Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Nellucnaiv]

Hi all,

I have been using Anim8or almost daily for the past past year and have learnt so much through my own mistakes but mostly from really kind members of this forum. As for Steve, I think your programme is tops and all I use.
I have fiddled a bit with Terranim8or but am not really certain how to use it to its full potential. I believe it's excellent for small particles.
I need to create a water splash/spray effect for a fish jumping in and out of water and also a sand moving effect for a worm coming through soil.

I was told that Terranim8or is the choice here?
Am I right? I'd really appreciate any advice as usual and also ask if there's any kind of manual or tutorial available for it?

Thanks in advance,
Ian

[AlecJames]

Hi Nellucnaiv

I can't comment on Terranim8or, I've never used it.

If I was doing something like this I would look at Raxx's animated textures script.
http://www.anim8or.com/smf/index.php/topic,5333.msg39604.html#msg39604

BUT you still need the animated texture for the splash.  If you search "green screen water splash" / "luma keyed water splash" you will find stuff like this
youtube.com/watch?v=mez6eGDqLEg[/youtube]]https://www.

. 

Downloading the file can be a pain.  You need to find something that looks right for the camera angle that will view it. I've used steam on a black background, you make the background transparent. I found it helped to make my texture emissive.  In the scene, if the camera is moving, set the object to "faces other" where other is the camera.

The stuff on the internet is never quite what I want so I end up editing it.  To extract the frames from video I found virtualdub works best.  In my original clip of steam it went out of the frame on 2 sides so I made a graduated mask in paint.net to feather the edges, otherwise you see a cut off line.  (I use pinnacle studio to put the mask over the video clip.)

Hopefully someone will chip in and tell us how easy it could be in terranim8or
A

[Nellucnaiv]

Alec James you have helped me so very much and I really appreciate it. I didn't realise I could get something like that from YouTube. Wow! That would work perfectly and do the trick nicely. I'll definitely give that a try and look at the link you provided.

I'm so keen to give it a go now!
Yes, it would be great if someone could shed some more light on using Terranim8or as it seems an invaluable aid for effects like this.

Thanks so much again!
Ian Cullen

[AlecJames]

Hi Ian

I've made an example project to practise doing this.  (zip link below) It tool me a while the first time I tried.  In the zip is a word doc with notes on each step.  I hope it reads OK.

This was the result:

[/youtube]

Let me know how you get on

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ag0is5Le3T-0kgagntrGeciRdZqS  (the project is too big to attach - 17MB)

[Nellucnaiv]

Alec I am deeply touched that you went to all this trouble for me. You have gone beyond the call for help and selflessly put this together for me. Thank you so very much for your time and support. I am downloading your zip file now and will let you know how it all works out!
Thank you again. You are a true gentleman!
All the best,
Ian

[AlecJames]

Hi Ian - no problem.  The second time I used the script I had all kinds of issues because I had forgotten some of the steps so any excuse to practise helps me remember, in the short term at least

[AlecJames]

I've made another version.

In V2 I’ve tried ENSONIQ5’s suggestions for making water in this thread http://www.anim8or.com/smf/index.php/topic,5703.0.html  Not bad for 1st try?   I’ve also reduced the zip file size significantly by reducing the image size of the animated textures.  Its only 2.5MB now but it will not let me attach it.  (This change has also had a big impact on the scene playback speed in anim8or - I didn't realise the image size affected this so significantly)

2nd attempt comes out like this (the break up at the end is a youtube thing, my original didn't do it):

[/youtube]

Project V2 https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ag0is5Le3T-0kghBMhl1XKajVsMC

[Nellucnaiv]

 Hi Alec,
Apologies for the belated response. I have been soaked with work which in itself is a blessing! So finally I'm back. I see the new attached file using Ensonique's method.
I appreciated your in depth explanation of the water splash. I tried and tried and managed to get a splash I made using the same YouTube snip you used but as soon as I try and put it into my scene it comes out as separate images in object and scene mode but on its own it renders and plays fine.
I see your texture is named splash texture. May I ask how you get all still frames or Sprites to become a single animated texture? Even when I try Raax's tutorial method of "add to project, close and reopen in Anim8or, they still come out as a list of separate stills, ie, Tan0001, Tan0002 etcetera. I just can't get it. Is it possible to make an animated texture in Terranim8or that can be applied to any object in Anim8or? I made a flattened disc with 12 divisions and three circles which I textured with a top view of a splash which I made. I made three morphs which raise it up and finally morph it to all points together in one frame step to make it invisible. I placed the texture in diffuse and transparency. It works and looks reasonable but I really would ideally still love to have a useable animated texture. Sorry about the lengthy reply and thanks for all your help! I will take a look at Ensonique's water method too.

Thanks a ton sir!

All the best,
Ian

[AlecJames]

Hi Ian,

Not sure what you mean.  I think you mean that you don't see the animated texture while viewing a single frame in scene mode (or object mode).  I will try and explain that, if I've got the wrong end of the stick let me know

In scene mode, as you step through frame by frame you see your objects move to the required position for each frame.  e.g. in my example, if you select top view, you can see the camera moving as you advance through the frames.

If you have an object with an animated texture, the texture changes frame by frame, in the same way as an object moves frame by frame. The water splash starts as a video, it is converted to many single frame images - Tan0001, Tan0002, etc. Raxx'x script swaps the texture (Tan0001 for Tan0002, Tan0003, etc.) on the material depending on the frame that you are viewing.  So in scene mode with an animated texture, you will not see any animation while looking at a single frame, the animation is done by selecting each image in turn as you move through the frames. It does'nt become animated video again until you render your scene.

If you had a splash consisting of 12 frames from start to end, you could make a stop frame animation with 12 images.  You could put each image on a its own object, and in scene mode key the visibility of each object (each object is a frame of stop frame animation) so that the objects are displayed for 1 frame, one after the other.  When you render, it will appear to be an animated texture on one object.  Raxx's script achieves exactly the same, but with a single object.  The expression that calls the script calculates which image should be selected given the frame number.   The files Tan0001, Tan0002, etc. are each frame of the stop frame animation.

Let me know if that makes sense.

Have you seen Raxx's video tutorial on this thread http://www.anim8or.com/smf/index.php/topic,5333.msg39604.html#msg39604?

[Still frames / sprites become an animated texture when you render (or play) the scene.
I could not find your reference "Raxx's method of "add to project"?
I don't know terranim8or, but my guess is that it creates many objects (particles) adds them to your anim8or project file and keys them in scene mode to splash / explode / smoke / fire ,etc.]
A

[Nellucnaiv]

Hi Alec,

You have a lot of patience!  Thank you!

Your new Splash Example 2 looks really good!  Well done!

I have a lot to look over so I will be back when I can once I've read everything and checked everything out more thoroughly.
I tend to want to rush in and get things done but as animators know...patience...patience and more patience so it's a good learning curve for me!

I do understand about the single frame rendering, enabling and disabling to get flowing frames but I need to look more carefully at your examples.

Thanks again,
Ian

[Nellucnaiv]

Hi again Alec,

I finally got it!
I see all the separate TAN8 Sequence "Objects" beneath each other in Scene mode and all renders beautifully! I did this on an experimental project but understand how it works now thanks to your guidance. Easier when you have guidance otherwise it can be a really lengthy learn!

The  "Add to Project" I was referring to was in Raax's video tutorial - the way to save the Terranim8or texture into an Anim8or Project.

Thanks again,
Ian

[AlecJames]

Glad you've got it working

Have you used Terranim8or or Raxx's animated textures script or a combination of both?

[Nellucnaiv]

Hi Alec,

I struggled a lot with Raax's script and couldn't locate the script in the samples you kindly supplied me with so I used Terranim8or and Anim8or.
As I'm not very script knowledgeable, I found it easier.
Using Terranima8or for animated textures it turns out is pretty simple once you know how.

One simply opens the project you want to add the anaimated texture to (in Anim8or). Next, open Terranim8or 6, while Anima8or is open.
On the main screen of Teranim8or click, "add to project - animated texture. A texture pane will appear as in Anim8or but two of them.
Simply add the 1st sprite file name into diffuse and transparent... and ambient if needed and push okay. Next, at the top of the screen, on the left leave it at atarting (0) and on the right your last frame.  You're done. It will then ask you to add/save to project.

Find the project file that's open in Anim8or and click save. Close Terranima8or and Anim8or after this.
This is necessary as the changes happen only when you close and then reopen the Anim8or project. You will notice it now takes a little longer to open as it is adding all the sprites.

In Scene Mode, you will see the TAN8 sequence with all frames enabled/disabled, achieving he same effect as the script.

I attached Terranim8or for you in case you wish to give it a try?

If I missed something in locating your script files please let me know as I see them running as "internal script" which I'm not quite certain how to locate.

Have a great day!
Ian 

[Nellucnaiv]

I don't see it attached so I've reattached.

[AlecJames]

I watched a Terranim8or tutorial video and that put things into context for me.  I was going to use it in my other world project but I tried the script first and found it did just what I needed.  The problem with the script is sometimes it does not work and it doesn't tell you why.  I'm getting better at finding the reason, often the material seems to have "lost settings" but I can't work out how to force this issue so not sure if its me doing something or a gremlin.

Hope the project goes well