Final Walk Cycle

Last few things to take care of

Combinding the render scenes in a program I have called Vegas Movie Studio (highly recommended if you're looking into creating videos. It doesn't crash all the time unlike Microsoft Movie Maker) I've managed to create a rendered animation for your viewing pleasures. In addition, I've added two sound effects from this website(fire and some random interface sound effect) just to give the animation more atmosphere.




Now you may have some questions to ask me like how did I put up a texture? And how did I add the fire effect. Well to save you the bother from finding out yourself through confusing tutorials, I've created some steps myself:

First, here's how you add some textures of your own:

• Take a picture of the texture you want
  
• You may edit it in a picture editing software first such as photoshop if needed
  
• In Maya, click on the following menus Window -> Rendering Editors -> Hypershade
• Choose a Surface (e.g. Phong)

(the next few steps may vary depending on what version of Maya you have)

• On the surface menu on right of the screen, choose Colour (Box) -> File
• Find and open your file
• Hold down Right Click on your material
• From the material menu, choose Material -> Assign existing material -> Your surface name
• Please note that the material will only display on render

If you want to set an object on fire...

• It is recommended to convert NURBS to Polygon as it’ll affect the flame quality, especially If you want to set fire to a group of NURBS Surfaces. To do this, select the following: Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons, then choose Polygons > Combine
• Change the menu to "Dynamic", then choose Effects -> Create Fire
• Play animation to make them appear
• Render shows them properly
• You can make the flame appear on certain flames by editing the time attributes under the “particleShape1” tab

Hope that explains it and I hope you've enjoyed the animation

Render Pictures

I've tried yesterday to upload my video showng the animation. Unfortunately it failed. Probably because the file was too big. So instead, I've provide some render screenshots. They're filled with textures and fire effects. But first, I'll revel that I've added a few more models to my scene. A computer, a mouse and a bin. They're based on my own stuff. The computer is on the lamp picture from the other day but here are pictures of my mouse and bin:





Now here are 4 different render scenes taken from different frames and angles. Now the scenes are dark but Moths like dark places so it kind of works out.
Now I hope that's everything as my Maya trail license expires tomorrow...

The story behind textures

Well after my tutor showed me how to add textures I've finally added textures to my scene. Now I originally did plan to search for them from the Internet. Then I realized that's naughty and not allowed. So I took them myself using my digital camera. Here are the textures I've used.

First the lamp itself using my very own lamp:

It's gray and made out of metal which is exactly what I need as a texture.

Next was the computer desk and naturally I've used my own computer desk which has a wooden texture.For the wall, yes you guessed it, I've used my own wall. It is painted over with blue (my favourite colour) rather than using wall paper.The last texture was tricky to get: The Moth itself. It would be extremely hard to find a Moth and take a picture of its body (and they maybe hiding for the winter). Taking a picture from a book might not have been allowed either. So instead I had to use something else and after some thinking I decided to use my face cloth.


It's the one on the far right I've used. At least it's brown...and hairy...

Also I've managed to work with the lighting and how to set the Moth on fire which means the animation is more or less finished. I should upload the video on the blog during the weekend.

A preview without a render

Want to know how my animation is going on? Here's a preview. It is not rendered nor textured yet. Despite what I've said in my last post, animating the moth turned out ok and as you can see, I've decided to give the moth a more horrible fate. It's the lamp that has giving me more trouble as it seems to have a mind of its own...

I apologize for the size and quality.

On the bright side...

I've finished my Flash design work. There's a bit of history with me and Macromedia Flash. It was one of the software I was taught in College. Unfortunately I've learnt to hate it with its complicated controls.

Going back to this program feels odd but my dislike in it has not changed. I've tired to remember the controls and techniques learnt from College so the design itself is not perfect. The image does look nice though especially with the black lines to make it stand out.

This does not look good here, um...

You probably have a few questions for me:

How was Christmas?

Yes I did have a lovely Christmas thank you.

How is work going on?

Well I have been trying to follow that tutorial. On the first try, the code worked but the shape wasn't moving correctly so I've deleted it and start again. But now every time I would try to input the code, I get this error message:

Error: Attribute already controlled by an expression, keyframe, or other connection

I have no idea how to fix it and I've been trying out different things with no result.

This is really down hearting as I was hoping this method would be the solution but it looks like I have no choice but to animate the wings manually myself...see this is way I dislike modeling because of complicated controls and problems like this.