*NOTE: I believe I found the solution and started a new topic thread for it:

https://forum.reallusion.com/Topic163482-251-1.aspx



My whole goal in purchasing CTA Pro has been to eventually create a puppet body, from photos of myself, and be able to use it JUST LIKE ANY STOCK BODY. Suddenly I am getting the feeling that is NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!!

It seems to me the only thing that can be changed on a chosen stock character are the hands using the Sprite editor, am I correct?

The stock character body can be puppeted to automatically switch to legs and arms that give it a side type view, but...

I CAN NEVER GET THAT EFFECT WITH A BODY I CREATE FROM A PHOTO OF MYSELF, RIGHT?

I would appreciate direct responses because it seems I am learning some painful limitations of CTA Pro when it comes to creating a custom body of myself to use for puppeteering

SO PLEASE TELL ME MY LIMITATIONS BEFORE I SPEND HOURS AND HOURS WORKING ONLY TO FIND I CANNOT DO WHAT I WANT TO DO, OKAY!!!!

Maybe you don't mind me spending hours and hours only to find I wasted my time, but I do!

I apologize if I am expressing my frustration, but I'm suddenly getting the feeling that I am wasting my time with this program if I expect to be able to make my body move like the body of a stock character.

Maybe I should be using a different one of your programs for that


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Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

I believe I am still within my 30 days of purchasing CTA Pro. If I should be using IClone to do what I want to do PLEASE LET ME KNOW NOW!



__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

Have you seen this tutorial ? :)

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"To define Tao is to defile it" - Lao Tzu

Well, I just went through all your other products and it seems that for my needs CTA Pro is the ONLY program you have that might come close to doing what I want done.

It seems that:

Whatever body I start the video with will be the body I will have for the entire video, right?

What body parts can be changed during the video?

and can I use my custom made sprites to change those parts.

I was originally hoping that I could change my face, for a moment, then go back to the original face I stared the video with, but that's not possible, right?



__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

I have saved ALL tech support help in a word processing program and I just saw this:

"You will need to create two characters: Front and Profile (Half-Side) and have both on the stage and then switch between them as needed.
You can not switch a single character to another because the switch is for the whole timeline.
You could export your clip with one facing, then switch and export the same clip with the other facing, then use a video editor to cut and paste the switches at the appropriate points."

MY COMMENT:

What I understand here is I cannot change the body of the original character, but I can create a separate character of myself and bring that character into the video when I may want it, right?

One character body of myself is front facing

The other is side facing

One can be used for standing and general talking while the other can be used for running or flying or swimming ,etc

So, can I have the front facing character slowly disappear and have the side character take over until I want the front facing character to appear again?

I'm thinking of having the front facing character suddenly go up and completely out of view with a silly sound effect and have the side facing character suddenly take over for a while then switch back to the original character. Alternating as I see fit.

How does that sound to you? Am I missing something here?

Maybe three characters of myself

A front facing

A half-side facing for flying

a full side facing for running

Then alternate between the characters throughout the video as though I am triplets in the same video. One of me leaves while the other takes over as needed

What do you think?



__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

I'm suddenly recalling the video advertisement for the real people bodies I purchased. Obama's head is on a big bodybuilder's body. I believe Hilary Clinton comes in and injects him with something and he shrinks and disappears.

So it is possible to, say, shrink one of my bodies in the video and hide it behind a rock prop until needed again, right?

I'm thinking of a video with at least two characters that are me. One is hidden behind a prop until needed then the other is hidden until needed and I alternate between the two as I see fit!

Suddenly I feel there is hope!!!



__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

did you see the video above ?

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☯🐉

"To define Tao is to defile it" - Lao Tzu

It doesn't tell how to do what I want to do!!!

It uses all stock body parts not photo created body parts!!

It wasn't explained, but I gather that once you create such a body you are stuck with it for the entire video

So the solution, as I see it, is to AT LEAST create a twin of myself and alternate between the two bodies as I see fit


___________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing

well no, in the later half they rig a new photo.

there are several ways to achieve what you want to do, imo video editing would be the simplest. I've found it's just easier to be more accurate with simple short scenes - this gives you more freedom to add detail and nuance and not worry about having to make a balancing act between hidden objects.

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"To define Tao is to defile it" - Lao Tzu

Thanks for letting me know there are several ways to achieve what I intend to do. I started a new topic thread with the idea I feel would best suit my needs.

HOWEVER, if any of you have a better idea I'm open for it!



__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many of your answers can be found by reading the product manual.

The online manual and the online help are NOT the same thing