icione 4.313D Animation

Transcription

1 icione 4.313D Animation Beginner's Guide Animate your stories and ideas to create realistic scenes with this movie making application geared towards new and inexperienced film makers, video producers / compositors, vxf artists, and 3D artists / designers M.D. McCallum PUBLISHING BIRMINGHAM MUMBAI

2 Table of Contents Preface 1 Chapter 1: Installing and Configuring iclone 7 Installing the program 8 installing iclone 4 pro installing related iclone content 10 exploring iclone options 11 Configuring work environment 12 Setting up the 3D grid 12 Controlling display information 13 Exploring realtime render options 14 Choosing the shader 15 Manipulating objects 16 Locating Custom Content folder 16 Installing new content 16 Using draganddrop 17 Importing new content 17 Working with zipped files 18 Welcome to iclone 18 Interacting with the iclone community 19 Free iclone assets 22 Exploring the Reallusion Content Store 22 Discovering the Reallusion Marketplace 23 Downloading your trial and purchased items 28 download and installation steps 28 Exploring the iclone user interface 30 Exploring the workspace 30 Selecting objects in the workspace 33 Summary 8 34

3 placing building adding lighting Table of Contents Chapter 2: Creating Your First Scene 35 Let the animation begin! 35 Exploring your virtual studio 36 Exploring the 3D workspace 36 the outdoors 38 Working with Live Plants 39 virtual foliage 39 Adding props to the scene 43 Placing props 44 house building 46 Manipulating props 48 Selecting the tools 48 Manipulating objects directly 49 Manipulating with precision gizmos 50 Handling direct input 50 Working with iprops (interactive props) 51 the iprop 51 Animated props 54 importing animated props 54 Creating props from building blocks 55 What do you see in a primitive? 55 a gazebo without hand tools! 56 Diff opacity and other maps. 60 Exploring the mapping channels 60 painting the gazebo 62 correcting the texture mapping 63 Painting option 65 fire effects to the grill 65 Creating see through material 68 Turning nothing into something 68 Lighting in 3D animation 70 Light types and shadows 71 Understanding ambient light 73 Manipulating the lights in the 3D workspace 73 Setting the mood with lighting and atmosphere 73 setting the ambient light 74 working with shadows 74 Time for action manipulating the atmosphere 76 up the grill 76 Summary 79 [HI

4 can't attaching grabbing altering the adding changing Table of Contents Chapter 3: Adding and Customizing Characters 81 Developing unique characters 82 loading characters 83 Customizing character features 84 loading a face image 84 correct the lighting 87 customizing our character 88 customizing the head of the avatar 89 Experimenting with model detail 91 giving your character a new do! 92 customizing the eyes and mouth 93 Skin 93 Positioning the characters 94 Using character accessories and attaching props be cool without shades! 95 shading the glasses 97 the fork prop 97 Interacting with the iprops 98 a beer 99 Altering the characters' clothing 100 female avatar clothing 100 Altering clothing color 102 altering the male avatar's clothing 103 modifying the avatar's pants 105 Basics of character dialog 106 Lipsync 107 Adding dialog 107 Creating dialog the interface 107 Recording dialog a microphone 109 Inserting audio files 110 Summary Chapter 4: Animating the Characters 111 Using motions versus animations 113 Introducing the timeline 114 Controlling action on the timeline 115 timeline concept... A minitutorial basic camera movement 119 the speed of the animation 120 Adding motions to characters 121 Applying motion clips 121 Controlling facial expressions 122 Invoking hand motions 123

5 adjusting animating animating closing saving polishing point Table of Contents Manipulating character's fingers 125 Using paths to move objects 126 the starting frame 127 animating the hands 128 Customizing animation the motion editor 129 animating the male character 130 Turn the character 131 the turn 131 closing the grill cover 133 Animating the limbs 134 Setting the starting point key frame 135 finishing the arm movement 137 scaling and moving the grill 138 copying and pasting the key frame 139 the grill 140 out the movement 142 Blending motions 143 animating the female avatar 143 add more time to the animation 145 Adding more motion to the female avatar 145 new motions 148 Building our custom motion library 149 Saving custom animations as motions 150 single clips 150 collecting and saving multiple clips 151 the Absolute Bone method 152 Manipulating transitions 153 character moves 154 Animating paths for smooth movement 156 a path to animate Benny's walk 156 Using alternative methods of character movement 159 and click movement 159 director mode 161 Animating character dialog 162 dialog with characters 162 Summary 165 Chapter 5: Enhancing Animation with Particles 167 Using special effects (FX) wisely 168 Exploring icione particles 168 Breaking down an icione particle 168 Extending particle usage 169 Using icione particles 170

6 coloring adjusting setting positioning naming setting Table of Contents cueing mother nature 170 configuring particle settings 170 mother nature 172 Attaching icione particles to props 173 Creating a torch 174 the torch handle 174 loading and manipulating the particle 174 and texturing the torch 175 up the smoke and fire particles 177 adding the fire particle 179 Adjusting icione particles 179 controlling the fire 180 adding a smoke particle to the smoke stack 181 the smoke stack particle 182 Using visibility with particles 182 setting the timing for the emitter 183 Using particles with paths 183 a magical swirling effect 184 Summary 187 Chapter 6: Working with Cameras 189 Creating cameras 190 our first camera 190 Renaming your cameras 191 the camera 192 and renaming another camera 192 Using character/object cameras (Follow Cam) 194 Using the Actor Cam 195 setting up the Actor Cam 195 converting Follow Cam to a permanent camera 197 up the Face Cam 198 viewing the character from above 199 Understanding the camera lens 201 Time for action setting new cameras and picking the lens 202 up our main camera angle 204 Time for action setting up a lens only camera close up 205 Foc with depth of field 207 Creating a depth of field camera 208 more cameras 210 the Benny cams 210 a wide angle camera shot 211

7 setting working working rendering Table of Contents Selecting cameras for filming 212 Creating a shot list 213 Understanding camera cuts and timing 214 up the camera switch 214 Filming through walls and objects with camera clipping 216 Using camera clipping 217 Summary 220 Chapter 7: Enhancing Scenes with Images and Videos 221 Using the 2D draganddrop menu 222 Adding details with planes 223 an image plane 224 Billboards 228 with billboards to add an old barn 229 with billboards to add a water tower 231 Image layers 232 driving down the street 233 multiple image layers 236 Using 2D with special effects 240 planes to mimic volume effects 240 adding mountains 242 Using video to enhance scenes 243 adding video to props 244 Creating and popvideo 247 playing with popvideo 248 Summary 249 Chapter 8: Rendering our Work 251 Understanding rendering 252 Rendering in icione 252 Exporting single images 253 our first image 254 rendering an action shot 257 Exporting image sequences 258 exporting our first image sequence 259 Exporting videos 260 Understanding video 260 Codecs versus formats 260 Formats available in icione 261 AVI 261 RM 263 WMV 264 MP4forPC 265 (Vil

8 rendering rendering turning lighting importing storyboarding storyboarding storyboarding storyboarding setting adding deleting Table ofcontents Flash video 266 Using good video rendering habits 267 Determining end usage 267 Setting screen resolution as soon as possible 268 our main project video 268 Rendering popvideo 269 3D rendering... got glasses? 269 Understanding 3D stereoscopic rendering 270 Anaglyph 272 setting up the scene 272 the scene 274 Side X Side 275 Top Down 276 Two Files 277 Summary 277 Chapter 9: Animating Outer Space 279 Reviewing the project assets 279 Laying out and planning the scene 280 Determining the purpose of the scene 280 Determining render resolution 281 setting the resolution 281 Determining the scene animation 282 Determining the particle effects required 282 Laying out the scene tasks 283 Tweaking the project assets 283 adjusting the existing scene 284 outer space into live space 285 the scene 287 scene assets 288 Storyboarding with icione 291 our initial storyboard frame 291 the action at midscene 293 the shuttle escape 295 the explosion 296 the shuttle leaving 298 Analyzing our storyboard 299 up the animated shuttle path 301 particles 303 Setting up the shot list 307 an existing camera 307 Creating cameras for the shot list 308

9 loading Using cameras 308 Setting up the camera switch 310 setting the camera order 311 Last minute tweaks 312 adjust the movie length 312 Rendering our scene Summary 315 Appendix A: Using Personas, ipropsr and Helpers 317 Understanding AML 318 Exploring personas to animate a character 319 a Persona 320 Using AML templates 322 Implementing character interaction 322 placing and character interaction dummies 323 applying the kick me AML template 324 Using operate dummy props 325 the character interaction templates 326 the grab it AML template prop 328 Working with iprops 330 Exploring the home iprops folder 330 getting in and out of bed 330 the iprop door 332 Working with vehicle dummies 334 Summary 336 Appendix B: Animating with iclone Physics 337 Understanding iclone physics 338 Working with simulations 339 Baking the physics 339 Testing versus saving simulations 340 Touring the physics menu 340 Understanding soft bodies versus rigid bodies 342 Rigid bodies 342 Setting the state of the object 342 Object properties 343 Bounding settings 343 Soft bodies 343 Preset 344 Property 344 Collision settings 344

10 knocking fine adding crashing duplicating setting preparing exploring adjusting planting Table of Contents dropping the ball 344 setting up the wall 347 down the wall first run 350 tuning the first run 351 batting the ball 352 setting up the physics 354 changing the impact object angle 355 the aiming site 357 the jeep 360 rows of boxes 363 setting up an ejection sequence 364 up the eject physics 366 attaching the character 367 a chain action 370 Colliding with characters 374 Attaching dummies 374 a character collision 374 Summary 378 Appendix C: Exploring New Features 379 Discovering new visual enhancements 379 Understanding ambient occlusion 380 ambient occlusion 381 Exploring the toon shader 382 enhancing the existing scene 383 setting up the toon shader 384 the NPR post effect 385 exploring the toon shader 385 Removing skin color 387 tooning the characters 387 skinning the character for tuning 388 Using post effects 390 applying blur 390 testing the other post effects 393 the overall post effect 395 Setting the light with the multiplier 396 directional versus spotlight 396 Discovering the performance enhancements 398 Improving usability features 400 Using the tree brush 401 and felling trees 401 Using soft cloth 404

11 smoothing walking setting puppeteering building animating grasping testing a cloth 404 a ghost effect 406 Exploring soft cloth options 408 Summary 409 Appendix D: Discovering New Animation Tools 411 Exploring the modified timeline 411 Mixing moves the easy way 415 MixMoves 415 Using the motion puppet 417 animating Gwynn 418 the transition between motions 419 with the motion puppet 420 stopping the foot sliding 423 Understanding Human IK (pose and reach target) 424 up a twohanded rig with Human IK 424 hooking up the dummies 426 the two handed rig for movement 428 locking dummies 431 setting up the unicycle 433 Manipulating Direct Puppet 437 the character's movements 437 climbing with Human IK 439 Understanding device Mocap (Kinect) 442 installing the Kinect plugin 443 starting the Mocap Device Plugin 444 cleaning up the Mocap 447 Using motion capture effectively 449 Using the Prop Puppet 449 the tank turret 449 the radar 451 animating the turret 453 Customizing the transition and time warp 454 Using the Prop Look At 456 the basics of Prop Look At 456 a practical example of the Prop Look At 458 Applying icione 5 techniques to Chapter 4, Animating the Characters 459 animating the grill with new features 460 Summary 462

12 Table of Contents Appendix E: Pop Quiz Answers 465 Chapter 5, Enhancing Animation with Particles 465 Chapter 6, Working with Cameras 466 Chapter 7, Enhancing Scenes with Images and Videos 467 Chapter 8, Rendering our Work 467 Appendix C, Exploring New Features 467 Appendix D, Discovering New Animation Tools 468 Index 469