Cineversity

Hello,
I’m trying to make a seamless loop of some PLA cached point animation using Pose Morph.
I followed a few tutorials, and I just can’t get it to work.
The point animation is PLA based rather than point cache tag.
I had this working a few days ago, now, using exact same technique, its not working.
So either there’s some sort of glitch, or there’s something I’ve missed this time around (I deleted the old scene file since I was overwriting prototyping like mad)
my scene file: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/24304389/PLA test_2.c4d
I’ve set it up according to the tutorials, the target pose strength goes to 100% at frame 90. whats strange is that if I pause the time at 90f mark, then I click on the pose morph tag, the geometry suddenly jumps into the init state, but it doesn’t when I hit play, or render.
Anyone had this issue before?
I baked the geometry using a plugin called PLA mate, it would be good to see if the issue happens with other PLA meshes.
the tutorial I was referring to:
https://vimeo.com/143859179 (30 mins in)
https://vimeo.com/78684377 - this one helped me get it to work a few days ago by setting the priorities, although that’s not helping anymore!?
My deduction is that there is either some sort of bug/issue, or there’s something seemingly unrelated or not obvious which would affect the tag..

Hi NNenov,

Thanks for the file.

First of all, let me clear the term Loop. A real loop is like a walk cycle, a motion that does something and without reversing the motion it arrives at the initial state. Anything else is just not a Loop.

To get a smooth Loop, the first and the last frame are NOT identical. This is often taught, but it leads to a small stop. The same frame is one frame ahead of the loop! So the it can smoothly run into this.

A Loop also shouldn’t have an interpolation that is flat on the start and end (like a typical Spline interpolation).
The interpolation “curve” at start and end should have the same direction, preferable as steep as the average curve, but it varies of course!

A linear animation (vs cycle) can only create a “Pseudo Loop”, and should always clearly named as such. To know the difference makes you look better when in an, e.g., brainstorming session with a film team. These Pseudo Loops are more forced cycles and often in need for a manual adjustment, to look smooth. If the duration is short of each “sequence”, it might look boring, so to mix it up a little bit is certainly an idea to keep in mind.

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In your file you have a Noise as “Deform” source. Inside of most noise sources you can work already towards a Loop, with the parameters Animation Speed and Loop Period. (Again, not all noise types have that quality)
I guess this was only a source for your test, and not the target idea, so I leave it here.

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If you have a source that is not really or at all a cycle, you need to blend to get a seamless repetition. This blend is not a simple “one size fits all” procedure, but it is not complicated at all. I have made a little clip about “Animation Clips” and how simple it is to work with them. (A series about is in my Animation for Teams … tutorials here on Cineversity, for all kind of animations)

If you have an animation clip, you can apply it to any animation less copy of your initial file. This allows you to set up, change, adjust and set the transition in the best way. There are so many tools in this option, that you can easily create a Pseudo Loop, and change things easily without having a very predicable animation at all. Set up the Preview Range around the transition and press play, now you can fine-tune your result.

Have a look here, as usual, one minute long, and you can download it.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/EuSDBIZ7yfQHLLtsmXeMJX3kJ2qpr0JoyoHAvtAdWdV?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy

Let me know if there is any question

All the best

P.S.: You had one link that discusses a way to get “selections” working on an Alembic Animation.

I try not to comment nor to critique any 3rd party tutorials, so this is the most I will do to that extend.

Please have a look to the suggestion I have captured in this one minute clip. I hope it is working for your case as well. I can’t think of a simpler and more efficient way for now.

As usual my one minute clips can be download and archived for private use:

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/XK08sQLei2kuxfLeSwXs53sQlXguKk5p6MT12YAffkt?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy

BTW: I deleted the extra copy for clarity of the set up, you just can keep it for later…

My best wishes for the project

Key Pose Blending

It is not a new technique nor anything that I guess is unknown at all. But just in case it is, here is a little refresher. Find the key poses in the PLA animation. Create copies from it. Set it up as in the one minute clip explained.

With the sequence of clones under the Cloner Object, one has the option to sort and extend or repeat parts. In this way the slider [Modify Clones] can rush through it. If a cycle is done with this slider, the Timeline allows for this animation to be repeated. All stays pretty much accessible. As each key in a PLA animation takes as well a lot of storage, I don’t think it is a huge increase either, in comparison.

You can download via the link or just watch it here (one minute as usual)

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/K0UMTLeoquKmQy7CTd7SMOf31fXfNTpESZOputsNXM8?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy