Reallusion Forum / iClone / Training - Tutorials, Hints and Tips

Create Face

sjonesdc — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:35:56 GMT

I've been looling through the folders that were created when iClone4Pro is installed and there is a folder called "CreateFace". It has files such as CreateFaceLight.VNS, ManHead.VNS, Head_POSER.iProp,CreateFaceLight.iLight, Asian Male.jpg, African Female.jpg, ect.

There is no mention in either the online help or the pdf manual.

How does one use these files?

sjonesdc:hehe:

STILL LEARNING!!!

Multiple Characters/Avitars in one project

kearlstig — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:57:41 GMT

In my old Iclone 1.5, I would press Alt + F7 keys to add a character to my project. How can I do the same thing in Iclone 4 Standard?

Spring Effect

steve3416 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:58:59 GMT

Hey Everybody

I hope no one thinks this tip is sexists because it is not meant to be.

But not sure if this has come up in the iClone Hints and Tips section since iClone4 has been released. I know this was available in iClone3 but I never realized it or even used the function.
I was checking out the iClone4 Online Help page:

http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/help/iclone4/PRO/
Very Helpful.
For this tip look under the folder: Actor, then Bouncing Body Parts

and was looking at the Spring Effect.
If you are looking to give your female characters a bounce in their upper area while walking, you can add the Spring Effect.

The directions seem to be for iClone3 and since then, an import button has been added under the Spring Effect, so you don't have to go in to the Bone System Modification tab as the directions say.
I compared this effect between iClone3 and iClone4 and there is definetely a big difference when the female character walks. Especially if you use the Soft_Breast selection and then turn the MASS, STRENGTH, and BOUNCINESS all the way up to 11, but it almost looks a little unnatural, but try it just to see that the effect does work.

Also...the first time you import it, the function my not be highlighted or seem to be working. After importing the spring effect, then click on another tab and then click back to the actor tab and it will be active. It took me a minute at first to figure that out.

I hope this helps someone because I wasn't familar with the function either.
Thanks
STEVE

path challenge

m.gulley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:18:00 GMT

Hi I have the IC4 manual and tried following the path chapter. I created a simple path with 3 points. I then added the character dylan and right clicked selected move/walk forward then picked the path using the mouse. No problem he follows the path. Now if I elevate one of the path nodes he still walks on the ground. If I go to the actor modify panel the follow terrain button is greyed out unless I click on the pick path for dylan. I can then select follow terrain. BUT then dylan walks on the spot and is not moving forward. PLZ help someone I've been at it for ages but no joy

AVI HD export comes out slow...

thebiz.movies — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:13:23 GMT

Hello fellow cloners, I am trying to export a flick in the AVI format Uncompressed frames) 720p HD 1280x720. It exports fine and when I look at the results they are seemingly in slow motion. Anyone have any experience with this?

Edit - Never mind. The problem is apparently with the Windows Media Player playing it slow. The export was actually fine. I would delete this post but apparently I cannot.

Tweaking mocaps

kurzal — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:20:47 GMT

I did not dare to speak in English :) so I will give an explanation in the form of printed text :)

The main problem in converting the mocaps ([url=http://forum.reallusion.com/Topic13978-85-1.aspx]CMU, for example[/url]) is the joints of model after the conversion obtained in the very... unusual position.

To fix this, imagine that you are a doctor :) and just [b]pull down bones with "Move" tool[/b]. All the bones will be in right place. Automatically. It's simple but powerful :)

Hope it help!

P.S. If anyone can help in the translation of above text in correct English, I will be sincerely grateful ;)

How to guide your audience's look at point.

stuckon3d — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:56:34 GMT

This is an APE (Audience Participation Excercise) BTW, Dulci i love that abbreviation glad you came up with it. :)
So here is the scoop, a very talented icloner here ask me [b]how do we keep the audience's attention from wandering around the images[/b]. I mentioned to him that if he would make a list from 1 to 10 of the first things that attracted his eyes the most by taking a look at this image, the answer would be revealed to him. I hope everyone in the forum here will participate. Please post your list and the answer. You will surprised how many of your lists will be the same. Have fun. ;)

[IMG]http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt103/stuckon3d/Bring_it_on.jpg[/IMG]

iCloneTutorials.com Header-Movie Preview (Finally.)

Armstrong — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:52:18 GMT

Hello People.

Well, 10 mnths down the line and the Medieval Chinese Painting Exhibition is underway in final renders. For the Header of my new simple Castle Walled forum I have incorporated the sets as a taster for whats to come and that way I think.

The simplicity of it (I use the term simplicity regarding Visual non-complexities) is supposed to enhance the useability of iClone by beginners and intermediates alike in that it takes thought processes to win an audience sometimes not lifelike highdensity realisms.

This is the movie, I havent embedded it yet, Im just testing it. It's a full ten minutes, 5 or 6 sets, 100 megs, 80% compressed avi to FLV in an SWF player fixed size at 1200 x 250. The link will open a ne wprocess. If your antivirus doesnt know what a new process is it will assume its a "popup" window and kill your demand. Therefore the link below will work as easily.

PREVIEW iCloneTutorials.com HEADER MOVIE.

If it judders, your system will cache it. {press PLAY and then STOP emmediately. It will then buffer the whole movie for you.
Else, it will buffer the first 7 seconds.

I hope it brings a smile. Best played loud or with headphones on. It'll make you jump in the middle. ;)

Armstrong.

CLICK PIC TO VIEW.

Move the floor plane down

HatHead — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:34:35 GMT

Hello,

Just getting used to the new timeline (for me anyway). My avatar's animation brings him under the floor plane, making for funky shadows.

Anyone know how I can i) move the floor plane down, or ii) move the avatar up a bit

Thanks!

Help with Rock Band

Leee — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:27:58 GMT

Hi all,
I just purchased the Rock Band add on pack. And I'm trying to figure out the simplest things, like how to attach a guitar to a figure so it moves correctly with him. (Did I mention I'm also new to iClone too)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Leee

Turning the Lights on in the Suburban yards

ric.revans — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:33:22 GMT

Hi

I am trying to put togethier a long shot using a couple of the yards from the suburban pack.

To make it a bit more challenging (best way to learn I always find :) ) I thought Id make it more of a night time shot. And thats where Ive hit problems. I hadnt realised that there was a limited number of lights, but I want to "turn on" the street lights in the park so that I can have an avatar walk around the park. Passing between the pools of light.

I was hoping someone might have some hints to start me in the right direction?

Thanks
Richard

IC4 to Crazy talk 6 PRO

m.gulley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:31:22 GMT

after importing a wave file to a character then launch crazy talk 6.1 from within IC4 the wave file is in CT6 but not the head of the charcter I want to edit. Is this how it is or am I doing something stupid! I am following the IC4 manual but no mention of this

Starting a scene

sjonesdc — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:36:23 GMT

I've been learning to use iClone4Pro for awhile and have started working on scenes. One of the things that I found is that I have been setting everything at 0,0,0 and then positioning from there. However, when I place a prop from one of the City packs, it fills the screen and I find that I need to zoom out to see what's what. The question I have is what is the best way to start, put everything at 0,0,0 then zoom out or zoom out then put everything at 0,0,0 or should I choose a camera lens then put everyting at 0,0,0.....?

sjonesdc :hehe:

STILL LEARNING!!!!!!

pick parent in Iclone 4 problem

m.gulley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:08:58 GMT

I have a scene with lots of props attached to different characters (not sure of the amount) I have come to a point where I am trying to attach a prop using parent but with no success. If I use the character and prop by themselves in a new project there is no problem. Can anyone throw some light on this?

path problem IC4

m.gulley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:12:12 GMT

I downloaded a tutorial on using path in IC4 and it mentions how you can elevate the path, for instance getting a character to walk up stairs. I have not had any success with that one. Can anyone please help

Camera Orbit Question

tscott — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:52:19 GMT

I've been using iClone for only a short while, but am really starting to get into it and there is something that has really bothered me from the very beginning. I find it really, really hard to get the camera to be positioned where I want it because the orbit tool always rotates around the selected object when what I really want is a way to simply rotate the camera in-place. Orbiting around an object has its uses, but is certainly not the default behavior I would like to see when I'm trying to get the camera into a certain position and angle. I know there must be some other tool or hotkey or whatever that should let me do this, but I can't find it.

Boxed Version

acme661 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:04:16 GMT

Hi guys,

Any word on when the boxed version with exchange is coming out? Thanks.

Mark

Giff transparency problem

chrispittman77 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:11:03 GMT

Is there any way to adjust the threshold for giff transparency export? What background is best to use?

I'm using iClone4 PRO on Vista OS

Detailed description: When I export a giff there are background colored pixels remaining. I've tried several different background colors but the problem persists. I've been importing them into Gamemaker7, which has it's own transparency function, but when I use it I get the exact same result and it doesn't seem to have threshold control either. I could cleanup each page individualy in Gimp, but that would be extremely inefficient as I need hundreds of giffs ranging anywhere from 10pgs to 200pgs.

Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

New...have some questions!

Luthien — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:25:58 GMT

Hi all! I just downloaded the EX version of iClone4 and have been playing with it for a couple of days...the full Pro version with tons of bonus packs is totally on my wishlist! I haven't had this much fun in a long time...:) But I have a couple of questions about animation, since I'm totally new to it.

How can you create an animation that changes scenes? Is there a way to build multiple "sets" and then switch cameras? I'm not really sure how to ask this, but can you set borders or boundaries to one set so it doesn't extend forever (like if you use a terrain template)? Should you not use a terrain if you do this? I think I understand the whole camera switcher pretty well, so it's just a matter of having the different sets to go to.

Also, what is the best way to build up realistic looking scene elements, like rocks and such? Is there a tool within iClone to do that, or would it be better to go through SketchUp and then import it? What about making small props for a character to hold, like swords?

One last question...I tried to create new clothes with CloneCloth, but the lower template seemed to be cut off somewhere in the midcalf region...so when I imported the design, it stretched it out and left holes right around his knees. It was kind of weird. Am I doing something wrong?

I'm so excited about this program...I really want to make a trailer for a story I wrote and have it look at least decently cool. ;)

Thanks in advance!

~Luth

Drag & Drop Motion Design Element ???????

hans jörgen — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:29:29 GMT

[url=http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/iclone_feature_popVideo.asp]http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/iclone_feature_popVideo.asp[/url]
The popVideo can be also brought as motion design elements into iClone. Simply drag and drop popVideo files from the library or from any Windows folder into the iClone preview window, the live or virtual actor can be enhanced with powerful 3D video visual effects.

[img]http://iclone-deutsch.wikispaces.com/file/view/ziehen.jpg/93873758][/img]
[img]http://iclone-deutsch.wikispaces.com/file/view/ziehen2.jpg/93873762[/img]

from any Windows folder into the iClone 4 does not work ?????:w00t:
Inserted is always on the background and not have its own object

for videos and for images

also: Directly turn image or video files into 3D objects.
does not works, Inserted is always on the background and not have its own object

hans jörgen

Help Please with Motion Editing

wittysage — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:03:01 GMT

Someone please tell me whatever the very simple thing is I am missing here.

iClone 4 - The tutorials make it look really easy. Just select the parent bone like wrist in the motion editor, click on it in the preview screen and move as you see fit and it magically moves looking almost natually.

Sadly, I've been clicking and scrolling and blah blah blah for hours and nothing moves.

Works fine when I click on rotate and move one part at a time but this whole parent child movement thing has been a no go.

So what's the trick?

ICLONE 4 PDF MANUAL

aussienat2000 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:11:22 GMT

Hello All

Ive just noticed that the PDF manuals for Iclone 4 Standard and Pro are up on the site to be downloaded.

Hope this is a help.

When are new tutorials IC4 coming?

jleao — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:26:57 GMT

Hi, IC4 is a magnificent tool and i am really having fun with it. But i noticied the tuts on the training area are not updated since almost the launch day of IC4. When is Reallusion planning on updating them? I´m very curious on a series of subjects you say will be covered, like HDR & IBL Effects and others. I just wanted to have an idea. Thanks and keep on doing a great job.

have trouble using G3 Real Human Heads

dadarudran — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:32:31 GMT

All the G3 Real Human heads (male) seem to be covered by a dark shadow, both in iClone 3 and iClone 4. Even after I installed the latest patch, the faces are much darker than the rest of the body of any character that I used in iClone 3. I can turn on extra lights in iClone 3 to remove the shadow, but I can't adjust the lighting properly in iClone 4. What am I doing wrong?

Richard

Models, terrains, props, collision...

wizaerd — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:18:26 GMT

So I've been doing some experimenting with creating sets/models in Sketchup, but I was curious about a couple of things. Things that might be useful for other users as well. First thing would be a general tips & techniques list for making efficient usage of Sketchup and imported models. Things to specifically look for, general optimizations, etc...

Other questions I had are when is it appropriate to add something to the terrain, when is it apporpriate to turn on collision, etc. Again, not any kind of hard and fast rules, just general tips & techniques. I've read about these things in the manual, but what is their practical use?

An example would be a scene with a building, that starts externally and moves to an internal shot. Should that building be added to the terrain? (My guess would be no, because they wouldn;t be able to enter through a door). Should collision be used? What about a couch on the floor? I wouldn;t want my character to walk through the couch, so should it have collision? If collision is on, can I still use the Sit AML Dummy template on it?

These are the types of things that some more in-depth video tutorials would be great for!!!

Really confused about IBL

johncarstarphen — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:49:31 GMT

I have a 3d program that can generate an HDR or EXR map.

Do I convert this to a jpg and place it on the sky material in IC4?

What do the various settings in the HDR panel mean, for instance:

HDR effect, bloom scale, threshold, etc.?

And in the IBL panel, what sort of image should go there to get the best effect? And what do all the "adjustments" adjust for?

Underwater Atmosphere

tscott — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:10:29 GMT

Anyone have any tips for creating a completely underwater atmosphere? I want to do some deep sea scenes with large submarines and I'm wondering what would be a good way to setup a scene for this kind of effect. I'm going to try some fogging and colored ambient lighting, but is there something else built-in to iClone that would help me make this even more convincing? I'm assuming there is no refraction effect, but maybe there is.

iClone4 Goodies - How to Blink the Eyes

Visconti — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:49:47 GMT

In this video, you will know the different methods to control the eyes blinking of your character by iClone4 puppeteering panel.

Help With Lights

admin_20091028151035914 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:12:54 GMT

Hello

I want Start My Movie With No Light After 1min I want Turn On Light

How I can Do That

Thank You

facial color

johncarstarphen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:32:21 GMT

I know this has been asked a thousand times, in fact I saw the thread myself the other day, but alas, I can't find it again. So apologies for the redundancy...

I have an original face texture that I created but when I add it to the model its color is different from the rest of the model. How can I even these out and make the body/face color match?

thanks in advance, and I promise to bookmark this thread! :)

Any tips for a space battle?

grinnbear — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:49:11 GMT

I am doing my first space battle - it's really simple. Two ships shooting at each other and one exploding. Using paths I have pretty much got the ship movements down. I guess what I am asking for is any tips anyone might have for lighting, lasers and setting the mood. If you have done a simple space battle, I'd love to see the link!

Text in Iclone 4

tuttut_nut — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:30:47 GMT

Hi!

I was wanting to do text on Iclone. I've seen a tutorial on YouTube but still unclear on a couple of things. Do you need a XML editor to do the text. If so can anybody recommend any software that is good? Paid or free, preferably free :D

The text that Iclone shows as an example, big bulky 3D lettering can that be done using the 3D editor, or is that done in conjunction with something else?

Finally, seen some really cool fonts available through digital juice anyone know if this cab be used in Iclone. It says on their website that it can be saved as a PSD file and used in After Effects but not sure if it can be used anywhere else. I notice that Reallusion have partnered with them in some way as they sell widgetcast and Reallusion sell their motion elements so I assumed all their material could be used in some way.

Cheers Guys :)

Reaching for the Moon.

Armstrong — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:10:17 GMT

Just some grabs I used to show a friend who gives good oppinion from the viewers stance.

Here I am trying out the new Self Illumination facility. I love Fog, I rfer to Fog as Solid Light because, it was always a luxury to do a shoot in the old days and have a light morning mist. Very flattering for the final image.

In this instance, the mist would seem NOT to enjoy self illumination when you're using such things as a moon object at a distance that sets it behind the hills.

Taking off the glow map and using Self illumination WORKS if you kill the fog but suffers if you bring the moon forwards through the mist to hang it just behind the subject.

This would be tricky to manouvre the camera without misproportional motion from the moon as the camera tracks along. The distance would be riddiculously out of order.

In my oppinion, despite the fact that the GLOW map diffuses fore objects to it (seen in the soft focussing of the riuns even though there isn't any depth of field in use!) it is, never the less, the most appealing method of illumination for at least this scene.

I am biased towards science fantasy, but even so, there is something rich to be had from this system. I hope it stays.
Armstrong.

Lighting the ruins up.

And stepping back to see the effect. I dont want an ominous silhouette, I want a ruin desolate, but not forboding.

Walk on..........................

I cant get the reflection in the water of the moon at this angle. I cant see this solution.
But its not a crisis. in the final the water will be a thin line anyway.

Seen thus.......

OK, so the moon is a glow mapped moon. And we can see here my chaser lights and an omni to light the ground where, later, the flowers will pop up where ever the Unicorns walk.

And the Glow Moon looks good.

If i take off the glow map and bang up the self illumination... as we can see the Fog inhibits any illumination from coming through.

No matter how I redensified the mist It didnt let me win. Here is a mistless world. Without solid light the mood shrivels emmediately and becomes ominous old wintery rather than welcoming and warm summer.

Mist back on. Pulling the moon forwards and rescaling loses something .... And I dont want to change the mist now to compensate for the moons colder colours now. Even my pink omni cant cope. We'll note at this point also that the Unicorns Glow Map Skin layer is performing beautifully also. (Bit like me really!! :P:hehe::cool:)

I dont like this at all.

Nope, your good old home grown v.2 iClone glowmap skin wins hands down. in this instance it isnt a case of new is better. What was is definitely easy to use, and I dont mind the loss of definition in the ruins, this is theatre after all.

ZBrush pipeline - can't align new headmorph

3dsMax_Michel — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:22:53 GMT

Hello,

Newbie here [i]*waves shyly*[/i] :)

I tried the whole day to follow the ZBrush-pipeline-tutorial painstakingly and in the end both objects (G3 Original head and my Zbrushed-test morph head) aligned perfectly in 3ds Max as seen here:

[img]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/Michel_album/Clipboard02.jpg[/img]

But when I import it as custom head it becomes that:

[img]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/Michel_album/Clipboard01.jpg[/img]

and that:

[img]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/Michel_album/Clipboard03.jpg[/img]

After trying this and trying that it seems to be something within ZBrush because all heads tested and reshaped abit in 3ds Max only work perfectly in iClone.
Searching the net and this forum it seems to be that I'm the only one with this problem so it is surely me making an error somewhere but I don't know what I could try else.:crying:

I would every hint and tip appreciate very gratefully.

Thanks for reading (and please excuse my english)

edit: It now seems to be a problem of my 3ds Max 2008, as
I tried the sample monster head without changing anything only opening the done Monsterheadmorph in Max and immediately exporting it to iClone gives the same bad result....:ermm:

clothes

dhendr — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:01:22 GMT

Can someone tell me what file do i put upper and lower clothes in cause iam lost here with that.I mean like on the free one that dont say where to put them Thanks guys

Feedbacks on iClone4 help

Visconti — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:24:34 GMT

Dear Users

The iClone4 online help is keeping developed.
We welcome any comments and suggestions under this thread before we finalize it for print version.

Thanks
Visconti

A little trouble sitting

grinnbear — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:37:33 GMT

I am working in iClone 4 on a project that imported just fine from a v3.2 project file.
I have resaved it several times as a v4 project. (just FYI)

I guess I just have never encountered this before, but is there a way to make a character sit from a standing position without walking? As in the attached still, I want my "Captain' after talking to someone on the screen (video drag and dropped perfect first time - THANKS!!), to simply sit in his chair & then get up and move later. He is always moving to a strange location & turning around to sit when I apply the dummy.

Need some help with hair

wizaerd — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:36:02 GMT

I'm trying to create some family members, and the one problem I've always had was hair. Either the correct style isn't available, or when sizing & positioning a style, it never seems to fit correctly.

Are there any good tips for getting hair to look right? Or at the very least, looking decent?

Here's an example of a hair style I'd like to get into place... What would be my best approach?

Help with placing a Avatar

tuttut_nut — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:18:58 GMT

Hello! I'm a newbie so I'm on a bit of a steep learning curve at the moment :w00t:

I bought a "chatshow" scene from Clones2go, when I load an Avatar on the set it's feet are under the set. I try to move the figure but just moves it back and forth and the like. Was just going to film from the torso up but would like a long shot in the clip.

There is probably a very simple fix to this but I'm spending far to much time on little details like this than content. Thought you more experienced guys on here would be able to answer this in no time

Cheers!

iClone4 Goodies - AML Templates

Visconti — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:48:45 GMT

In this video, you will know how to easily make characters interact with objects or characters by the AML template dummy easily.