Is there any better animation program can be used to replace animate2?

Leo ChenLeo Chen Posts: 697
edited December 1969 in New Users

Is the Animate2 the only animation program works with DAZ v4.6?

Comments

  • SylvanSylvan Posts: 2,711
    edited December 1969

    I heard that Graphmate and Keymate are very good and make the working environment much easier.

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    I haven't done animation yet myself so I can't speak from personal experience. However, you can see a comparison of a few different options here.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,220
    edited November 2013

    poses and puppeteer work quite well too
    and there are many BVH and pz2 files free and paid to be had

    try Mixamo, Posermocap who have aniblocks versions as well, mostdigitalcreations to name a few

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited November 2013

    KeyMate and GraphMate both allow full DAZ Studio timeline hand animation. Either combined with BVH, DS ani, or pz2 files or even just AniMate Lite and AniBlocks, will do a very good job. I find GraphMate the more powerful of the two if you wish to only try one.

    Post edited by Jaderail on
  • benjbernsteinbenjbernstein Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I'm very new to 3d programs. I'm trying to get a grasp on all of this. I thought that DazStudio which I just installed is made to be able to create animations. What is the purpose of a program like animate2? What is it that I can do with the stock DazStudio program?

  • JimmyC_2009JimmyC_2009 Posts: 8,891
    edited December 1969

    You can create animations with the DAZ Studio Timeline.

    Animate 2 allows you to use 'Aniblocks' some of which are free with DAZ Studio. If you have the paid for (full) version of Animate 2, and not just the Lite version that is given free with DS4.6, then you can create your own Aniblocks which can significantly speed up the creation of animtions. It is also a really easy way to reuse animation sequences that are used often.

    As has been said already, Graphmate and Keymate are useful additional tools for creating animations using the DS Timeline.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Well, DAZ Studio has the Default Timeline and a 30day trial of the full Animate2 version that will turn into Animate Lite after that. They are Basic Animation tools only, not what most would call pro level. But some nice things have been done with just DAZ Studio once a user learns the ropes of animation.

  • benjbernsteinbenjbernstein Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks! I'll look up aniBlocks to see how that works and how it ties in. So, for the moment it looks like I can use DazStudio as is and then decide whether I need animates2 later on.

  • Leo ChenLeo Chen Posts: 697
    edited November 2013

    DAZ Studio Pro v4.6 does come with an animation program which is just a limited edition of animate2.
    That limited edition seems have no ability to output video of the animation.
    This is why I am looking for a good animation program for DAZ Studio.

    Post edited by Leo Chen on
  • Leo ChenLeo Chen Posts: 697
    edited December 1969

    BTW, thank you all.

  • benjbernsteinbenjbernstein Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Is that true that anitmates lite does not output video? I'm assuming that animates2 does...can anyone confirm?

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,220
    edited December 1969

    it does indeed output video
    you just cannot edit and create new aniblocks or bake to timeline, you can only use premade ones and drop them in the animate timeline
    this can then be rendered as avi and other codecs or an image series
    mousing over blocks previews the motions
    to use them you need to drag them into the timeline sequence shown under animate with your figure selected
    then render choosing image series or video in your render settings
    try opengl first as 3Ddelight takes very much longer and if it is not right a lot of time wasted.

  • benjbernsteinbenjbernstein Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks wendy, but being so new at this I'm just making guesses at what exactly you mean. Are there any tutorials out there that explain what you're saying? I did watch a tutorial on by Val Cameron that explained a little about timelines and keymarks(?), but not too much other detail and nothing about aniblocks, baking to timeline, pre-made ones(not sure what premade things you're talking about), codecs or opengl and 3Ddelight, I don't think.

    I just had a thought, is there a place on this site to post an ad for a tutor? I would be happy to pay someone to help me get started here. I'm in Maryland/DC area.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,220
    edited November 2013

    Daz has video tutes on youtube, is how I learnt
    even old ones applicable
    try using included content first before buying anyrlthing
    opengl slider on render settings down bottom no shadows 3Ddelight full renderer
    you cannot cover the viewport window using opengl but it goes very quick what you see is what renders

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • benjbernsteinbenjbernstein Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Everyone

  • Leo ChenLeo Chen Posts: 697
    edited December 1969

    it does indeed output video
    you just cannot edit and create new aniblocks or bake to timeline, you can only use premade ones and drop them in the animate timeline
    this can then be rendered as avi and other codecs or an image series
    mousing over blocks previews the motions
    to use them you need to drag them into the timeline sequence shown under animate with your figure selected
    then render choosing image series or video in your render settings
    try opengl first as 3Ddelight takes very much longer and if it is not right a lot of time wasted.

    Thank you.

    But I just can not find any TAB used to export video of animation.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,220
    edited November 2013

    in your render settings

    Untitled.jpg
    1047 x 1051 - 237K
    Untitled.jpg
    537 x 700 - 132K
    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • Leo ChenLeo Chen Posts: 697
    edited November 2013

    Thank you,wendy♥catz.


    PS: I have tried it with FCP X, the saved .mov is with transparent background. Good.

    Post edited by Leo Chen on
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