hi. i just downloaded the trial of iclone and no matter how many videos i watch, i am having a difficult time learning this program. first off, it's amazing and i would love to understand how to make a video.   after a few days, i understand how to make a character move, but i don't know how to add another character that doesn't over lap the first one.  I have a scene set up where my character is running, she turns and waves.. at this point i want to add a new actor who comes up to her.

i also want to make a scene of paris during WW2 with planes rumbling in the sky. maybe with a few explosions.

 Is there anyone out there who may want to teach me how to do all this before I deicide if i should invest money in this iclone program? since they don't offer online help I'm a bit stuck.

you can email me at

onemelvillelion@aol.com

thanks so much

Welcome to the Forum,
 
You'll find a lot of Video Tutorials by Reallusion & Forum Members.

However the question of "But where do I start?" still remains.

IMO, the best way to start (Others may differ), is to go through Stuckon3D's Free Video Tutorials, which cover iClone Basics. These are based on iClone 4, which don't include the many new Features in iC5.

Warlord's Purchase Tutorial Book also based on iC4 but with iC5 new Features added, goes into the basics in more depth, with his own Content provided for individual Project-based Tutorials.

Mark's advanced Free Tutorials cover specific "How do I do this" requests, in a User friendly manner.

TUTORIALS:

1) Stuckon3D

Here; https://forum.reallusion.com/Topic31003-33-1.aspx

2) Warlord:

Here; http://www.iclonebeginnersguide.com/

3) Mark's advanced Free Tutorials:

Here;
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB19A9CF2BCAE5FAF

4) Reallusion iC5 Video Tutorials

Here; http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/iclone_training.aspx

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See my Post above re: Tutorials.

Re; your immediate problem: There are 2 Ways to add a Character to a Scene:

1) Double-Click on the Character Template, which automatically places the Character on the World Axis on the Grid. If you already have a Character on the World Axis, you need to Select the New Character & Drag it to the desired position via the Gizmo or just the Toolbar Move Tool. If you have an Existing Character in the Scene already Selected  & then add another one via Double-Click, the new Character will automatically replace the existing one.

2) Drag & Drop the Character Template into the Scene at the required position.

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      REALLUSION FORUM ANNUAL PINHEAD COMMUNITY PROJECTS.

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It takes some time getting used; I spent a few months playing with it before making a film.



Something like this?



I just created this in 15 minutes of work, it's really rushed and there can be a lot more done, but I can show you how I did it.

If you're going to purchase iClone, it's very important to get 3dxchange as well, it saves you from a major headache.

I got the Eiffel Tower and a Spitfire from 3d Warehouse and converted it into iclone format from 3dxchange.

Once I had those props, I placed the Eiffel Tower in and set up my camera.
I went into the stage tab, then the camera tab, add new camera, and in the top left of the viewer screen, I switched back to preview camera. (Doing that places the camera in its original shot and it doesn't move around.)

Then I added the spitfire prop and pressing SHIFT-D, I duplicated them. Then I went into props and 3d blocks, I added a 3d box. Then I turned the box into a dummy. (Right panel, it will say turn into dummy or something like that.

I placed the spitfires into triangle formation and holding control and left click, I selected all of the spitfires, then I right click. It leads to a menu that with one of the tabs saying attach. Then I attach, left click to the 3d box/dummy. Therefore all of the spitfires will become children to the dummy parent. (Which means by clicking on the dummy- it controls all of the spitfire, plus you can duplicate them as well to form other triangle groups)

Then I moved the slider of the timeline below to 15 seconds, I took all the dummies and just moved them over the Eiffel tower. Fairly simple and I played it back to see if they moved in a reasonable animation.

Then I went into the export tab... (I changed the settings to 1920 x 800 before doing all of this in MP4 H264 format) and clicked export. Then I did some post work in sony vegas, adding sound and visual effects.

It was fairly fast, typing this took a lot longer than doing it in iClone. I'll provide some pictures on how it is done.

iClone Certified Director and makes miserable Westerns.

I bought a book on Amazon that covers iClone 4.31.
It has you doing a hands on project and gives you a lot of information. That got me going.
As has been said, there are many tutorials on iClone that will take you through the whole process.
The learning curve is not instant. I have had mine for almost a month and am still trying to get a scene going.
A movie may take up to a year or more depending on how long it will be. Things do go faster after you have a few projects and some avatars and props downloaded into your computer.
I bought the Pro pack that has 3DXChange included. It seemed like the bast deal for me.
Hope this helps.
Ken

Ok found your response
thanks I'll check it out

Hi, welcome to iClone. Hope you hang around, this is an amazing program.



Doug

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Yes just like that ! Fifteen mins? It's taken me days and I still can't get a handle on this program. I am sure I will, with a little help, so anything would be appreciated.

The Trial Version used to be time unlimited but with limited application. Can't remember if it's now 15 or 30days. You aren't going to learn the Program during that time. 

It pays in the long-run, to learn the very basics & forget about a Personal Project for the time-being.

Start with Stuckon3D's Free Tutorials I Linked you to in my first Post.

iClone 6 is currently in Development & won't be released until at least the end of this year.

iClone 5 is all you need for learning the Program. You need the PRO Version & not the Standard, which is very limited.

3DXChange is a useful companion Program for iClone. However, that could change with iClone 6 & 3DXChange 5 might not work with iClone 6 anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      REALLUSION FORUM ANNUAL PINHEAD COMMUNITY PROJECTS.

       New Pinhead Website & Project to be announced in September 2015

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

3DXChange is a useful companion Program for iClone. However, that could change with iClone 6 & 3DXChange 5 might not work with iClone 6 anyway.

Well, that's disturbing news for those of us who are financially challenged.. Guess I'll have to stay with Iclone 5.

pete




http://www.youtube.com/user/peterblood50?feature=mhee