October Challenge - Scraggy - Newbie
 

Here we go! :D

I MuSt pick the Screamy one because it made me laugh.
The other one I had to listen to a few times to make sure
my trousers weren't roaring.

So I'm in for as long as I can hack it...

Scraggy

Looking forward to it!

Maya -----> Premi/AfterEffe Framerate
 

Hi,
Have just tried to get a 24FPS (Tif) animation into Premiere.
It went in OK, but when it played it was way to slow.
I'm totally new to Premiere and looked in the F1, But nothing similar?, and when I try the online help I get 'No Connection' Agghhhh!
So.....
When I open Premiere, what settings do I use? None of the ones at the beginning seem correct for the 24FPS in .tif format.
the Quicktime is 25FPS but it ain't 24 ... Just wondered if you could tell me quicker than It takes me to work it out. Most likely I think at this rate.

" A Scraggy snak to the first correct answer"!!! :D

Are there any specific tut's on this site anyone could recommend for me doing this Challenge?... I just bought some points and am wondering how to work it.

Will definitely need rigging so will go get some now.







:beer: Here's to a 'Snag-less' world......Not Scrag-less

I would think Premier or whatever would have a setting for playback speed.

I would imagine the rigging and the walk cycle vids would be a good place to start. :) Thanks for supporting the site!

You need to go through the various output settings for setting frame rates in premier. You can also specify them when starting a new project.
Also if the playback is slow in the view window and you have loaded a tiff sequence, you will need to do a preview render to view it in real time. Just drag and drop the sequence into the timeline then press enter.
Hope that helps :)

Speed problems
 

Thanks for the help :D

I'm sort of guessing what i'm doing here, but in Premiere at the start I picked:-
'Multimedia Video for windows' I noticed this was 15fps so I then clicked 'Custom' button and set it as follows...
Under the "General" tab - 'Video for windows' and I put both 'Timecode' and 'Time Display' to 24fps
Under 'Video' I got the DivX 5.05 and set that one to 24 fps as well.
I left all other settings as they were (Rendering and keyframe/sound etc) As there is no sound. And saved as "ScraggysDivX" :D Started new project and selected that setting.

I went to Import File - Shift Clicked 1st and last images and brought them in. then I drag/drop image from 'project' window to 'monitor' pressed play and sdaved, then played :( It was even slower... :banghead:

I will keep playing around, it's pity the Help isn't much help.

Regards Scraggy

Thought that I had better make a start, so yesterday I started modelling the hallway outside my room to use as a scene for my animation.
I don't want to keep getting stuck for idea's like last month, so am trying to include 'real' stuff I can see. (Mostly anyway ;) )
Sorry the picture is a bit naff, as you can see I was playing with GI_Joe at the time and must have moved the camera position slightly without realizing.
I need to learn about camera movements now because (Although you can't see them yet) I wish to create the effect of someone walking upstairs and have their eyes as the camera if you get my meaning.
Will post a better picture as soon as I finish the stairs etc.

Btw- I want to create the stairs next..
But unsure whether to try Nurbs or Poly's because of the rounding of the carpet over the corners?.. I'm a bit unsure how to best model them? Any ideas?

Regards Scraggy

OK I have another problem, besides how to round the stair steps......

I have tried a few different ways of connecting these skirt- boards together to get a decent join, but am Stumped! they are lofted CV's ....

Would be grateful of help on both/any of questions

Ta Scraggy :beer:

To connect the skirting boards you could snap the verts (hold the v key while moving the vertex) then merge the vertices.

For rounding you could try the bevel tool and play with the settings untill you get the desired effect.

Hope that helps a little

Chris

Thanks..... :D

Scraggy

Wow, nice work!

Cheers for the comments and help, I think maybe I had picked something a bit too hard trying to connect those skirt boards.
Thanks Chris, it nearly worked, but think I maybe need to know more about the settings etc before I manage to join them (The scale keeps going out when snapping)
Anyway It may not be noticeable so will come back to that if I get the time.

Here's an update, looking both way's from top hallway.

Regards Scraggy

when you drag and drop all your individual images in Premier it has to put them in RAM or your HDD cache if you dont have enough RAM to hold them all. Instead of dropping them in the Monitor just pop them in the sequence and then export Movie.

Once its finished compiling the movie then you will see 24fps. :D

Thanks PureFire - I had given up on that to get some modelling done. Now you have helped me - I will return to Premiere and try it again. :D

Here's an update.
Most of my "stage" for the animation is done, just need some props/texturing a character/rigging/animating oh yeah and a ceiling .... Hmm and work tomorrow... Oh well ....

Regards Scraggy

Lol - I just looked at my picure after posting, and realised there's a wall missing!
Those damn boolean's are thieving ****'s

Probably shouldnt do too much more modeling. It's getting to a point where rigging/animation really needs to get started if you want to finish. :)

Yeah. this challenge is for animation, not modelling. You've got a pretty good start at building a house when all you really need is the wall. :P

Plan your scene. And remember, only build what the camera is going to see. There's no way you're going to get through all those rooms in 10 seconds, so why build them?

Go with just what you plan to have in the shot. From the sound file, the only thing you really need is part of the hall, the door, and part of the room beyond it.

Pre-planning is everything. :D

:beer:

Just to explain a little ...... I have to be realistic about this project and face certain facts.

I have only just learned to model, and still know next to nothing about moelling NURBS. - When I accepted this challenge I realized that it would take more than 1 month for me to learn and then create a character, rig and animate it.
So basically my idea was to use camera movements for the most part to cut down time neeed to animate a character.

Ok So here's the idea - "Camera is looking through a person's eyes that is walking slowly upstairs" (Looking for source of creak)
scans around doors, then moving towards the one door slowly opening at the end of the hallway. - (If you look there is only 1 room modelled on the inside, this is the room where the character/thing will be - all the rest are not because, like you said they will not be viewed) I have walked through the 'scene' a few times (I live there :) ) and it takes between 4-10 seconds to reach the door depending on speed of walk.
Thanks for your comments, although being so new to Maya I'm in this more for the learning aspect rather than worrying about finishing on time etc.

Regards Scraggy

You can do that if you wish, but the challenge is character animation. If a character is not animated, it will not be considered at the end.

It will be, just not 15 seconds of character animation. ;)

IF I finish that is..... :D Stuck at work for next 4 days so cannot do much except browse Forums during breaks :(

Sobs....... and keeps fingers crossed....
 

Have lost Maya for last week... :( , hopefully I will get it back tomorrow..... Agghhh (I've been like a Man without a cause!)
I kept myself busy with a freebie 1.1 Carrara, of a Magazine CD, nice, but not Maya... HOPE to do something soon...
Regards Scraggy

Models to PLE?
 

Hmmm maybe later in week (Thurs , Fri) I will get Maya back, Just want to ask, Is it possible to Import the models I have already done into Maya PLE? Because I may have to do that when I finish work so as to try and catch up. Just noticed I have a copy in the book I bought! :D

Fingers Crossed Scraggy

If I remember correctly, Maya PLE doesn't allow import/export with regular Maya, but check it out to make sure.

Can maya PLE export to obj or fxb or something like that which maya can import?

From the alias website:

"You cannot write standard Maya software files (.ma, .mb); only the Maya Personal Learning Edition file format (.mp) can be saved; however, you can import standard Maya software files. "

You should be fine then Scraggy, but you wont be able to move stuff back to regular Maya.

Thanks guys :D
 

Oh yeah, I'm a dozy ***, I never thought about putting it back to regular :( .... I'll have a go with PLE anyway.. It's driving me mad not being able to do anything except browse and find more bugs on Carrarra....
BTW
Thanks a lot for finding out for me, I've been at work and haven't had much spare time. I did notice Maya PLE 5.0 is out now so I will have a go with that, I assume the watermark is still there, but what the hell,, I have 5 days off work starting Wednesay but no Maya - nooooo!!!!!!!!

Tries to keep smilin!
 

Hmm do you have to turn Bumpmaps into greyscale?

Scraggy :D

And please, what is the best way of doing it in Photoshop? :o

I can texture stuff, so will do that starting tomorrow.
I can always copy the same textures I suppose...It may not be too bad + I should be able to carry on with rigging etc.... Not soo bad ... :)
Regards Scraggy

(Im a bit previous here)
 

Ooo Ooo ooo BTW (Hmmm dont forget the other questions above!) But Hmmm - I need to know how to "Animate someone"

a./ From the viewpoint of their eyes?
b./ Still same as above , also walking upstairs? [3-4 steps]
(Methinks I made things VERY hard for myself - But not gonna jack it in yet!)

Here's hoping? Scraggy

Hmm do you have to turn Bumpmaps into greyscale?

nope

And please, what is the best way of doing it in Photoshop?

image/mode/greyscale

animate From the viewpoint of their eyes?

you would animate the camera that would be around the position of the persons head.

(Methinks I made things VERY hard for myself - But not gonna jack it in yet!)

thats the attitude! you will be happiest if you push on through - this said by someone who wasnt able to finish his last challenge!

Ever Changing howardporter
 

Howard - Yeah the Comics are Great :D lol and so is your 2D as well as 3D art! You inspire me ... :D

I may even try and use those pencils I dropped as a failed artist all those years ago (28!!!!) [Now I'm Glad I don't have a scanner!]
And thanks for help.......

Regards Scraggy

I got a jpeg from when I was last on Maya.

Texturing the main room (I really need to lean more MUCH more texturing!) .... just thought i'd post as I have nothing else to show. (Altho sorry it's too bright and text have not been adjusted - it was just a test to see if they would work together)

Scraggy

oooooh that looks great!!

Maybe tile the rug a bit more? It seems a bit large.

kool!

I like....

Big smiley face......
 

Woo Hoooo !!!! I get Maya back this afternoon sometime.

Composite?
 

OK I have a question - It refers to the last shot I posted.

You see the window in the bedroom. - Is there a way to create a 2D background outside there and light it, so it would look Ok?
Just simple, to stop it looking black.


Regards Scraggy

(After losing all this time, I'm not too worried about finishing it by end of month - but I do want to complete it) - Maybe in WIP forum?

And Howard.. I did try tiling the rug, but found it created a seam down the centre of the floor, I will have another go at it tonight when I get it all back. I may not have done it correctly.

Scraggy

You can either place a plane outside the window and texturemap it with a background image. Or you could do it in post, and composite in a 2d background (you would possibly have to track the camera then though).

Big Smile...
 

I have Maya back now, just started it up. Hmm one of my objects (A PC) has disappeared from my saved scene but I'm so glad to get it back I don't care :D

Thanks Fredriksson, will try setting a plane up outide window.
I guess big enough so that you never see the corners, and not too far away from window...
I d/loaded that "Terragen" will try to make the background with that and see what happens - Then must get back to "Rigging Mike" tutorials...

Scraggy

OK - Here's a picture that shows the problem when I 'tile' ...

I wanted to 'tile' the carpet more, (Thanks HowardPorter) but the problem is, I get these 'edges?' You can see what I mean on the spotty yellow texture at the bottom of the bed. - There are lines running down from where I have tiled it.
When I tried 'tiling' carpet texture, it did the same but much more pronounced - Is there a way to fix this?

Anyone have any tips on lighting in here? I just can't seem to get it right.?

Regards Scraggy

Oh yeah and anything else you may spot - please tel me.. I will be adding a few more simple objects and hopefully getting better textures for wall and headboard before its completed.

[EDIT] Just noticed - Everytime I save, the writing comes up in purple at bottom right ---- "Warning Cache is not open It is not saved" - Hmm it did seem to save but anyone know what that's about? Didn't happen before?

haha the cat :D!

Subdivision strangeness...
 

Hiya,
Hmm what the heck has happened here? (Someone else has been using Maya) Seems now that when I use the ...
Edit Polygons>Subdivide I get this wierd **** Hmmm, tried some settings but don't think I have seen this one :confused:
Any Ideas ??? Scraggy :)

Looks like you had some extra vertices or something before subdividing.