A new version of Cineversity has been launched. This legacy site and its tutorials will remain accessible for a limited transition period

Visit the New Cineversity
   
 
Spring Constraint for Eyeballs
Posted: 08 August 2022 08:36 PM   [ Ignore ]  
Total Posts:  21
Joined  2020-06-22

Hello,
I am trying to use the spring constraint on my little animation. I want the eyeballs to have some delay and overlapping action, so that one the Letter A character turns and jumps, the eyeballs will have a bit of delay and snap.
Now when I do this on a simplified version, the spring constraint works (just the eyeballs and a simplified letter A). But now that I have a more complex character built with. aboole so that I can animate the mouth, the spring tag doesn’t seem to work.
Does that make sense?
If so, can you give me some tips?
here is the file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yL_dG2ILpyoY5q-_KdXjXYqSJA4MrqCm/view?usp=sharing

Thank you.
-Karl

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 August 2022 03:42 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Karl,

Please have a look here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vt919qmqgvwwwpd/CV3_S26_drs_22_CAwi_01.c4d.zip?dl=0

I have marked all new parts with a Green color chip (Layer)

In the IK dynamic, I have set the Gravity to zero.

The rotation of the eyes is from the Twist Deformer.

If you notice that things are getting slower and dragging instead of moving smoothly, switch off things that are of no importance during setup: Hair, SubDivision Surface, etc.

All the best

 Signature 

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

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 August 2022 03:04 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
Total Posts:  21
Joined  2020-06-22

Thank you, Dr. Sassi.
If I want the eyes to follow all of the movements of the character, like if I want it to twist, bend, squash and jump, would I use an expresso tag to map the position and rotation of the eyes null to the characters body? Or does it need to be linked to each deformer?

-Karl

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 August 2022 05:18 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Karl,

The “link” to the Twist Deformer was used based on keeping it simple. In the end, that would not be as simple with many influences.

This might have several answers. I have placed a point cache into the mix, which stores the information you need here and provides it from the frames starting calculation point. In this way, you can use information that might be otherwise not available at that point. If so, the information from the previous frame is used. The overall theme is called Priorities.
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/expression_priorities_part_i

I have two options in the file below.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jba8tskn1tf1rjx/CV3_S26_drs_22_CAsf_01.c4d.zip?dl=0
Please note that in the Point Node, the Deformer option is enabled.

Besides that, sometimes a simple projection Deformer might work, like “pinning” an object to the surface.

Or sometimes it might be a good idea to use a Cloner with a single Clone.

All the best

 Signature 

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

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 August 2022 06:13 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
Total Posts:  21
Joined  2020-06-22

Okay thank you.
In the expresso example, where is the point node coming from (where are you getting the point data)?

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 August 2022 07:55 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Karl,

The object that you like to use to connect can be dragged into the XPresso editor. It needs to be a polygon. This connects to the Point Node 9avaialble in the Xpresso editor (Right Mouse Click).

Each polygon is based on a few points. Each point has a number (ID), so it will be a very defined location, as deformer move points.

It would not work with Boole (Generator), which is perhaps a theme you need to look into, as it is not the most stable option when you like to create characters. (But a Polygon of the Boole could be dragged into the XPresso Editor.)

With other Generators, there are options to retrieve data. The problem with Generators is that they are often parameter driven. This means the number of points and so their position can change.

All the best

 Signature 

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

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile