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Animating parts of props using Perform clips

Posted By Colonel_Klink 6 Years Ago
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Colonel_Klink
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GrannyJ (1/31/2019)
@Colonel_Klink
Here is the link to the instructional video I created that demonstrates the steps I outlined in this forum for animating sub components of an iProp in iClone 7.  I sincerely hope this assists you in your animating endeavors.
http://grannyjs3dattic.com/iClone/Cessna/Animating_iProp_and_Subcomponents_in_iClone7.mp4
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or require further assistance.  I am always willing to share knowledge! :)


Thank you, Granny J, for both the one on one instruction on Skype yesterday and now this very informative video. This embedded perform system has bugged me for years. Traditionally (in iClone) I would, for more personal use just have the objects exposed iClone as sub props and animate each part individually from iClone itself without using the animation layer. But having said that I wanted to be able to simplify it for users. It is a shame that iclone doesn't allow multi tracks for the embedded objects, in that way each part could be given its own perform command. 



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GrannyJ
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@Colonel_Klink
Here is the link to the instructional video I created that demonstrates the steps I outlined in this forum for animating sub components of an iProp in iClone 7.  I sincerely hope this assists you in your animating endeavors.
http://grannyjs3dattic.com/iClone/Cessna/Animating_iProp_and_Subcomponents_in_iClone7.mp4
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or require further assistance.  I am always willing to share knowledge! :)



iClone Certified Content Developer and Author of the Pinky Frink® Adventure Series & the Pinky Frink® Learning Books
site: Granny J's 3D Attic SKYPE = grannyjsplace email: grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com
MY RIG: GPU: Dual GeForce GTX 970M | CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)i7-5930K @3.50GHz| 32.00 GB RAM | OS: Win 7 Pro SP1 | DX11








Colonel_Klink
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GrannyJ (1/31/2019)
Received the model & sent you an email.  Will post animation results here tomorrow.:)


Thank you.



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GrannyJ
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Received the model & sent you an email.  Will post animation results here tomorrow.:)



iClone Certified Content Developer and Author of the Pinky Frink® Adventure Series & the Pinky Frink® Learning Books
site: Granny J's 3D Attic SKYPE = grannyjsplace email: grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com
MY RIG: GPU: Dual GeForce GTX 970M | CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)i7-5930K @3.50GHz| 32.00 GB RAM | OS: Win 7 Pro SP1 | DX11








Colonel_Klink
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GrannyJ (1/30/2019)
@Colonel_Klink
It is a rather simple, be it tedious process, but it is easy to do.  Just follow the steps I outlined.  If you'd like, send me your plane ( you can email it to grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com or put it up on Dropbox or Google Docs & send me the link) and a list of the animations you want in the plane's perform menu & I will create a step-by-step tutorial for you to go by.


Thank you Granny J. I'll prepare a simpler model and send it to you.



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Colonel_Klink
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billgucci2 (1/30/2019)
Colonel_Klink,
Did you follow what Granny J said....

Parent - Plane... pivot: bottom center
Sub-Props - pivots set where needed.

Select plane and merge Sub-Props.
Select plane and open the "Edit Animation Layer."
Animate Sub-Props.
Add to Perform.
Done



Done this several times and it is not working. The animation of the sub props causes the parent to animate as well. Even using simple box objects the result is exactly the same.



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Colonel_Klink
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GrannyJ (1/30/2019)
It was easier in previous versions of iClone, but it can be done in 7 & you can have multiple performs for a single prop.
First- in iClone, select each sub-props and ensure the pivot points of EACH sub prop is set to rotate that item exactly where you need it (for example center, center for wheels, at hinge edge for doors, etc). use edit pivot if the prop is not square to the world axis.

Second - once the main prop (in this case the plane) is set to center bottom middle & all sub-props have their respective pivot points set, select the plane & MERGE the subprops.

Third - select the plane prop once all sub-props have been merged, right click on it in your scene & select modify-animation, then click the EDIT ANIMATION LAYER in the modify panel.  Using your timeline and the animation editor with everything expanded, you can select the individual parts that were merged and animate.  Once you have completely animated all the parts you want for this single perform function, collect the clip & add it to the plane's perform menu.  You can repeat the process to add multiple performs as the plane can have as many animations in the perform menu as you desire. For example, one perform may be "lower flaps", another may be "lower flaps_turn rudder", another may be "lower flaps&wheels", etc.

I use this methodology regularly for animating appliances, amusement park rides, doors, windows with shutters, bicycles, motorcycles, etc.

If you would like further clarification, and /or demonstration, please email me at grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com and we can arrange a time when I will share my screen & walk you through it.


Hi GrannyJ
I have followed the steps above using blocks and rotating one which is parented to another block. For some reason when I use the transform dialog the perform command rotates the parent as well.



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GrannyJ
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@Colonel_Klink
It is a rather simple, be it tedious process, but it is easy to do.  Just follow the steps I outlined.  If you'd like, send me your plane ( you can email it to grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com or put it up on Dropbox or Google Docs & send me the link) and a list of the animations you want in the plane's perform menu & I will create a step-by-step tutorial for you to go by.



iClone Certified Content Developer and Author of the Pinky Frink® Adventure Series & the Pinky Frink® Learning Books
site: Granny J's 3D Attic SKYPE = grannyjsplace email: grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com
MY RIG: GPU: Dual GeForce GTX 970M | CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)i7-5930K @3.50GHz| 32.00 GB RAM | OS: Win 7 Pro SP1 | DX11








billgucci2
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Colonel_Klink,
Did you follow what Granny J said....

Parent - Plane... pivot: bottom center
Sub-Props - pivots set where needed.

Select plane and merge Sub-Props.
Select plane and open the "Edit Animation Layer."
Animate Sub-Props.
Add to Perform.
Done

Colonel_Klink
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Kelleytoons (1/30/2019)
When you say "ANY ideas" I assume you only mean ideas hat work as performs, because you are selling this prop, right?

Because the idea that immediately occurs to me nowadays is to use Python instead.  I do this and it works fine -- my script animates the subprops and can do it independently of each other (I'm going to guess a perform acts like a motion clip on the entire model and thus you can only have one because the other ones reset -- however, I'm pretty ignorant about that whole process).

Just a thought.


HI Mike. I used to animate (or should I say set up a model for animation) models when I worked for Bohemia Interactive creating aircraft for their military sim. Generally the game engine would have the animations built in and I'd have to set the models pivot points (rudder, flaps, etc) in the model itself then create a c++ configuration file that set up my  (aircraft say) as a subclass of the  base aircraft class that was in the game engine. That done it was a matter of compiling the model and configuration file and the model was good to go.
However if there were additional parts of the model that needed to be  animated within the model (gun turrets, opening canopies, doors, etc) a secondary file would be created. This was essentially a script file that pertained to the particular model which allowed the player to access those  extra functions.
While it sounds complicated it isn't once one understands the concepts and commands needed in both configuration and scripting files. That said I have been quite excited about the use of python to animate props in iClone. Given time I guess I will give it a shot.
In the meantime I've always been confused with iClone's animation and perform commands.
I can recall the vehicle in iClone 5 which used the perform commands to move the vehicle and open and close doors, all that seemed to work fine without one perform resetting another. I do think aml scripting language was used then. Hence the dilemma at which I am now facing.

And yes, this aircraft, along with several others will be put up into the store.



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