Guides and grids (missing)

Frank__

There's a topic in the commons

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/17384/

which addresses a question I don't remember to be seen here: guide line overlays.

There are two slightly different problems regarded:

a) composition guides like the rule-of-third etc (see my post on page 2 of the common's topic for the solution I found)

b) variable guide lines which are pressing me more at the moment: without variable guide lines it's almost impossible to avoid foot sliding (or other sliding) even with the THOs,

Is there a workaround for this? (It's only for those who care: I've seen more Carrara animation with (extreme) sliding than without, so I guess it's an accepted flaw for C animations :) )

(The annoying thing is that I had a guide/ruler program 15 years ago when A:M missed this feature, too. Soon after rulers were introduced in A:M and I cannot find the ruler-proggie anymore. Would there be any interest in having such a program?)

evilproducer

Frank__ said:

There's a topic in the commons

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/17384/

which addresses a question I don't remember to be seen here: guide line overlays.

There are two slightly different problems regarded:

a) composition guides like the rule-of-third etc (see my post on page 2 of the common's topic for the solution I found)

b) variable guide lines which are pressing me more at the moment: without variable guide lines it's almost impossible to avoid foot sliding (or other sliding) even with the THOs,

Is there a workaround for this? (It's only for those who care: I've seen more Carrara animation with (extreme) sliding than without, so I guess it's an accepted flaw for C animations :) )

(The annoying thing is that I had a guide/ruler program 15 years ago when A:M missed this feature, too. Soon after rulers were introduced in A:M and I cannot find the ruler-proggie anymore. Would there be any interest in having such a program?)

I just eyeball the the so-called rule of thirds. Not hard to mentally divide your production frame into nine segments.

Regarding the foot slide issue, there are a couple things you could do. Use one of the isometric views, such as Left, Right, Front or Back and use the grids to line up the feet.

The other solution which I tend to prefer is to use Target Helper Objects and have the feet track those in conjunction with using the isometric views and the grid. Using the Target Helpers also allows you to move the hip without moving the feet which can help with the rolling of the hip while walking. You can also keyframe turning off the feet tracking the Target Helpers if I recall.

Frank__

evilproducer said:

Frank__ said:

There's a topic in the commons

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/17384/

which addresses a question I don't remember to be seen here: guide line overlays.

There are two slightly different problems regarded:

a) composition guides like the rule-of-third etc (see my post on page 2 of the common's topic for the solution I found)

b) variable guide lines which are pressing me more at the moment: without variable guide lines it's almost impossible to avoid foot sliding (or other sliding) even with the THOs,

Is there a workaround for this? (It's only for those who care: I've seen more Carrara animation with (extreme) sliding than without, so I guess it's an accepted flaw for C animations :) )

(The annoying thing is that I had a guide/ruler program 15 years ago when A:M missed this feature, too. Soon after rulers were introduced in A:M and I cannot find the ruler-proggie anymore. Would there be any interest in having such a program?)

I just eyeball the the so-called rule of thirds. Not hard to mentally divide your production frame into nine segments.

No so easy for my mental disarrangement :)

Regarding the foot slide issue, there are a couple things you could do. Use one of the isometric views, such as Left, Right, Front or Back and use the grids to line up the feet.

a) sometimes other things are in front of right, left etc. and one has to use the directors camera if the animated parts have to interact with props

b) using the grid is one thing if your action takes place in the grid. I have one animation which takes place in the Dream Home Bathroom which is located far outside the Carrara standard 3D world. I'm not sure if moving the Carrara 3D-world will mix the translation up, maybe I should try this.

The other solution which I tend to prefer is to use Target Helper Objects and have the feet track those in conjunction with using the isometric views and the grid. Using the Target Helpers also allows you to move the hip without moving the feet which can help with the rolling of the hip while walking. You can also keyframe turning off the feet tracking the Target Helpers if I recall.

THO in my original post is Target Helper Objects. Have you ever tried to make a cat walk? Or think of standing tiptoe: tracking the THO to toes gives unwanted movement to the heel, tracking THO to the foot (nearer to heel) gives unwanted mowement to the toes. Some rulers would help the necessary adjustments on this sliding issues.

3DAGE

HI Frank :)

I have one animation which takes place in the Dream Home Bathroom which is located far outside the Carrara standard 3D world.

NLA,. allows you to create animation in the main centre of your 3D world,. then you can reposition the entire figure group to where you need it,.
You can convert any key-framed animation into NLA,. and save it to the browser.
you should also be able to Zero the position of the Dream Home Bathroom,..so it's at the centre of the grid, and easier to work with.

Tip,. you can create a key-frame somewhere down the time-line for the Bathroom, to record it's position,. then zero it on frame one.
or,.. you could make the Bathroom into an Animated Group, and use Puppeteer to record it's original position before you Zero it in the scene. .. then it's a click in the Puppeteer pose "dot", to apply that original position again.

On the grid issues...

If you go to View / Grid, then you can specify a size for the whole "grid" area, as well as the spacing between grid lines, and it's position in space.

The visual grid area is a reference / guide and changing it's size or spacing, has no influence on the scene or any objects

Hope it helps :)

evilproducer

Thanks Andy! I learned something new today in reference to the grid!

Frank__

Thanks Andy.