Script Request!

[davdud101]

Hey, everyone! A friend of mine and myself are working on a live-action and animation-crossed short film. We're using Anim8or to do it, but we're planning on having tons (parhaps hundreds) of a single of object in a scene at one time. We pretty much need them to do these two things (seperately)

1) Move up and down independently on the y-axis
2) All flow towards one point (object, target, etc.)

I know, it sounds quite overwhelming of a task, but we definetly won't be able to hand-animate every single on of the little guys.
Anyone willing to take up the offer, gain some scripting experience, and get a screen credit?

[dwsel]

Can you post more detailed requirements or example video of similar thing (should they move up and down in sync/randomly; should they change direction towards the aim?).
If you want to need a script to make something like that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1mVWCKgp1c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1SzjsP34PE
(without self collision of objects) then it shouldn't be difficult and time consuming to script similar behavior.

[dwsel]

I scripted behaviour similar to boids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnEshnj5RfQ

The key is to animate target path with mathematical expression or with the array of locations, then copy the expression or array to each object position scrip and loop for every frame. I don't know if there's any possibility to store parameters across the frames. That would simplify this script.

[dwsel]

More boids - fishes in water:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlh9y-8_3Wk

This time target is guided with coordinates stored in array. I wonder is it possible to read files with ASL especially in the animation controller

[davdud101]

Whoa, dwsel, looks like you're making a ton of progress! Thanks for the work you're putting in. So to be pretty exact, in the bobbing motions I'd want them to be random, moving at their own pace, distance, and starting point. I guess I'll have to look a little more into the flocking and stuff, but what you've got looks good so far! Thanks again!