I'm trying to "get" CTA3. My conclusion is that it is really 3 products(generations) with different rules, limitations, and benefits for each generation. Learning it is a little confusing because you read the docs or watch the videos, and eventually realize that new users need to understand these generational differences a little better or they may become frustrated. Am I assessing CTA3 fairly?

I was really hoping to be able to create my own characters and sprites in my own style while leveraging the existing framework for things like lip syncing and facial manipulations. As long as you accept that you have to use heads, eyes , etc etc that come with the program(or buy), I guess you can "create" new characters. My characters' heads are larger than can be "fitted" using the the programs as-built face fitting tools. In fairness, my heads are not proportioned the same as regular human heads. Maybe I am unfairly expecting too much. As things stand, it looks like my characters will have to exist in CTA as animated props.

A really sweet enhancement would be to be able to create individual custom face sprites and NOT fit them to the face in any pre-defined relationship to each other or "conform to a norm". If my monster has only one eye, in the center of his forehead (or his cheek??), then no problem! These sprites could be manipulated independently. If there are 6 eyes - again no problem. I guess the original intended purpose of CTA was to create "normal" characters for business presentations (God, they need it!). I'm hoping there are some ways to get past these limits, so if you have ideas please let me know.

Further thought. I think it is possible to construct a complete custom character by attaching animated sprites where you would like features such as eyes to be. Is it possible to do this?

According to Daniel Hew's YouTube tutorials you can create your own characters rather easily as he demonstrates in [THIS VIDEO] which uses your sprites or
[THIS VIDEO] which uses .png's

I have CTA3 but not had time to play with it much yet as I'm busy with other projects at the moment but I'm really impressed with what CTA3 can do.  I'll try to get into it soon and have a better understanding of how character creation works.

Hope this helps.


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Ok. G3 is limiting because it offers only 2 angles, both viewer facing. Good for explainer videos and advertising. 

G2 is what I really want. Meets my needs exactly. Two important videos. G2 character creation Teddy bear and G2 head/face sprites - Mr Onion.

Thanks to Snarp Farkle for his commentary. Some kind of narrative is needed, describing - compare / contrast - the versions and a little history of the product.
A lot of us bumped into CTA on the way to something else. Energy is wasted trying to reconcile what we want to know with strengths and weaknesses of generations (G1, G2 G3)