Now that I've been doing videos with iclone around 2 years I conclude there is one tool we need.
We need a tool like I have seen with other animation builders. A tool that makes movement, especially avatar walking, running and such easier. I'm OK with the motion editor and motion puppet for upper body movements. The most difficult and tedious processes are with the avatars walking, running, crawling and other movements from one place to another. The path command has it's own set of anomalies. Placement of paths close to each other and then trying to get avatars to follow specific paths doesn't always work well.
This video is from muvizu another animation software. This is terrific movement tool from what I can tell, and would save hours of time for basic movements of avatars in scenes with alot of avatars, walking, standing, sitting, standing, turning in place, etc.
http://www.muvizu.com/Video/17237/Tutorial-19-Directing-Character-movementWhen we use the path command it takes so much time to get the character just to go where it should. Then you have the problem of motion content items that have to be started with the avatar in specific positions.
How often I have used a path command to move character across the screen and when I apply motions the avatar will do a turn. It is a pain getting the avatar going the way it should. In fact, this usually requires some kind of workaround to get the avatar to move the way you want it.
How many times I've use motion tools after I have moved the avatar to the end of path, and then when I applied the motion tool the avatar turned around and started off in that direction. How many times have I just wanted the avatar to stop at the end of a path and turn around facing the direction it came. This takes workaround to fix.
I realize there are so many other motions we can do in iclone, but why not have something simple like the video above as well. I mean we have motion editor, motion puppet.
Currently, I am working on a project where about 9 characters are walking around and moving within each scene. It is so time consuming and tedious, especially where paths cross each other or too close to each other.
I may be repeating myself here, but my experience is relevant to me.
I worked on a airport scene at the ticket counter and it drove me nuts getting all the proper walking and motions associated with the legs and turning of the avatars. Busy scenes with many avatars and alot of independent movement of avatars walking, sitting down, standing up, turns while walking, turns while standing in different directions can take hours and hours of work.
I don't care if we still have the path command, it works for flying and things like that. It is just that when paths are close to each other or cross over each other, the avatars exceed the path, don't terminate the path properly, get lost and pick path of another avatar, etc.
Seriously, the path command stinks and it needs work. Simpler ways to do things is a very powerful message. Muvizu may not be a contender now, but they do have simpler ways of doing things...that will eventually register with alot of people. That is, if they can stay in business of course.
Time is important to me and I am not alone in this. I am constantly pressed for time.
I have an iclone project right now that I have put on hold, which should have been completed long ago. It has a large number of avatars in each scene and all those movements will take days of work to do to complete the movements in the scenes. All that tedious work is not motivating me.
It isn't fun...that is sure, and so often frustrating when things don't work as they should.
RL pays attention when it comes to things they really want to do or fix. This is not my first posting about the paths, nor the last RL is going to get about the way avatar movement is facilitated.