalf Of André Adam
Sent: 30 August 2006 12:07
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: Re: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
We have been writing a whole bunch of mixer utilities to make sure that
parameters supposed to be in the clips actually are in the clips. That
starts with tools for clip creation, goes on with tools to add and
remove parameters (removing actually means creating a new action
source, moving the whole contents over to the new clips and recreating
the mixer setup for all instances of that clip - that was plain
horrible) (btw, for adding parameters to an action source, there is a
simple method...) and finally we have a whole bunch of analysis tools
that compare clips with others or print out their contents. Without
these additional tools, I wouldn't want to use the mixer as centered in
production as we currently do.
My 0.02.
-André
kim aldis wrote:
In my view, the single biggest problem with the mixer - after blending
with fcurves and my biggest headache right now - is it's inability to
deal sensibly with clips with differently stored parameters. Obviously
one should be careful when storing but in practice it just doesn't
happen. It also doesn't help when all the static poses in the supplied
rigs are stored in a way that's diametrically opposed to the way one
tends to animate. I'm not saying it's an easy solution but it does
need some thought.
The synoptic helps here of course.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
Behalf Of Stefan Andersson
Sent: 30 August 2006 08:04
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: Re: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
The only time I ever use the mixer is when I've got an approval of
the
shot and then take all F-Curves for each character and make it into a
clip. That is then saved on the network so that the guy who is
rendering/setting up for renders can take that clip and update the
character/"thing". I sometimes use it to compare animations.
The warning that should go with using clips is that you need to make
damn sure that either:
a) the character has a keyframe on all animateble objects at the
first
frame or last frame
b) The TD has correctly done that for you as a rest pose.
c) That they have a rest pose which is fixed
Otherwise you might get some funky action in the begninning of the
clip.
I too would love to have the ability to blend between clips and f-
curves.
regards
stefan andersson
On 8/30/06, Nick <nick.petit(at)gmail.com> wrote:
I've been avoiding the mixer (and most animators here have too) for
the same reasons. We use clips so we can share etc and use the apply
action and paste action commands a lot...
If you're pasting a clip in the mixer because it's approved/finalled
animation (or simply because it's convenient) and need to blend with
fCurve animation, I sometimes make a single frame clip of the fCurve
animation at the frame I want to start the blend and add a
cardinal/standard transition in the mixer... I don't get any pops as
the frame where the mixer kicks in the mixer animation matches my
fCurve animation... it's still not ideal, of course, we'd all much
rather have the ability to mix between mixer and fCurve animation
seemlessly and painlessly...
On 8/30/06, Andre DeAngelis <andre.deangelis(at)ubisoft.com> wrote:
Make us proud Brent. ;-)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
Behalf Of Brent McPherson
Sent: August 29, 2006 2:12 PM
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: RE: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
Ok, thanks for the feedback. It is very helpful.
--
Brent
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
Behalf Of Andre DeAngelis
Sent: 29 August 2006 18:31
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: RE: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
I have to second that Brent.
Many of us have been requesting this feature since day 1. The
Mixer
exists in a world of it's won and this lack of interoperability
dissuades many animators from using the mixer at all.
This feature is very much needed and I seriously hope to see it in
the future.
AD
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
Behalf Of matt lowery
Sent: August 29, 2006 12:36 PM
To: 'XSI(at)Softimage.COM'
Subject: RE: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
Plus not being able to blend against f-curves means that the mixer
is only really usefull for blending and tweaking final animations
and not much use in creating animations. Once you've converted your
animation to a clip you can't just grab the object in the view
port,
move it around and set another key... the clip you made constantly
overides it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Cuttriss [mailto:sam(at)janimation.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 5:23 PM
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: Re: blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
mixing against fcurves is the most natural way most people i know
want to animate.
my main issue with turning my fcurves into a clip is the lack of
hierarchy in clips, its all but impossible to find relevant
parameters in a complex animation.
_sam
/*SAM CUTTRISS*
*3D AFICIONADO*/
Brent McPherson wrote:
Not without first turning your fcurve animation into a clip.
Can you elaborate on why you would prefer to mix against fcurves
instead of just turning your fcurves into a clip?
--
Brent
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
--
*From:* owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM]
*On Behalf Of *kim aldis
*Sent:* 29 August 2006 16:46
*To:* XSI(at)Softimage.COM
*Subject:* blending between mixer clips and fcurve animation
Is there any way at all to smoothly blend between a clip on a
mixer
and animation on the same parameters on fcurves? I thought this
was
a given but it's not working for me at all. Big jumps.
www.kim-aldis.co.uk | kim(at)aldis.org.uk
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