animating in the graph
Learning Targets: - Make multiple objects and make them move at different speeds
- Change a slow-in to a fast-in
- Review movement in a playblast and edit changes
- Change a slow-in to a fast-in
- Review movement in a playblast and edit changes
more maya tools: Going back to the graph
So, let's add a view more skills to our animation knowledge...
Buffer Curves
1. You'll need to animate a ball rolling, organically across z axis.
Pull up your Graph Edtior and look at translate z alone. Remember you can hit 'f' to frame it.
Next, within Graph Editor select view > show buffer curve
Buffer Curves
1. You'll need to animate a ball rolling, organically across z axis.
Pull up your Graph Edtior and look at translate z alone. Remember you can hit 'f' to frame it.
Next, within Graph Editor select view > show buffer curve
Having the Buffer Curve there to go back to means you can really play with how that ball roles without fear of loosing how you once had it.
More than one object Animated
1. Try adding another rolling ball. Put it just above the first and animate it in the same way.
1. Try adding another rolling ball. Put it just above the first and animate it in the same way.
If you put markers, in the side view, at each of the frame points you can see how the balls are moving.
Wider Gaps = Faster Movement
Small gaps = Slower Movement
Wider Gaps = Faster Movement
Small gaps = Slower Movement
breaking and unifying tangents
All tangents used so far have been unified. When you click on a point in the graph editor, you see the handle which you can move to change the line. That handle is in a straight line and edits in both direction.
To only edit in one, you need to break the tangent.
To only edit in one, you need to break the tangent.
Fast Ins and fast outs
Until now the ball has always started from still. Now lets make it look like it comes in fast.
3. You can see the buffer line showing the previous state and the slow in now you have change it to a slow in and out. But whats the problem now?
|
4. How do we change that? Well you do exactly the same but in your rotation line in the graph editor. If you were working in translate z before, now your in rotate z! And Taadaa!
|
editing the weights of the tangents
They give you control of the weight of the tangent (the angle of the curve).
1. Start with your ball and long slow in, quick in the middle and a long slow out. Click on your rotate line and choose a point. See how the handle are equal? That means they are non-weighted
When you move them, see how the curve moves from the middle
3. For more freedom yet. Go to Free tangent weights and you''ll have complete flexibility! |
2. Click Curves > Weighted tangents
Now the longer end will control the curve closer to the point
4. try breaking the tangents and playing with it.
|
Scaling tools in graph editor
Learning Target:
- Lengthen or shorten the length of a shot
- Change the amount of movement within a shot
- Repeat an action
- Lengthen or shorten the length of a shot
- Change the amount of movement within a shot
- Repeat an action
Changing the length of shot
Why this is better than moving around your keys to change the length of a shot. Is because you can select all and everything will stay relative. This important and may be more useful to you!!
There are two main ways to scale the keys...
Why this is better than moving around your keys to change the length of a shot. Is because you can select all and everything will stay relative. This important and may be more useful to you!!
There are two main ways to scale the keys...
1. Select all the rotate and translate curves
3. If you grab the right marker and drag to the left along the time line and you'll make the entire movement shorter. Everything will be relative
However, notice that your keys in the timeline will move to mid frame - this is bad!! For now, when your starting it's much better to snap to whole frames |
2. Select the Region Tool: Scale or Move Keys
4. to snap to whole frames edit > snap ....that's better!!
|
Changing the Movement within the Shot
You can do the exact same thing and change how much your object moves across a space when you select the translate curves only!
You can do the exact same thing and change how much your object moves across a space when you select the translate curves only!
left mouse button = scale
middle mouse button = move
middle mouse button = move
Scaling over time
Using Scale 'r' you can select your entire curve and see how it changes when you move? Everything is relative! You can also select a middle key in your curve and it will scale from the center.
Using Scale 'r' you can select your entire curve and see how it changes when you move? Everything is relative! You can also select a middle key in your curve and it will scale from the center.
cut and paste
paste connect will make your values relative to what ever you're pasting.
Let's increase the distance you make you ball move.
Let's increase the distance you make you ball move.
Here you see the translate z select and the ball moves to frame 46, only half of the shot.
1. Select the curve and edit > copy
2. Edit > paste preferences
1. Select the curve and edit > copy
2. Edit > paste preferences
Another Useful time to use this
This can be helpful when you're working out a shot, trying to see where your objects will go and ho they'll move without putting in a lot of extra time and effort.
Exercise: Have you ball move through infinity and complete a roll using different timings, a quick-in and a Slow-out.
- Save your file 'nickname_infinity roll'
Lucky you, this assignment is ungraded. Just want sure you have these tricks under your belt for later.
- Save your file 'nickname_infinity roll'
Lucky you, this assignment is ungraded. Just want sure you have these tricks under your belt for later.