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General Category => General Anim8or Forum => Topic started by: Nellucnaiv on April 12, 2018, 12:48:20 pm

Title: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: Nellucnaiv on April 12, 2018, 12:48:20 pm

Hi all. I have just completed a cartoon bird with lots of morph targets and no bones which mostly works great but due to the linear movement of points whenever I blend a head turn from straight to sideways, in the middle I get this narrow distorted view of the face. I understand it's due to linear movement of points. I was just wondering if there is any way around this without reverting to bones? Really appreciate your inputs.
Thanks in advance,
Ian

Title: Re: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 13, 2018, 03:55:48 am

Only way is to add intermediate morph points but the motion will still always be linear and there will always be distortion, unless you add a morph point at every frame.  Bones really are the way to go for rotations (bends) of meshes, morphs are better suited to non-rotational distortion.

Title: Re: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: davdud101 on April 14, 2018, 06:14:34 pm

yup. Bones aren't too hard to use - in fact I think they're MORE versatile because it's for example easier to make things that are near-perfect mirrors for example. Like stated, you get the rotational motion that can't be had through morphs because morphs are simply "point A to point B".

I also won't fail to mention that the Sequence editor is a marvelous tool to simplify the process of repetetive animation that just isn't known to morph targets.

That sounds pretty freaky, by the way - the error. I've had some BIG issues with older version of Anim8or when trying to use morphs and then editing the object afterwards. If anything, bones gives a LOT more room for error when it comes to having to edit meshes and stuff afterwards - more flexible in that sense.


Good luck!

Title: Re: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: Nellucnaiv on April 18, 2018, 11:26:02 am

Thanks so much guys. About time I learnt to use bones. I always thought morphs were easier. Due to both your advice, I finally moved to a combo of both. Unbelievable what painting weights on bones can do! The bird's really become easy to move around now. Thanks again! :)

Title: Re: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 19, 2018, 03:46:48 am

Using both animation methods in combination is actually really powerful, great to hear you're moving forward :)

Title: Re: Morph targets and linear distortion
Post by: Nellucnaiv on April 19, 2018, 12:43:01 pm

Thanks for your encouragement Ensoniq. Much appreciated! The excitement of life, to never stop learning! :)