I have created a grid which is composed of a group set of objects. Each element of this grouped object has been animated to appear (keyframes).
I am trying to delay the playback of the cloned copies as they appears.
I tried using an Inheritance & delay effector with no success. I get the feeling its due to the fact its multiple objects grouped together with individual keyframes which is why the effectors aren’t working.
I have attached an file (more a sketch) how I would do it. Just set up the few states of the animations in static poses and “blend” among these. This allows you to set the Key frames as before (kind of, as you don’t set any keyframes, you set key poses! Again, no keyframes for the clones itself.) Each group under the Cloner is a perfect copy of the others, except for the parameters! Must match otherwise. This needs first of all one Cloner Object that produces one single result, e.g., no grid, etc.! This becomes the modify (e.g., Plain) Effector.
The Grid producing Cloner Effector will get then the PSR (pos, rot, scale) Effector to move the clones into the modifying falloff area. Have a look to the attached scene files, it is easier to follow my few otherwise “cryptic” words ;o)
Any other set up would be based on a Step Effector. But for your idea, just skip that, you can set an start point of animation to a specific position with the native tools. To fine tune that for 170 clones, ...good luck.
One question, you have used 380º for the circle animation, anything special, that I miss. I have set up my sketch with a 360º. I avoided to just copy your material, so it doesn’t show up elsewhere.
Thanks for the addition information about the 380º. Sometimes there is a reason for “overshooting”. So I was curious; Just to understand the set up.
I like the set up provided a lot, as it allows for a huge flexibility. I hope it works for you. BTWe, the example would work nice with a 6x6 or like your 17x10, the clone in the middle needs special attention other wise.
I would like to clarify my original question since I have reviewed the solution you have provided and realized it is not resolving my stated issue. I am trying to delay the playback of the individual cloned nodes as they appear so the first node is fully played out while the latest node that appears is just beginning to play out its animated keyframes.
I have restructured the cloners and nodes as you suggested hoping the effectors would have an effect but I have not achieved the desired result.
To say it is not working and having ignored anything I have set up, makes me wonder how our communication works. The provided file shows me a set up, but nothing in it has anything to do with what I have had suggested at all. Just to answer that “it isn’t working” ;o) The Effectors are all in the top Cloner of the set up, also not suggested in my file. Two different things.
So, I’m not certain how to communicate it differently. I was obviously not able to communicate my idea well enough. Perhaps this might help:
The first cloner provides one ONE clone, not seven from seven. The one clone provided in my suggestion is based on a blend of different states of the object-group. In my file the [Null; Null.1; Null.2.] The Plain effector is set to Modify Clones, so the Blend [mode] in the cloner works as animation. In that way, the animation is based on the Plain.Modify.
The whole set up, as I repeated it several times above (to make certain it is transferred) has “NO KEY” frames for the clones (the child object under the Cloner. The provided file has and several Effectors I haven’t used. What do I miss?
Please check my file carefully to get the idea, I like to have that option in your tool-box, just in case. The attached file was very different
All the best
Sassi
Edit: the attached file hopefully shows the core of the idea, just let it play./edit
I hesitate to suggest the Time Effector. Why? Because it distorts the animation time if used with a Falloff, or if the Effector is given less influence, the, e.g., rotation moves backwards.
If that is no problem for you, changing the timing, then you have what you need of course. :o)
My best wishes
Sassi
CreativeRaul - 16 December 2014 07:32 PM
Dr. Sassi
I found a solution using the Time Effector to achieve the desired effect out of the delay of the nodes.
I’m more interested in that you have what you need, than that “my stuff” is used. Of course I like to make certain that the ideas we exchange are “duplicated” on each side. Hence my question of the degree.
I love to share whatever I can, sometimes it will be only the spark that pushes the next idea, which is great. On the end all that counts is your story that you like to share and how you present it. I have the impression that you work on something larger, and I’m sure I will understand more when I see the “bigger picture”. I hope you can share a link once it is done, if I assume correctly at all.
Raul, you might check how much it improves if you got to medium (LOD). IF that gives you enough visual feedback. Low is certainly in this case not useable.
I discovered a solution to my performance problem. Seems with the existing set up in my cloner the Plain effector was having an issue scaling up and moving the nodes in the cloner.
I resolved the problem with the step effector and visibility checked on.
Thank you again for all the suggestions and executed solutions you provided.
