AuthorTopic: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014  (Read 168974 times)

Offline Tourist

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #430 on: September 14, 2014, 05:21:29 pm
I'm looking for a software recommendation.  Preferably free, but cheap is ok too.

I've some success at creating art by starting from simple shapes.  Just flat blobs and curved lines that can be moved around to lay out the composition, lines of action, and so forth.  It's easy to do with pencil and paper.  I would like to do this with a software tool.  So far I've looked at some free vector art tools and they aren't quite what I'm looking for.

Here's is an example use case:



Here are two circles of different sizes, and a path that connects them.   The circles might be arbitrary blob shapes.  The path may have more than two intermediate points.

Moving one of the circles should pull the intermediate nodes of the path in the same direction, but not the other end point.  Moving an intermediate node changes the curve of a path, but doesn't move the endpoints.   This means the nodes of the path need to be in a hierarchy; endpoint position influences midpoints, but not the other way around.

Changing the size of one of the circles should change the width of the path at that end.  This change can be toggled to propagate along the path or just to the first intermediate point.

I think I'm looking for simple 2d plus built in rigging, and something like inverse kinematics.  I haven't found this yet.   The free tools either work with a single whole object at a time, or fine tweaking of individual points.  Nothing that has one shape adjust another, nothing that propagates info from one point to another.

Do you know of any software that does this?

Thanks,
Tourist

Offline surt

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #431 on: September 14, 2014, 08:20:07 pm
You could probably to do this in blender (tried testing but my dev build keeps locking up) with armatures and envelope display. Just constrain and/or ignore the 3rd dimension.

Offline tim

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #432 on: September 15, 2014, 12:46:00 am
You can do it with After Effects, using plugins like this :
http://aescripts.com/puppettools/
Founder of Odd Tales
Art Director - Game Director - Game designer - Motion designer

Offline Tourist

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #433 on: September 15, 2014, 07:01:48 pm
Thanks for the recommendations.  I'm off to dig into some software.

Tourist

Offline Ellian

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #434 on: September 24, 2014, 05:40:36 pm
http://vimeo.com/106576633

I FOUND THIS AND IT'S AWESOME

Offline Crow

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Offline Ellian

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #436 on: September 25, 2014, 09:17:56 am
Gee, now I feel really stupid.
I ought to lurk more in the Pixel section, huh.  :-[

Offline Atnas

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #437 on: November 05, 2014, 10:42:44 pm
I haven't been around much because I felt burnt out on freelancing, having never worked a physical job ever, and started working for Uniqlo. Grass is always greener etc. at least when you compare $20/hr freelance to $9/hr retail.

Though they have made me into their alterations sweatshop boy, so as a plus I can sew really fast now...?

Anyway I dialed down my schedule so hopefully I can spend more time here and improve my abilities so freelance doesn't have to be as frustrating. I never did post any of my puppet animation stuff.

Offline Kasumi

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #438 on: November 05, 2014, 10:53:45 pm
Ay, welcome back!
I make actual NES games. Thus, I'm the unofficial forum dealer of too much information about the NES

Offline Probo

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread 2014

Reply #439 on: November 13, 2014, 11:47:32 am
word up atnas