View Full Version : need/want some animation mentoring?
hello,
this message is for anyone
last year our team ran into some porblems in our animtion, things that we couldn't do our were beyond our capability. This year, we spent alot of time reading tutorial books and working over the summer to better our skills. What we had wished for last year was some team that could help us out and give us a few pointers. we did turn to this website a couple of times but the answer was sometimes a little more than we could handle and at the deadline, we couldn't really get much help.
that... we have decided to change this year. What our team is offering is help to any team in animtion. More or less... we will mentor you. Whcih means via a private email or phone call, you can ask us any question and we will give you the answer. If you are a rookie team this could be beneficial to you especially at the deadline when you get in over your head and don't know what to do or are completely lost. We also won't steal your ideas so you can comunicate with us privately, and in some instances (which have already been arranged with another team) we may swap materials. We would like to keep this open to all teams but mainly to rookie teams that are just starting because you will need more help than advanced animators.
If you are interested or would like more info you may email me at the_direktor@hotmail.com and I'll try to answer your questions.
Sunny Thaper
27-10-2002, 00:42
Thanks for offering a helping hand to all of the animation teams. I am sure that come animation time your offer will be well used.
Redhead Jokes
27-10-2002, 10:47
Our team's never competed with animation before, we thought we'd get off the ground this year, doesn't look like it.
We'll be calling you if we ever get going on it.
brokenleftthumb
02-11-2002, 00:26
thanx for offering help. I really need some help and general tips on making an good animation since it is our team's first year working on animation. Also, could u tell me the winning teams for 2002's animation competition.
Ryan Dognaux
02-11-2002, 00:29
Mentoring great :) I'll be sure to e-mail you something if our team hits a roadblock during the season. I have a question that I posted in another post here, but no one has answered it with proof -
What's the limitation to music on an animation?
Tyler Olds
17-11-2002, 21:28
I have a sugestion.
How about a FIRST animators Work shop? Hold it over the summer in a centralized location depending on who all signs up and we can go for a week. If that is nto reasonable, maybe onling teaching. Like a workshop online, you would teach online and we could ask questions, ect...
Let me know what you guys think,
Tyler
Sunny Thaper
17-11-2002, 23:42
Originally posted by Team93FIRST
I have a sugestion.
How about a FIRST animators Work shop? Hold it over the summer in a centralized location depending on who all signs up and we can go for a week. If that is nto reasonable, maybe onling teaching. Like a workshop online, you would teach online and we could ask questions, ect...
Let me know what you guys think,
Tyler I like both ideas. If there are teachers, I can create the means for online learning. I wanna know what everyone else thinks first.
depends.
I think that an online workshop could work, but that we would need dedicated teachers. But why create a new website, when we could just use this froum to teach. In the past it has always been, if you have a question someone could answer it. (our mentoring program is a littl emore personal than that but oh well)
In resposnse to the workshop, where would it be, everyone would want it close to their hometown, or they wouldn't go. And you would have to get some kind of funding for it as well.
They both sound like really good ideas but I think more thought needs to be put into the logistics of it.
also are there any other teams that are considering being mentored by our team?
Tyler Olds
19-11-2002, 09:16
yes, as the coordinator (yeah thats what they call it)
I would be very interesed in help!!! Maybe some how get an online chat going at a certain time when you would be on. I think that would work very well :D
please put 910 on your list, we are going to give it a try this year, I know help would be needed and we will thank you now and in the upcomming months
team 910,
just give me an email so I can start giving you the information.
the_direktor@hotmail.com
brokenleftthumb
30-11-2002, 23:58
Any where i could get the winnig animation from last year.. or any good ones?
Trashed20
01-12-2002, 00:09
In your pre-kit this year you should hve recieved a dvd with all of the animations from last year.
Ryan Dognaux
01-12-2002, 00:18
Originally posted by brokenleftthumb
Any where i could get the winnig animation from last year.. or any good ones?
Ours was decent... at least I thought so :) Go to www.cyberblue234.com and look in downloads, if you have trouble IM me at "Evilstanley".
brokenleftthumb
01-12-2002, 00:19
Remember there were two guys, one from AutoDesk, one from Canada, they gave advice on how to make a good animation, also comments on the winning animation last year in Florida(well, this year, technically). Is anyone from any team got this on tape by any chance?
Sunny Thaper
01-12-2002, 00:47
Originally posted by brokenleftthumb
Remember there were two guys, one from AutoDesk, one from Canada, they gave advice on how to make a good animation, also comments on the winning animation last year in Florida(well, this year, technically). Is anyone from any team got this on tape by any chance? Hope this link can help.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/item/0,,1047962-123112,00.html
Tyler Olds
01-12-2002, 11:57
Thats what I was going to post sunny! Gee thanks for posting what I was going to post! :p
Um you know that award that I think we gae out last year to you sunny? are we gonna do that this year? i think it was for who was the most helpful on the boards if I am right.
Tyler
Sunny Thaper
01-12-2002, 17:17
Originally posted by Team93FIRST
Thats what I was going to post sunny! Gee thanks for posting what I was going to post! :p
Um you know that award that I think we gae out last year to you sunny? are we gonna do that this year? i think it was for who was the most helpful on the boards if I am right.
Tyler Leave it up to me to be the jerk that gets things done first :P
As for the award, yes it was for the most helpful person as based on this board, and I am not sure. I actually wanted to make and give one out myself but I don't know if I can even go. Last year it was kind of a last minute idea so I would say probably expect the same this year.
brokenleftthumb
02-12-2002, 19:09
Thanks a lot, non-Canadians :-). you've been very helpful
when christmas break starts for me, out team will stop accepting teams that wish to be mentored by us. So if you have any slight idea that you MAY be starting an nimation and would require help then PLEASE email us before december 20. I say this only because I would like to establish some kind of personal contact with you before kickoff, so that we can have some way of making communication and an easier sharing of ideas.
so if u r interested email me
the_direktor@hotmail.com
David, if you need to contact someone via the internet during christmas break you're welcome to come over to my house and use one of the three computers connected to my cable modem. Jill wont be around after Christmas, if you're concerned.
Sunny Thaper
12-12-2002, 20:57
Originally posted by Matt VP
David, if you need to contact someone via the internet during christmas break you're welcome to come over to my house and use one of the three computers connected to my cable modem. Jill wont be around after Christmas, if you're concerned. Sounds personal. :D
Originally posted by Sunny Thaper
Sounds personal. :D
we're on the same team and his sister is annoying, but we hardly ever see each other in school.
Sunny Thaper
13-12-2002, 13:03
Originally posted by TEAM_74
we're on the same team and his sister is annoying, but we hardly ever see each other in school. Sounds odd.
it's a big school and he's a sophmore
no more whitty remarks from you
Sunny Thaper
16-12-2002, 14:42
Originally posted by TEAM_74
it's a big school and he's a sophmore
no more whitty remarks from you Hahaha. I'm sorry, I was getting bored. :(
Brian Wolz
07-01-2003, 15:00
Our team has never done the animation contest before, and I would like to get our animation team going......but I dont really know 3dSmax that well....Any teams near Baltimore willing to give some mentorship.....or how did everyone else learn, I think they have stopped all workshops in our area. Any other idieas on how i could get some help learning the animation?? Thanks!
TUTORIALS
our whole team learned how to use max by using the tutorials.
quickest way to leatn and takes only about 2 weeks to grasp a basic/medium understanding of the program. Look at the threads (links for the lost) near the top of this forum...they help out alot.
Hermione692
08-01-2003, 21:35
hello everyone! I'm Hermione from team 692 in Sacramento, Cali
This is our first year attempting the animation : )
I had a few questions: :confused:
What do you actually make the animation in autodek or 3dsMAX...there are sooo many cds... what are used for what?
How long are the animations usually... I'm trying to go simple seeing it is our first year, plus we have no mentors or students who have used the software
And u know those short samples, can u use those in the animation?
Thanks:D
Hermione
"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business. Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git. Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor. Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball"
Chris Nowak
08-01-2003, 22:45
Yeah, the software you use to make the program is 3dsmax. It comes in a box which has a cd case which holds the cd. Autodesk is the name of the company which sells 3dsmax and endorses first. Animations must be no longer than 30 seconds, and most people use up their entire time(kinda dumb not to). What do you mean by "short samples"?
Hermione692
09-01-2003, 02:07
I think it was on the autodesk cd that i found some examples...one of a planet, one with a dinosaur, an ape. Little samples so you can see what exactly you can do with the program.
Hermione
my email is the_direktor@hotmail.com
our team (me and chris and about 5 other guys) is dedicted this season to helping out other teams.
Those short samples were made to display how max works and what is accomplished...some of those things are final products of tutorials.
The quickest way to learn is to begin the tutorials...from page one. Don't skip anything because you'll regret it later...if you start today in about 2 weeks you'll be well on your way to understanding the program and then you can get down to some hardcore modeling.
Hermione692
09-01-2003, 18:21
When exactly is the animation due? And is it okay if we use last year's animation cds, because our school doesn't have Windows 98. Thanks : )
hermione
Chris Nowak
09-01-2003, 20:55
Of course you may use last years software CDs. All the animations must be at the autodesk place(read the rules) by february 21 which is much earlier than last year. You need to burn your uncompressed animation onto a CD and mail it to them (or drive if your close).
Daishichimaru
09-01-2003, 21:57
Since I haven't had time to actually dig up the rulebook and look yet, are we still using cinepak@100% for the final output?
In the main rulebook it says teams can use any compression they want, which sounds kind of funky.
Daishichimaru
10-01-2003, 00:03
That's going to have to be clarified. They can't possibly allow that, it would create unimaginable headaches for the judges in trying to install all the necessary codecs on the player machines, not to mention finding the codecs themselves. But, for all of that.. anybody got a Bink lisence they wanna let me borrow? ;)
riley_ag
10-01-2003, 00:18
it is really bad.... at least I have had bad luck with it.
maybe if you increase the number of keyframes to 30/sec or whatever your frame rate is
I would recommend using divx or sonsoren, they are pretty good
but first always render out uncompressed and when you put your scenes together...then use the compression
learned that the hard way last year, we had no clue what we where doing then:p
Riley
in the rule books it states that animation teams can use any compression that they want...provided it fits on a cd. SO agreeing with riley...divx would be awesome for something like this.
Just say no to cinepak.
also, any teams that are putting their robot in the animation, could you please enlighten some of us how that will work seeing as you only have 2 days after it's shipped to model and render it.
Mike Betts
10-01-2003, 07:53
Dave,
At the risk of sounding pompous:
1. We are now near the end of the first week in a 6 week design and build cycle. Your team should have a fair idea as to what your robot will look like.
2. Ideally, a CAD model is developed B4 you build. Real world, this sometimes happens in parallel. At any rate, you should have a fair CAD model by week 3.
3. Import the CAD model into 3DSmax and animate in weeks 4 and 5.
4. Update the 3DS model with any last minute changes just before final render in week 5 and 6.
If you wait until the robot ships, you are lost...
Good Luck!
well thanks for your suggestions but our team usaully doesn't have a completed robot until week 5-6. This year could be a change however. Also from auotcad, what fle source would you import from?
Mike Betts
10-01-2003, 08:09
DXF
Daishichimaru
10-01-2003, 08:26
Re:Riley -
Last year we were required to submit in 100% cinepak. Bink is the best to use if somehow we can get FIRST to swing us a lisence, otherwise it's DivX.
LizJJury
10-01-2003, 15:18
Thanks for the offer! We might be need some help since the only person who knows how to use max is grounded for the next two months. If we have any questions we will post or pm one of you guys.
again thanks for the offer!
a rookie member that is a senior
-liz-
riley_ag
10-01-2003, 17:58
I know it was required...
but it really sucks...
:P
brokenleftthumb
11-01-2003, 00:01
wonder if I have to use 3ds max studio to make the animation?... 'cause most of my teammates onlly know how to us Maya. They are only asking us for the exported video, right?
We are often finalizing our robot in the last week as well. But we dont change it that much and we can often model the new design before the builders build the actual robot -- They do usually have a sketch so they know what to build themselves.
If the robot changes too much- Oh Well! No where in the rules does it say the Robot is required or that it has to be the actual or exact version of your finalized design.
I will be contacting Autodesk about the codec issue as well. They are asking for trouble by not specifying exact settings. Who ever thought it was uncompressed is mixxing it up with last years rules and autodesk figured out halfway through the process that that would never fit on a CD.
It was an excellent tip to work with uncompressed files untill you get your final animation- then output compressed version. Don't work with compressed files- it will effect the quality of your final renders and compression.
3D STUDIO IS A MUST- NO MAYA- NO LIGHTWAVE- NO NOTHING
I'd be more than happy to answer questions as best I can. If its gets to be too much for team 74 I am willing to help any team as well. Especially with advanced concepts and approaches. If I dont know I will definately get you going in the right direction.
skline@sunrisenterprises.net
We are well underway and have our concept, storyboards and script- so we dont need or want to steal anyone elses ideas- Your secrets are safe with me!
basically for all of the remaining teams that didn't ask for help earlier, please ask your question in this thread. There were alot of teams that asked for help and many send emails every day. so having new teams email me takes more time. Don't let that discourage you, just a small reminder that things will be a little slow, that's all. And anyone that wants to help me out, you can email me.
hope that everyone survived week 1.
Hermione692
13-01-2003, 17:11
Hello, Hermione from 692 here (and new with animation). What exactly is the difference. Do you use one to put the animation in and the other use to help with creating certain characters? I don't know, I'm very very new with this so. Lets just say i need lots of help with animation. And for the tutorials should we go over the autodesk tutorials or 3dsmax or both? An explaination of both programs and what they are used for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :)
Hermione
Chris Nowak
13-01-2003, 22:09
Autodesk is the company which makes 3d Studio MAX, the software you use to create the animation.
Originally posted by Hermione692
I'm very very new with this so. Lets just say i need lots of help with animation.
If you havent done this before you have to start with the tutorials and do them soon! With out a basic understanding of tools and function of the program noone can help you much. We can assist you but nothing will make sence if you dont speak the same language.
Good luck. If you are focused you can get through all the basic tutorials in a week or so. In the mean time try to get a concept of your animation and draw it out. I'd keep it simple since you still need to learn the software. Then you can alternate between trying to make a little progress in the animation and trying to get through some more tutorials.
I have my team doing tutorials from the second the software arrives- since we have 3-other versions of the software they actually started a couple months ago. The one member we have remaining from last year was able to get to some of the more advanced stuff. So do what you can for now then get cranking on the animation the times a ticking
to make things easier...anyone that has never used max before...don't count on being able to learn right off the bat by having us answer small questions...that would take you the entire season and then some. PLease just start with the tutorials. I've said it beofre and i'll say it again...90% of your questions are easily answered there. You wil aslo learn the program very quickly.
thank you.
LizJJury
14-01-2003, 16:47
so does anyone know where to find massive amounts of people for like a crowd or audiance or something?
our little secret is that we will maake one person, and then change the apperance alittle bit and then use crowd, from character studio.
Depending on the look and feel you want- you can also try video footage- Grab a camera and get a bunch of people in your school gym and shoot away. But if 3D crowds work better for you the previous post should do just fine.
brokenleftthumb
15-01-2003, 00:19
team_78:
"PLease just start with the tutorials. I've said it beofre and i'll say it again...90% of your questions are easily answered there."
tutorials.... wonder which one u talking about?
any tutorial. Most question that are asked here are more easily answered in tutorial books or reference books. And anone who says that takes to long...a newbee to animtion buzzed through the books in 2 weeks and is now in charge of character animation.
I agree- You cant be helped if you dont have this foundation. The software comes with a lot of tutorials that will take you from "Starting the Tutorials" to actually creating objects and rendering and such.
OPEN THE BOOKS- Have the tutorial CD handy 'cuz you need it!
All my guys got through the main tutorials in a couple weeks as well- so I concure.
Good luck.
LizJJury
21-01-2003, 12:47
that id unless of course other people have the books or the books don't help....inventor....tried to do the book just confused me. 3ds max has a great tutorial book but i haven't read through all of it yet cause someone else is doing that now.....
we have a team with one person who knows what they are doing.....
yay...
Do you work together or in different locations. Even if its somone's home you need to have a central place to work and even then you need to share! (I'm trying to teach my 11month old twins that every day- No comparison here just a side note!)
The tutorials will give to a foundation. if you get confused then you need to have the person that knows what they're doing and get them to help everyone. The reason you all need to work together is to learn from each other. You trade techniques and ideas and motivation. Thats what TEAM is all about!
By the way we are in Week three- 4.5 weeks left!!
Not to put the pressure on or anything!
Tyler Olds
21-01-2003, 16:26
Originally posted by AnimeRaul234
Ours was decent... at least I thought so :) Go to www.cyberblue234.com and look in downloads, if you have trouble IM me at "Evilstanley".
heh um yours, was ummmm, well me and the person who i taught doing it completely on our own for the first time, I would say that our animation was.......... simple. This years should be pretty cool though. One word for the 2nd half of our animation, holodeck!!!!!!
Ryan Dognaux
21-01-2003, 17:07
Originally posted by Butcher93
heh um yours, was ummmm, well me and the person who i taught doing it completely on our own for the first time, I would say that our animation was.......... simple. This years should be pretty cool though. One word for the 2nd half of our animation, holodeck!!!!!!
Hey it wasn't that bad :( especially for our 2nd year...
This year is our 3rd year on Animation, but we did lose the 2 main animation people last year... so I'm kinda heading it up this year :\ . The best advice I can give new teams is to keep it simple, but get your message across in a really good way. This year's animation should be about a certain aspect of FIRST, so our animation will only have things in it related to our aspect. With only 2 (sometimes 3) people working on Animation this year, we have no choice but to keep it simple.
brokenleftthumb
24-01-2003, 10:24
I am sorta confused by the animation rules this year..... in fact, I tried to search for the animation rules on usfirst.org and couldn't find any, the site only gave me a guideline on how to decide a animation storyline.... Can anyone tell me where the rules are?
On the first site go to the robotics link and then the documents and updates link. There you need to look for the AWARDS.PDF , I'm pretty sure the Autodesk Visualization Award (which is what it is officially called) starts on page 17 of that PDF.
brokenleftthumb
14-02-2003, 23:50
Got a question. anyone knows please reply ASAP!!! Will the time showing the text be counted as part of the 30 seconds animation. and I don't mean the cast in the end but the text in the middle of the animation (e.g. indicatng the time-3 minutes later, 1 year later, etc)
Got a question. anyone knows please reply ASAP!!! Will the time showing the text be counted as part of the 30 seconds animation. and I don't mean the cast in the end but the text in the middle of the animation (e.g. indicatng the time-3 minutes later, 1 year later, etc)
Yes it WILL count as part of 30 seconds. By the rules, the timing starts once animation leaves the opening still, and stops at the beginning of 5 second black screen. You don't want to have any more than 30 seconds/900 frames in between those, since violation of that might lead to a DQ.
Can anyone help with scrolling subtitles? We've finished the animation, but we're having trouble in Adobe Premiere. If anyone could help us, we have to finish this tonight...Thanks!:ahh:
Can anyone help with scrolling subtitles?
If you are having problems with Premiere, why not just use 3ds max? just draw a credits list in Photoshop - map it on a plane, and animate the plane moving upwards in max. Render it and you'll have decent scrolling credits.
Originally posted by Lizzy
Can anyone help with scrolling subtitles? We've finished the animation, but we're having trouble in Adobe Premiere. If anyone could help us, we have to finish this tonight...Thanks!:ahh:
The 3DS method should work just fine.
But another way is to just have a series of still frames that disolve from one to another.
As far as premiere is concerned, have you looked in the help files or online so see if there are tutorials or support to help you do the scrolling text? I haven't used premiere in years and cant help you with out sitting infront of it. In an Avid, I would use the Title tool to type out my Credits, then I would place them over my background footage (or black) and the keyframe the first and last position, then viola Scrolling text. See if there's a simpleway to keyframe your elements (you may need to look in the DVE (digital video effects) effects pallet if the effects are catagorized that way. Good luck.
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