Helicopter Box:
After creating a box in the top right corner we set a key in the first frame so as to store the animation's information.
Switching on auto key, so as to set other frames of animation we put our frame to '100', then moved the box, thus saving information on the position of the object.
Bringing up the curve editor, we are able to see the object's animation and speed in the form of the graph.
We then raised the box on the '50' frame and looked at the curve editor. As you can see, each coloured line represents a different axis e.g. red is X, blue is Z and green Y.
The Z axis (blue line) shows this especially as, since it rises on the '50'th frame the line is like a hill to show it going up then down.
We can change the animation manually on the Curve Editor by clicking on the frame and creating another Auto Key by simply holding shift and dragging it, effectively copying and pasting.
We then added a long box and setting the auto key on frame 10, we rotated it 360 degrees so as to make it spring like a propeller.
Clicking on 'Select and Link in the top left corner, we are able to combine the two objects labeled by the lecturer as parent and child, since we want the other object (child) to do what the main object does (parent). Thus allowing us to edit them separately, by still stay attached.
Is is evident on the 'Schematic View' which shows all the objects.
Going back into the Curve Editor, we had to right click the grey line and select 'Show Toolbars' and then 'Curves: Track View'. This is the only way of finding it annoyingly.
Afterwards you then select 'Parameter Curve Out-Of-Range Types' and set the Curve Editor from 'Constant' to 'Cycle'.
By moving the rotating box's auto key on 10 to 100 we not only make it spin for the whole animation, but we also change what it looks like in the Curve Editor.
To correctly render your work you need to go onto 'Render Setup' and select 'Active Time Segment'. Thus rendering all your frames and not just the default 'Single' frame.
When saving a video it is important to scroll down to 'Render Output' and select the file you wish to use and the name for the animation, thus being able to save your work.
You must also make sure to render in the 'Perspective' window, otherwise it will not render correctly.
HOWEVER, when you render another scene you must change the name or select/deselect the file so as to not overwrite your previous work. Though it should warn you.
Aeroplane:
We then moved onto creating an aeroplane. We started off by creating a basic plane using boxes before using the same rotating and attaching techniques mentioned above to make the propeller.
To make the propeller spin fluently without stopping or looking odd, we have to go into the 'Track View' on 'Curve Editor' and select 'Cycle'. I found out during this point that Cycle actually repeats the animation for the object, thus explaining why it's called cycle.
You then click the small grey squares that connect the lines and select 'Set Tangets to Linear' so as to make the lines straight. This ensures the animation is more fluent.
We then made a Dummy using the 'Helpers' list and placed it inside the plane. Afterwards we then connected the plane to the dummy, as the dummy will act as the parent and we want the child to copy it.
Creating a line that would be the path for our plane, we then connected it by going into 'Animation' and selecting 'Constraints' before clicking 'Path Constraint'. You then connect the dummy to the line and, as a result, the dummy will follow that line/path.
Once connected it actually attaches itself to the line and thus when you press 'play' it moves along the line.
Going into 'Motion' with your Dummy, you select 'Follow' so that it will actually face forward when on the line and 'Bank' to make it turn corners.
The plane's animation can be seen below...
Chess:
Next, we opened up a file on Moodle known as 'Chess Board'.
Changing the pieces positions and getting rid of their original animation, I then animated them so as to make it look like the horse was taking the King.
First I made it so that it jumped next to the queen whilst spinning in the air.
The lecturer advised that we can copy animated frames by holding down shift (the clone tool) and dragging them to another one. Thus allowing the model to go back to a position or repeat something.
Making sure to animate the king as well, I was then able to make the horse's head butt the king and cause it to fall. Making sure to make the king bounce slightly when it hit the ground.
I then decided to give the jumping Knight bounce by making it shrink before jumping in the air and landing.
I only found out afterwards that you could add a modifier named 'Stretch' to make the bounces seem more natural.
You can see my animation below...
* Over the holiday we are expected to watch a lynda.com video that shows a tutorial on how to make a decent walking animation.This will hopefully prove useful to my character model.
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