Timelapse Assets - Revision history

Bassam: /* Shaders */

2016-05-13T17:17:08Z

Shaders

Bassam: /* Shaders */

2016-05-13T17:12:23Z

Shaders

Bassam: /* Use and Caching */

2016-05-13T16:56:37Z

Use and Caching

Bassam: /* Shaders */

2016-05-13T16:34:07Z

Shaders

Bassam: /* Shaders */

2016-05-13T16:32:20Z

Shaders

Bassam: /* Timelapse Toolbox */

2016-05-13T16:24:52Z

Timelapse Toolbox

Bassam: /* Shaders */

2016-05-12T22:16:10Z

Shaders

Bassam: /* Animation */

2016-05-12T20:49:33Z

Animation

Bassam: /* Creating The Asset */

2016-05-12T20:38:23Z

Creating The Asset

Bassam: Created page with "== Creating The Asset == Since the asset must show the effect of time, we need to make an animatable group with a time driver that will take from 'creation' to 'death' though..."

2016-05-12T20:25:59Z

Created page with "== Creating The Asset == Since the asset must show the effect of time, we need to make an animatable group with a time driver that will take from 'creation' to 'death' though..."

New page

== Creating The Asset ==
Since the asset must show the effect of time, we need to make an animatable group with a time driver that will take from 'creation' to 'death' though in some cases we will only need a subsection of the total lifetime of an object.
For example, a security camera may be installed, operate for a while, age and rust, and finally cease function and be removed. The rig for the camera, in addition to controlling (for example) the swivel of the camera head, must have a property that can control the age of the camera in those stages. It's easiest to break up this workflow into steps.
=== Modeling ===
modeling is pretty normal, except: You'll be modeling multiple stages. One way is to make a default stage that is representative of the model in the longest period of its existence, then make variations from copying that.
=== Animation ===

Next step is to animate the model/s. Don't worry about rigging/linking, here are some helpful hints:
- shapekeys are nice for either specific changes, or for general dishevelment
- lattice modifiers are nice because they can apply to multiple objects, you can then use a shapekey or other modifiers to affect the lattice
- the modifier stack is your friend!
- you can use mask modifiers to hide/unhide bits of your model, or booleans with animated cutters (but be careful, they're finicky)
- have fun, be creative! If you want to animate directly, use modifiers (hook everything to an empty, then animate that empty)

=== Shaders ===

Shaders might be the trickiest bit , the thing to remember is to think about how the material changes over time, not just fade it from 'old' to 'new' – the result will be either too subtle to see or somewhat fake looking if sped up. There's a growing library of timelapse nodes that should help with this – also if you end up creating something particularly cool, we can add it to the library. The library also has a built in 'time' input, so you don't have worry about the aging as much.

=== Rigging (timelapse) ===

Create an armature object (this should be the same one you use to control any non – timelapse animation of the group) and pick a bone that will be the driver for all the timelapse, and add a custom property to it – the name 'time' is quite appropriate. Then on to timelapse toolbox!

=== Timelapse Toolbox ===

In order

So you're not on your own – this addon should help in the process
== Use and Caching ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:17, 13 May 2016
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	[[file:modularmaterial.png]]		[[file:modularmaterial.png]]
		+
		+	'''Note:''' You don't have to make your materials modular: you can just animate them any old which way, and then, when you use timelapse toolbox to drive your animation in the 3D view, but it will non trivial to reuse bits from them later. This might become important if you are building variations on one material for the same asset/assets, or if you are making shaders for a library of node groups.

	=== Rigging (timelapse) ===		=== Rigging (timelapse) ===

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 * The same can be done (with more control) with a ramp node, but ramp nodes don't allow inputs - [[Timelapse toolbox]] can fix this.
 * Think of 'plugging in boxes' layering groups on top of each other - dust,  dirt, cracking paint, rust, cracks, etc layering on top of each other.
 === Rigging (timelapse) ===

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:56, 13 May 2016
Line 33:		Line 33:
	[[Timelapse toolbox]] contains all the tools you need to convert your local 'in asset' animation, into driven animation, where all time based animation is set to a property on a single bone.		[[Timelapse toolbox]] contains all the tools you need to convert your local 'in asset' animation, into driven animation, where all time based animation is set to a property on a single bone.

		+	== Asset-izing ==
		+	Once Rigging / modelling/ shading is complete, refer to the [[Creating a linkable asset]], [[blendflakes]], [[Reference_desk]], etc. to make this easy and controlled to use.
	== Use and Caching ==		== Use and Caching ==
		+	The use of these assets in anim files is identical to most, with one exception. Start by adding the asset via reference desk or direct linking. I'll encourage and disseminate a proxy creation script for the assets, to avoid having to manually press ctrl-alt-p and make the proxy.
		+	After proxying, time / aging is achievable via the rig, as well as any additional animation required.
		+	If you need more than one copy of an object (with different animation) you'll need to use the [[meshcacher]] addon, which allows creating chaches of your animation, in order to create new ones.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 === Shaders ===
 [[file:AgingShadersLib.png]]
-Shaders might be the trickiest bit , the thing to remember is to think about how the material changes over time, not just fade it from 'old' to 'new' – the result will be either too subtle to see or somewhat fake looking if sped up. There's a growing library of timelapse nodes  that should help with this – also if you end up creating something particularly cool, we can add it to the library. The library also has a built in 'time' input, so you don't have worry about the aging as much.
 * Animating the contrast of a brightness contrast node can give the appearance of a texture 'growing' or shrinking over time
 * The same can be done (with more control) with a ramp node, but ramp nodes don't allow inputs - [[Timelapse toolbox]] can fix this.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 === Shaders ===
+[[file:AgingShadersLib.png]]
 Shaders might be the trickiest bit , the thing to remember is to think about how the material changes over time, not just fade it from 'old' to 'new' – the result will be either too subtle to see or somewhat fake looking if sped up. There's a growing library of timelapse nodes  that should help with this – also if you end up creating something particularly cool, we can add it to the library. The library also has a built in 'time' input, so you don't have worry about the aging as much.
 * Animating the contrast of a brightness contrast node can give the appearance of a texture 'growing' or shrinking over time

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 === Timelapse Toolbox ===
-In order
+[[Timelapse toolbox]] contains all the tools you need to convert your local 'in asset' animation, into driven animation, where all time based animation is set to a property on a single bone.
 == Use and Caching ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:16, 12 May 2016
Line 20:		Line 20:

	Shaders might be the trickiest bit , the thing to remember is to think about how the material changes over time, not just fade it from 'old' to 'new' – the result will be either too subtle to see or somewhat fake looking if sped up. There's a growing library of timelapse nodes that should help with this – also if you end up creating something particularly cool, we can add it to the library. The library also has a built in 'time' input, so you don't have worry about the aging as much.		Shaders might be the trickiest bit , the thing to remember is to think about how the material changes over time, not just fade it from 'old' to 'new' – the result will be either too subtle to see or somewhat fake looking if sped up. There's a growing library of timelapse nodes that should help with this – also if you end up creating something particularly cool, we can add it to the library. The library also has a built in 'time' input, so you don't have worry about the aging as much.
		+	* Animating the contrast of a brightness contrast node can give the appearance of a texture 'growing' or shrinking over time
		+	* The same can be done (with more control) with a ramp node, but ramp nodes don't allow inputs - [[Timelapse toolbox]] can fix this.
		+	* Think of 'plugging in boxes' layering groups on top of each other - dust, dirt, cracking paint, rust, cracks, etc layering on top of each other.

	=== Rigging (timelapse) ===		=== Rigging (timelapse) ===

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 === Animation ===
-Next step is to animate the model/s. Don't worry about rigging/linking, here are some helpful hints:
+Next step is to animate the model/s. Don't worry too much about rigging/linking, here are some helpful hints:
-- shapekeys are nice for either specific changes, or for  general dishevelment
+* shapekeys are nice for either specific changes, or for  general dishevelment
-- lattice modifiers are nice because they can apply to multiple objects, you can then use a shapekey or other modifiers to affect the lattice
+* lattice modifiers are nice because they can apply to multiple objects, you can then use a shapekey or other modifiers to affect the lattice
-- the modifier stack is your friend!
+* the modifier stack is your friend!
-- you can use mask modifiers to hide/unhide bits of your model, or booleans with animated cutters (but be careful, they're finicky)
+* you can use mask modifiers to hide/unhide bits of your model, or booleans with animated cutters (but be careful, they're finicky)
-- have fun, be creative! If you want to animate directly, use modifiers (hook everything to an empty, then animate that empty)
+* direct animation (loc rot scale) should be rigged first - you can use armatures, hooks, any kind of modifiers.
 === Shaders ===

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 For example, a security camera may be installed, operate for a while, age and rust, and finally cease function and be removed. The rig for the camera, in addition to controlling (for example) the swivel of the camera head, must have a property that can control the age of the camera in those stages. It's easiest to break up this workflow into steps.
 === Modeling ===
-modeling is pretty normal, except: You'll be modeling multiple stages. One way is to make a default stage that is representative of the model in the longest period of its existence, then make variations from copying that.
+This should resemble normal assets but there are some differences.
 === Animation ===
@@ Line 26: / Line 29: @@
 So you're not on your own – this addon should help in the process
 == Use and Caching ==