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Newbie
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Hi,
Just starting to get my head around iClone and Ive got a question thats probably more me not quite getting how its meant to work.
I wanted to start with a simple animation of an avatar walking from camera left to the "back" of the shot turning and then walking towards camera right and finally off shot. to get the feel for moving an avatar around and later on build it up to interacting with props and other avatars.
I first set up a scene using G2 - Jack Casual in the Room scene (left empty)
My first try was to map out the move in iClone, add on a walk cycle. And then unhappy with the look I sent it to motion editor. Unfortunately all I got was a 60 frame walk cycle. Not the full walking away from camera, turn and back motion.
My second attempt was to set up the scene but go straight to motion editor. Much more successful with one small problem, the walk paths no longer fit the scene  in any way. As the scales seem "off" between the 2 bits of software.
Ive searched several sites but can't find any tutorials that seem to deal with straight forward animation questions. I was hoping someone could give me some pointers or point towards some tutorials that Ive missed.
Thanks, off to keep trying to get it right.
Richard
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Hi Richard,
Welcome.
You will find that doing anything complex in terms of motion in Iclone will probably require
a number of trips between the main timeline and the motion editor.
Most of the tools you need are all there, but the work flow can be tricky for a variety of reasons. I had some animation experience before I came to Iclone, but it also took me a while to get the hang of it. Truth be told, I think we will see major improvements in this area in Iclone 3.0 - due out soon.
Anyway things to know which have helped me get a handle on creating motions.
1. Iclone's timeline and the motion editor timeline are 2 different and separate programs bridged together to create a complete motion editing / creation system.
2. You can't pose characters or edit their joint motion in Iclones Timeline.
3. You can't edit a characters position (translate AYZ) in the motion editor.
so, to make a character walk around your set - you have to use both programs.
If you were starting from scratch you would...
(lets say the character walks forward, stops, bends over and reaches for an object
In the motion editor, you create a walk cycle (walking in place) that lasts the
length of the walk stop, bend over and reach.
Then you save and export your motion to Iclone.
In Iclone, on its main timeline you key frame the (see formula at end of this) position of the character.
That is the brief of it.
http://forum.reallusion.com/Topic1328-5-1.aspx?Highlight=walk+cycle
Here is a link to a video tutorial
http://stevedraun.org/walkpathtute/walkpathtute_fs.htm
Also search the forums at http://www.coolclones.com/forum/ there are alot more questions
and solutions like this there.
I attached the formula about how far to move your character according to the length of a walk cycle.
FORMULA
Here's a little tip that neut discovered a while back. Posting it again in case someone has use for it
Problem: The Normal walk motion shows the character walking in place, how far should a character travel when the Normal walk motion is applied?
The normal walk cycle takes about 60 frames per second. A good rule of thumb is to double this to get teh number you should adjust the 'Z' position (assuming you have the character moving towards or away from the the viewer)
so if the motion you apply is 120 frames long:
go to the timeline and go to frame 0
start the character at position 0 (using the Z position box)
now move the timeline to frame # 120
set the Z position to -240 (assuming it is walking towards you the viewer)
jp
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Newbie
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Thank you both for that.
I think im getting the hang of how iclone works compared to other bits of software i play with. So I guess its into that fun practice stage 
Ive seen other links to that great walking video but they've normally been broken so huge thanks for one that works since its such a great little demonstration.
Unfornately I seem to be having trouble with the coolclones forums. None of my searches seem to work and a lot of the time Ive seen links back to a coolclone forum thats broken 
Anyway thanks again. Off to play some more.
Richard
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I have a problem that is maybe related to yours:
How can I combine different motions my avatar is doing in one scene? Let's say at first my avatar walks to a chair, sits down, takes a cup from a table, smiles and starts talking to another Charakter.
Do I have to combine the motions in the motion editor? Is there a tutorial available?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
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Newbie
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Yep you'd have to do that in motion editor. after roughing out the motion in iClone.
I was thinking of writing up a little tutorial once I get a bit further. At the moment Ive just got an avatar to walk to the back of the room across the back (left to right) and then to the front again after gesturing behind him.
My next step is to do something similar to what your suggesting and try and get him to walk to a chair and sit down. (once work gets out of the way. real life can be a pain  )
One thing that has made my life easier was to write up a list like this.
(I can never recall the XYZ co-ordinates when im not in front of the software)
Start position -180 (forward) 90 (right)
Frame 000 - 060 - Stands still left hand indicates behind him. by "thumbing" over shoulder
Frame 061 - 099 - Character turns round 180 and lowers hand
Frame 100 - 250 - Minus 300 backwards (as per the doubling rule) - walks towards the back of the room
Frame 251 - 350 - Avatar turns to camera going into a classic pose (full pose for 280 - 320).
And so on.
I just found this made life a lot easier when jumping between iclone and motion for keeping track of where key frames should go.
Let me know how you do. Ive got the walk working happily enough. curious to see how easily you can get an avatar to interact with objects and characters.
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Thank you for answering. Writing down the planned action of every frame will help me a lot. I hope next weekend I can do my first bigger scence.
A tutorial about this topic would great. It helps me watch (or read) the tutorials about iclone.
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Newbie
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No problem.
I would sketch out story boards (Ive worked alongside enough animators to know there worth for just keeping track of everything) but even my stick figures look funny  so written notes do me. 
Richard
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