iClone 4.31 3D Animation Beginner's Guide电子书

iClone 4.31 3D Animation Beginner's Guide

Table of Contents

iClone 4.31 3D Animation

Credits

Foreword

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

Support files, eBooks, discount offers and more

Why Subscribe?

Free Access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Time for action - heading

What just happened?

Pop quiz - heading

Have a go hero - heading

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code

Downloading the color images of this book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Installing and Configuring iClone

Installing the program

Time for action - installing iClone 4 pro

What just happened

Time for action - installing related iClone content

What just happened?

Time for action - exploring iClone options

What just happened?

Configuring work environment

Setting up the 3D grid

Controlling display information

Exploring real-time render options

Choosing the shader

Manipulating objects

Locating Custom Content folder

Installing new content

Using drag-and-drop

Importing new content

Working with zipped files

Welcome to iClone

Interacting with the iClone community

Free iClone assets

Exploring the Reallusion Content Store

Discovering the Reallusion Marketplace

Downloading your trial and purchased items

Time for action - download and installation steps

What just happened?

Exploring the iClone user interface

Exploring the workspace

Selecting objects in the workspace

Pop quiz

Summary

2. Creating Your First Scene

Let the animation begin!

Exploring your virtual studio

Exploring the 3D workspace

Time for action - creating the outdoors

What just happened?

Working with Live Plants

Time for action - creating virtual foliage

What just happened?

Have a go hero - clear the meadow

Adding props to the scene

Placing props

Time for action - house building

What just happened?

Have a go hero - modifying the scene

Manipulating props

Selecting the tools

Manipulating objects directly

Manipulating with precision using gizmos

Handling direct input

Working with iProps (interactive props)

Time for action - placing the iProp

What just happened?

What just happened?

Animated props

Time for action - importing animated props

What just happened?

Creating props from building blocks

What do you see in a primitive?

Time for action - building a gazebo without hand tools!

What just happened?

Diffusing opacity and other maps.

Exploring the mapping channels

Time for action - painting the gazebo

What just happened?

Time for action - correcting the texture mapping

What just happened?

Painting option

Time for action - adding fire effects to the grill

What just happened?

Creating see through material

Turning nothing into something

Lighting in 3D animation

Light types and shadows

Understanding ambient light

Manipulating the lights in the 3D workspace

Setting the mood with lighting and atmosphere

Time for action - setting the ambient light

What just happened?

Time for action - working with shadows

What just happened?

Time for action - manipulating the atmosphere

What just happened?

Time for action - lighting up the grill

What just happened?

Summary

Pop quiz - face-off

3. Adding and Customizing Characters

Developing unique characters

Time for action - loading characters

What just happened?

Customizing character features

Time for action - loading a face image

What just happened?

Time for action - correct the lighting

What just happened

Time for action - customizing our character

What just happened?

Time for action - customizing the head of the avatar

What just happened?

Have a go hero - customizing the avatar's face

Experimenting with model detail

Time for action - giving your character a new do!

What just happened?

Time for action - customizing the eyes and mouth

What just happened?

Skin

Have a go hero - loading and customizing a female character

Positioning the characters

Using character accessories and attaching props

Time for action - can't be cool without shades!

What just happened?

Time for action - shading the glasses

What just happened?

Time for action - attaching the fork prop

What just happened?

Interacting with the iProps

Time for action - grabbing a beer

What just happened?

Altering the characters' clothing

Time for action - altering female avatar clothing

What just happened?

Altering clothing using color

Time for action - altering the male avatar's clothing

What just happened?

Time for action - modifying the avatar's pants

What just happened?

Basics of character dialog

Lip-sync

Adding dialog

Creating dialog using the interface

Recording dialog using a microphone

Inserting audio files

Finding voice actors

Summary

4. Animating the Characters

Using motions versus animations

Introducing the timeline

Controlling action on the timeline

Time for action - the timeline concept … A mini-tutorial

What just happened?

Time for action - adding basic camera movement

What just happened?

Time for action - changing the speed of the animation

What just happened?

Adding motions to characters

Applying motion clips

Adjusting the motion

Controlling facial expressions

Invoking hand motions

Manipulating character's fingers

Using paths to move objects

Time for action - adjusting the starting frame

What just happened?

Time for action - animating the hands

What just happened?

Customizing animation using the motion editor

Time for action - animating the male character

What just happened?

Turn the character

Time for action - animating the turn

What just happened?

Time for action - closing the grill cover

What just happened?

Animating the limbs

Setting the starting point key frame

What just happened?

Time for action - animating the arm movement

What just happened?

Time for action - scaling and moving the grill

What just happened?

Time for action - copying and pasting the key frame

What just happened?

Time for action - closing the grill

What just happened?

Time for action - finishing out the movement

What just happened?

Blending motions

Time for action - animating the female avatar

What just happened?

Time for action - add more time to the animation

What just happened?

Adding more motion to the female avatar

What just happened?

Time for action - creating new motions

What just happened?

Building our custom motion library

Saving custom animations as motions

Time for action - saving single clips

What just happened?

Time for action - collecting and saving multiple clips

What just happened?

Time for action - using the Absolute Bone method

What just happened?

Manipulating transitions

Time for action - polishing character moves

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with curves

Animating paths for smooth movement

Time for action - using a path to animate Benny's walk

What just happened?

Using alternative methods of character movement

Time for action - point and click movement

What just happened?

Time for action - using director mode

What just happened?

Have a go hero - using the alternatives

Animating character dialog

Time for action - using dialog with characters

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adjusting the conversation timing

Summary

5. Enhancing Animation with Particles

Using special effects (FX) wisely

Exploring iClone particles

Breaking down an iClone particle

Extending particle usage

Using iClone particles

Time for action - cueing mother nature

What just happened?

Time for action - configuring particle settings

What just happened?

Time for action - coloring mother nature

What just happened?

Attaching iClone particles to props

Creating a torch

Time for action - creating the torch handle

What just happened?

Time for action - loading and manipulating the particle

What just happened?

Time for action - adjusting and texturing the torch

What just happened?

Have a go hero - save the torch!

Time for action - setting up the smoke and fire particles

What just happened?

Time for action - adding the fire particle

What just happened?

Adjusting iClone particles

Time for action - controlling the fire

What just happened?

Time for action - adding a smoke particle to the smoke stack

What just happened?

Time for action - positioning the smoke stack particle

What just happened?

Using visibility with particles

Time for action - setting the timing for the emitter

What just happened?

Using particles with paths

Time for action - creating a magical swirling effect

What just happened?

Have a go hero - creating a fireball

Summary

Pop quiz - particles

Pop quiz - attaching particles

6. Working with Cameras

Creating cameras

Time for action - creating our first camera

What just happened?

Renaming your cameras

Time for action - naming the camera

What just happened?

Time for action - creating and renaming another camera

What just happened?

Have a go hero - creating and renaming more cameras

Using character/object cameras (Follow Cam)

Using the Actor Cam

Time for action - setting up the Actor Cam

What just happened?

Time for action - converting Follow Cam to a permanent camera

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up the Face Cam

What just happened?

Time for action - viewing the character from above

What just happened?

Pop quiz - using follow cams

Understanding the camera lens

Time for action - creating new cameras and picking the lens

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up our main camera angle

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up a lens only camera close up

What just happened?

Have a go hero - creating a lens only pullback shot

Pop quiz - testing our lens knowledge

Focusing with depth of field

Time for action - creating a depth of field camera

What just happened?

Have a go hero - exploring depth of field

Creating more cameras

Time for action - creating the Benny cams

What just happened?

Time for action - creating a wide angle camera shot

What just happened?

Selecting cameras for filming

Creating a shot list

Understanding camera cuts and timing

Time for action - setting up the camera switch

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adjusting the camera switch settings

Filming through walls and objects with camera clipping

Time for action - Using camera clipping

What just happened?

Summary

7. Enhancing Scenes with Images and Videos

Using the 2D drag-and-drop menu

Adding details with planes

Time for action - creating an image plane

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adding another mountain

Billboards

Time for action - working with billboards to add an old barn

What just happened?

Time for action - working with billboards to add a water tower

What just happened?

Pop quiz

Have a go hero - adding the wishing well

Image layers

Time for action - driving down the street

What just happened?

Time for action - using multiple image layers

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adding more clouds

Using 2D with special effects

Time for action - using planes to mimic volume effects

What just happened?

Time for action - adding mountains

What just happened?

Using video to enhance scenes

Time for action - adding video to props

What just happened?

Creating and using popVideo

Time for action - playing with popVideo

What just happened?

Summary

8. Rendering our Work

Understanding rendering

Rendering in iClone

Exporting single images

Time for action - rendering our first image

What just happened?

Time for action - rendering an action shot

What just happened?

Have a go hero - rendering more images

Exporting image sequences

Time for action - exporting our first image sequence

What just happened?

Exporting videos

Understanding video

Codecs versus formats

Formats available in iClone

AVI

RM

WMV

MP4 for PC

Flash video

Using good video rendering habits

Determining end usage

Setting screen resolution as soon as possible

Time for action - rendering our main project video

What just happened?

Rendering popVideo

3D rendering… got glasses?

Understanding 3D stereoscopic rendering

Anaglyph

Time for action - setting up the scene

What just happened?

Time for action - rendering the scene

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with the convergence distance

Side X Side

Top Down

Two Files

Summary

Pop quiz

9. Animating Outer Space

Reviewing the project assets

Laying out and planning the scene

Determining the purpose of the scene

Determining render resolution

Time for action - setting the resolution

What just happened?

Determining the scene animation

Determining the particle effects required

Laying out the scene tasks

Tweaking the project assets

Time for action - adjusting the existing scene

What just happened?

Time for action - turning outer space into live space

What just happened?

Time for action - lighting the scene

What just happened?

Time for action - importing scene assets

What just happened?

Storyboarding with iClone

Time for action - creating our initial storyboard frame

What just happened?

Time for action - storyboarding the action at mid-scene

What just happened?

Time for action - storyboarding the shuttle escape

What just happened?

Time for action - storyboarding the explosion

What just happened?

Time for action - storyboarding the shuttle leaving

What just happened?

Analyzing our storyboard

Time for action - setting up the animated shuttle path

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Time for action - adding particles

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adding more particles

Setting up the shot list

Time for action - deleting an existing camera

What just happened?

Creating cameras for the shot list

Time for action - creating cameras

What just happened?

Setting up the camera switch

Time for action - setting the camera order

What just happened?

Last minute tweaks

Time for action - adjust the movie length

What just happened?

Have a go hero - making the scene your own

Rendering our scene

Time for action

What just happened?

Have a go hero - promotional stills

Summary

A. Using Personas, iProps, and Helpers

Understanding AML

Exploring personas to animate a character

Time for action - loading a Persona

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with perform motions

Using AML templates

Implementing character interaction

Time for action - placing and using character interaction dummies

What just happened?

Time for action - applying the kick me AML template

What just happened?

Have a go hero - using the hit me template

Using operate dummy props

Time for action - Using the character interaction templates

What just happened?

Time for action - using the grab it AML template prop

What just happened?

Have a go hero - using the other operate dummy props

Working with iProps

Exploring the home iProps folder

Time for action - getting in and out of bed

What just happened?

Have a go hero - sitting down on the iprop chair

Time for action - using the iprop door

What just happened?

Working with vehicle dummies

Summary

B. Animating with iClone Physics

Understanding iClone physics

Working with simulations

Baking the physics

Testing versus saving simulations

Touring the physics menu

Understanding soft bodies versus rigid bodies

Rigid bodies

Setting the state of the object

Object properties

Bounding settings

Soft bodies

Preset

Property

Collision settings

Time for action - dropping the ball

What just happened?

Have a go hero - setting up the physics

Time for action - setting up the wall

What just happened?

Time for action - knocking down the wall first run

What just happened?

Time for action - fine tuning the first run

What just happened?

Have a go hero - finish the scene

Time for action - batting the ball

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up the physics

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with the settings

Time for action - changing the impact object angle

What just happened?

Time for action - adding the aiming site

What just happened?

Time for action - crashing the jeep

What just happened?

Time for action - duplicating rows of boxes

What just happened?

Have a go hero - driving through again

Time for action - setting up an ejection sequence

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up the eject physics

What just happened?

Time for action - attaching the character

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Time for action - creating a chain action

What just happened?

Colliding with characters

Attaching dummies

Time for action - preparing a character collision

What just happened?

Summary

C. Exploring New Features

Discovering new visual enhancements

Understanding ambient occlusion

Time for action - using ambient occlusion

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with ambient occlusion

Exploring the toon shader

Time for action - enhancing the existing scene

What just happened?

Time for action - setting up the toon shader

What just happened?

Time for action - - exploring the NPR post effect

What just happened?

Time for action - exploring the toon shader

What just happened?

Removing skin color

Time for action - tooning the characters

What just happened?

Time for action - skinning the character for tuning

What just happened?

Using post effects

Time for action - applying blur

What just happened?

Time for action - testing the other post effects

What just happened?

Time for action - adjusting the overall post effect

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with the scene

Setting the light with the multiplier

Time for action - using directional versus spotlight

What just happened?

Pop quiz

Discovering the performance enhancements

Improving usability features

Using the tree brush

Time for action - planting and felling trees

What just happened?

Have a go hero - cutting paths in the forest

Using soft cloth

Time for action - testing a cloth

What just happened?

Time for action - creating a ghost effect

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Exploring soft cloth options

Summary

D. Discovering New Animation Tools

Exploring the modified timeline

Mixing moves the easy way

Time for action - using MixMoves

What just happened?

Using the motion puppet

Time for action - animating Gwynn

What just happened?

Time for action - smoothing the transition between motions

What just happened?

Have a go hero - adjusting the presets

Time for action - walking with the motion puppet

What just happened?

Time for action - stopping the foot sliding

What just happened?

Understanding Human IK (pose and reach target)

Time for action - setting up a two-handed rig with Human IK

What just happened?

Time for action - hooking up the dummies

What just happened?

Time for action - using the two handed rig for movement

What just happened?

Time for action - using locking dummies

What just happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with the three way rig

Time for action - setting up the unicycle

What just happened?

Have a go hero - operating the unicycle

Manipulating Direct Puppet

Time for action - puppeteering the character's movements

What Just Happened?

Have a go hero - experimenting with Direct Puppet

Time for action - climbing with Human IK

What Just Happened?

Have a go hero - moving the character further up the pipe

Pop quiz - Pinning versus Lock To

Understanding device Mocap (Kinect)

Time for action - installing the Kinect plugin

What just happened?

Time for action - starting the Mocap Device Plug-in

What just happened?

Time for action - cleaning up the Mocap

What just happened?

Using motion capture effectively

Using the Prop Puppet

Time for action - building the tank turret

What just happened?

Time for action - animating the radar

What just happened?

Time for action - animating the turret

What just happened?

Customizing the transition and time warp

Have a go hero - using the transition and time warp curves

Using the Prop Look At

Time for action - grasping the basics of Prop Look At

What just happened?

Time for action - using a practical example of the Prop Look At

What just happened?

Applying iClone 5 techniques to Chapter 4, Animating the Characters

Time for action - animating the grill with new features

What just happened?

Have a go hero - - adjusting the hand position

Summary

E. Pop quiz - Answers

Chapter 5, Enhancing Animation with Particles

Chapter 6, Working with Cameras

Chapter 7, Enhancing Scenes with Images and Videos

Chapter 8, Rendering our Work

Appendix C, Exploring New Features

Appendix D, Discovering New Animation Tools

Index