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FFA Deformer and control points?
Posted: 11 October 2020 11:38 PM   [ Ignore ]  
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I set up a move using the FFA deformer and got a series of keyframes like shown in the attached. In the help files I found a notation about how to add bezier controls to these keyframes, but now I can’t find it, and I’m wondering if I am confusing it with another tool. As it is, the linear transitions are too jerky, so I’m hoping there is a magic button that will let me smooth them out smile

Also, I wanted to use the plain effector to add a spring to the landing point, rather than keyframe the overshoot, but that doesn’t work either.

Maybe I just built the whole thing wrong :(

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Posted: 12 October 2020 01:36 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi mford610,

Looks like PLA keyframes. Those have a Bias as adjustment.
https://help.maxon.net/r23/en-us/Default.htm#html/CKPLA-ID_CKEY_PROPERTIES.html#CK_PLA_BIAS

Click on one keyframe and have a look int the Attribute Manager.

I prefer PoseMorphs for this. Of course, an Animation clip is a prime option for that.

Time Track might help, but it needs to stay organized; otherwise, it is a lot of work to figure out what is what after a while.

Exporting it as Alembic allows for a curve adjustment.

If I had a scene file, I might be able to suggest something…

All the best

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Posted: 13 October 2020 11:50 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
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Scene file attached. You’ve seen an iteration of it before smile

There are two models in the file: Group 1 Builder assembles the structure, and Group 2 Mesh animates the “launch” action. I swap them in the video edit. I used FFA instead of PoseMorph only because mesh is pretty dense and FFA seemed a simpler approach. But the control issue sort of undermines that.

I added the bias as you suggested, and it works pretty well - the level of control is not so great (it squashes more than I intended, but actually looks pretty good). It works well enough to get by in this instance, but if I was wanting to do something more complex than just springing off, it would be a problem.

In the display, bias seems to only affect one side of the curve - easing out but not easing in. The string of keyframes looks like teeth on a saw. And the action is much different than I expected given the profile - getting a deeper squash than I planned. Again, it works OK in this instance, but would be hard to manage in a more complex move.

It would be nice if I could use a constraint so the “Hexagons” block tracked better with the “Launch Pad” on the way down (though I like the delay in catching up - adds some squash and stretch follow through, only I’d like to be able to do it on demand and not count on serendipity). I know there’s a way to constrain to a vertex when using a spline, but I didn’t see that option with a block of mesh. Then again, what do I know?

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Stacker_Export_v2.c4d.zip  (File Size: 990KB - Downloads: 185)
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Posted: 13 October 2020 04:23 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Hi mford610,

Thanks for the file.

In the post above, I listed options for the FFD animation. Since it has points, You can store the Points in a Pose Morph. With that, you have full control over the animation of the FFD. You can animate all points with one slider, or have groups of points animated with several sliders of the PoseMorph. If the animation needs more movement, the PoseMorph Slider can be set beyond 0-100%, even negative.

A rough sketch with your file:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/bsjknR5HVFbu7Bz5dCwquG1oUwqRLxyvU7S21yM4d00
Use the HUD slider in the editor.

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

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Posted: 21 October 2020 01:21 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
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Brilliant! (as usual) This works perfectly. Opens up a whole lot of options.

Can you add a jiggle deformer to the PoseMorph to get some overshoot? I experimented using the FFD to deform a NULL object full of primitives, and it worked great. But I couldn’t get the Jiggle deformer to add any effect. If the FFD works on a NULL, seems like the Jiggle would too. Or am I missing a fundamental principle re: deformers?

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Posted: 21 October 2020 03:46 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
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Hi mford610,

Thanks a lot for the feedback.

The PoseMorph stores information and changes the model accordingly. It can connect to animations, but the Jiggle Deformer (if I get your idea) can’t work inside the PoseMorph. It needs to be on the model to react appropriately.

Example
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/hIRtwd7fIWMeCKMD6N1NKkwyjgvxll8NuFIWTmgvku7
Click (left or right) of the “Change.Me” parameter for best results, instead of just moving it.

Do I get your idea correctly?

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 21 October 2020 04:29 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
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Yes, that’s it exactly! I see the distinction between the object points and the FFD points. It’s still pretty cool. Thank you.

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Posted: 21 October 2020 05:08 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
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Thanks a lot, mford610.

This is not an FFD in the last file, it is an animated object, which I have set to wire, so you can see the difference.

Here is a set up with the FFD. First position change, then FFD PoseMorph based change.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/u1FlPOXFWV1g7QjvybYItyWecqhWzPjJEl9xEk0EOny

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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