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By bud_20121023184423262 - 10 Years Ago
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So, when I first got iClone I attempted an INSANE first project and basically spent the next three years cutting my iClone teeth on it. It was waaaaaaay too long for an iClone first effort, but, as it turned out, I finished the rough of it just as iClone6 was released.
Tonight I finally got around to playing with iClone6 (animation tends to be a "winter thing" for me).
Anyway, I'm already pretty impressed. It just seems so much more intuitive than any of the iClone5 incarnations. The built-in motions seem to layer more easily and more naturally. Editing them also seems much less buggy than in past.
So I thought I'd put this question out there. Just wondering what people think -- esp. those who have been in this same situation. I now have a 20 minute "Masterpiece" in iClone5 that is riddled with defects, distractions, and jerky motion. I've already done one INSANE thing in my iClone career and, thankfully, have learned from it (I think). It would be COMPLETELY INSANE to re-do my baby in iClone6, right? I mean, *so* insane that it's insane for the thought to have even gone through my head. I know, I know. I'm *not* going to do that!
But what say ye who have stood in these shoes? Or even ye sympathizers amongst ye all?
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Therapeutic Advice? I did a little 30 second project tonight and it was just soooooo much smoooooother. The little crazy man in my head wants to see that smoothness in my Masterpiece (I use this word very loosely. Maybe even oppositely). But the semi-sane dude who has (maybe) learned from his previous trip over the iClone edge knows that it's best to move forward. To develop new skills while seeing new ideas come to life. Right?
As I type this a compromise does come to mind. Maybe redo some of the choppier scenes iClone6? And leave the rest the hell alone. Keep my twitchy little fingers off it, right?
Right?
RIGHT?
That would be the sane thing, right?
Okay, breathe . . .
Bud
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By Rampa - 10 Years Ago
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It will most likely just "work" in iClone 6. Just open it up and see what fixes it needs. I'm constantly finding ways to make my animations a bit smoother. :)
We can usually provide some help with specific motion issues.
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By animagic - 10 Years Ago
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I have a fairly large project that I started in iClone 5, and I did exactly what Rampa says, I loaded the existing scenes in iClone 6. I have found that for the most part things transfer quite well. It will at least give you a basis to work from.
Most of my characters in this project are G5, and I started replacing them with Character Creator avatars. By selecting the avatar you want to replace in the scene and then double-clicking the replacement avatar in the Content Manager, the new avatar will replace the old one while all animation is transferred to the new avatar. (You can also drag/drop the new avatar on the old one.) Of course, the animation may need some adjustment.
This procedure works most of the time, although tonight I had a scene that crashed when I tried to do that.
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By Kelleytoons - 10 Years Ago
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No iClone expert (or even amateur) here but from the standpoint of a longtime animator and content producer my best advice is to leave your old project alone.
As all directors who care about their work know, you are never satisfied. Being completely satisfied is the mark of a true novice, someone who doesn't care about refining and perfecting their craft. It's almost a fatal flaw, one that causes even the rich and famous to mistakenly go back and revise their stuff long after they should have just left well enough alone (and that even includes luminaries such as Spielberg).
There is a time to move on and let it go, and just because the tools get better (or your own talents do) doesn't mean you need to go back and revisit things. The one and only time I'd do this is if there is something so compelling about your original message that you didn't feel get stated, that you completely mucked up the first time around, that you really need to give it one more go.
For a nice "compare and contrast" look at the first season of "The Simpsons" and then their newest episode. You won't believe how awful the art and direction and voicework seems then. No redos because it's STILL wonderful to watch and enjoy. If you did it right the first time it will be worth viewing and if you didn't, the likelihood is you'll never get it fixed.
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By mark - 10 Years Ago
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The key for me is breaking a large iC5 project into individual "scenes" which I usually do anyway even in iC5. What worked smoothly in iC5 doesn't seem to run so smooth in iC6, for me at least. My video card, I hope, is the reason for the "sluggishness" of iC6. So until I replace it, it helps if I take things in small chunks. And yeah it's great to be able to use those wonderful new avatars for sure.
I do miss some of the iC5 animation tools like "Mix-Moves" though!
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By mark - 10 Years Ago
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They're "hinting" at a new locomotion system!! We can only hope for bigger and better!!:D:D
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By animagic - 10 Years Ago
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The Mix-Moves clips are still there and they do blend together pretty good. So it's more of a convenience that is missing.
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By animagic - 10 Years Ago
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mark (10/31/2015)
The key for me is breaking a large iC5 project into individual "scenes" which I usually do anyway even in iC5. What worked smoothly in iC5 doesn't seem to run so smooth in iC6, for me at least. My video card, I hope, is the reason for the "sluggishness" of iC6. So until I replace it, it helps if I take things in small chunks. And yeah it's great to be able to use those wonderful new avatars for sure.
I do miss some of the iC5 animation tools like "Mix-Moves" though!
Mark, I have an older home-built system with an i7 2600K and what really made a huge difference was replacing my Nvidia GTX 580 card with a GTX 980. I was intending to build a new PC, but replacing the card gave my current one new life. There is now a GTX 980 Ti which would even be better.
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By animagic - 10 Years Ago
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@Kellytoons: I think it depends on what state your project is in. I interpreted the OP's question as concerning a project that was started but by no means finished.
For my current project I did prep work in iClone 5, because I knew I wanted to use the upcoming iClone 6 for the actual work, and there was no particular rush to get it finished. After playing around with CC, I now really want to replace the main characters, as it will improve the overall visual quality. It doesn't make it necessarily a better movie, but I like to advance my art for my own sake.
Now if I had an iClone 5 project that was almost done, I would most likely stick with iClone 5.
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 10 Years Ago
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Wow, thanks for all the great replies. There's a lot of wisdom in what Kellytoons says. Amimagic makes a good point -- as far as the "stage" my project is at. I considered it a completed first draft of the animation and general story. That is, I have all the scene "there" to load into the NLE and in fact *have* loaded them into my NLE with the intent of smoothing some scenes out before "locking" the picture.
No voice work (other than dummy voice work) or scoring or foley has been done yet.
Animagic's reply intrigues me -- it implies that upgrading to a G6 character will help with the animation? Do I understand that right? That is, if I were to make an exact replica (ahem, "clone") of my lead character "Nigel," except starting with a G6 base, I will have an easier time tweaking the animations? Do I understand that correctly? Or do you think I should leave the character (G5) alone if I am happy with his appearance (though not his motion)?
Thoughts?
Peace,
Bud (got a grip today)
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By Rampa - 10 Years Ago
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The body animation tools have not been significantly altered from what was in iC5. They did drop the MixMoves control panel, and have plans to replace it with something better.
You really won't be getting better body animations with the G6 avatars, but they do look better. You will get better facial animation. The lip-sync is better with G6 avatars (the CC ones, not the intermediate ones), and now has some additional smoothing tools available.
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By mark - 10 Years Ago
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Mark, I have an older home-built system with an i7 2600K and what really made a huge difference was replacing my Nvidia GTX 580 card with a GTX 980. I was intending to build a new PC, but replacing the card gave my current one new life. There is now a GTX 980 Ti which would even be better.
Yeah I have a 980Ti on order...we'll see??
'course that Nvidia Titan looks interesting with 12 gigs a VRAM but I just don't have a spare 1,500.00 bucks at the moment :P:P:P:P:P:P:P
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By animagic - 10 Years Ago
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rampa (10/31/2015)
You really won't be getting better body animations with the G6 avatars, but they do look better. You will get better facial animation. The lip-sync is better with G6 avatars (the CC ones, not the intermediate ones), and now has some additional smoothing tools available.
Yes, I was referring to their looks, not so much the motions, although the lip-synching is indeed better.
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 10 Years Ago
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Thanks Rampa & Animagic, for explaining the animation differences between G5 and G6 characters.
I think I'll stick with my G5 character for this project.
Also the iClone6 animation I did the other night as a test was with G6 characters using their built-in moves (and tweaking slightly).
Best test will be for me to open up my iClone 5 project and try to adjust some of the animations in iClone6 and see how it goes. Will be getting to that this week, I suspect!
Good to know you guys are still here.
Thanks for all the help
Peace,
Bud
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