Bouncin' Ballz scrn log 3

Another screenshot. Changed the lights in the scene into spot and point light for more dramatic scene, and a dim back lit for spacial feel. Changed small ball path, and scratched the drunken ball idea. Emotions now = investigative to scared (I think). Still no rotation, some translation, erroneous bounce curve everywhere. Light ball too helium-like for a beach ball. Rebound curve from trap door incorrect.

Bouncin Ballz scrn log 2

F Curve editor, Dope Sheet

Still having a lot of trouble reading and understanding Dope Sheet, and especially F Curve and how those curves relate back to the movement of their objects.

Note: Time each bounce of 3 heavy ball reference video; average them; input data to Heavy Ball. Ref to consider = bowling ball and bocce ball.

Same for light ball. Ref to consider = basket ball, soccer ball.

Look for ref vid of ball falling from suspension, preferably from trap door or other removable ground.

Will need to record ball falling with ground extracted from beneath it.

Material

Today in class we learned about - materials!!!

Let's see how much of it I'll remember tomorrow

[edit] Material and lighting, and modeling, more interesting to me than animating. Mostly because I can understand the previous three through my fine arts background, but animation is entirely new, and nothing I do is working the way I envisioned it as. So far animating this very first project = frustration. Given time to get used to... everything, should smooth out the frustration.

Bouncing Ball Diary 2

We're supposed to keep log, diary, and record every details of what we tried, how things worked/didn't work for us, and... some other stuff. Makes total sense, 'cept I often forget to write thought process down until my mind's a hundred miles off from the last time I wrote anything down.

===

Overall Objective: Bounce at least 2 out of 3 balls; 1 Heavy, 1 Light, 1 portray
emotion and changes emotion.
Problem: Need for storyboard simplification, time shortage.
Current Progress: Restarted 4th time.

Objective: ball 3, bounce in Z, off a vertical wall, mimicking drunkenness.
Problem: everything. Solution Found:

Took almost 30min to find out how to cut a piece off an object and make it a separate object : Create -> Poly Mesh -> Extract Poly (delete)

After 1st Ever 3D Model, 1st Ever 3D Animation

After successfully completing modeling something, we've now moved onto animating something. During class we were given a whip-thing to animate, as if it's a willow branch waving in the wind. As we were all Ooh-ing at the demo vid on screen, the lecturer said, "Now do that on your screen. You have 20 minutes, go!"

My willow branched looked like a tentacle monster undergoing seizure.

Then we had a dog character turning his head. Lecturer told us to make the transition smoother.

My dog looked like his neck snapped mysteriously half way.

Before Monday was over I was already questioning what the Hell I was doing there, and how the Hell am I ever going to graduate as an Animator.

Now our first animation assignment is ye O' Bouncin' Ballz. Here's what I've got setup so far. Should also draw out a storyboard.

References for production record:
• http://www.physics.hku.hk/~phys0607/lectures/chap05.html
• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=waves+of+balls+bouncing+time+distance&view=detail&id=AAD38A3B9C91D3F21301BBAC7235718CD26D8FC8&FORM=IDFRIR
• https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8jlevdzkr66mgpd/06O--wkc9l
• https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100545588265538
• http://youtu.be/RTJrvnKNwyU
• https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fctlq3azti4xyxc/PN90vtg0eS/Bouncing%20Balls#f:MVI_3018.MOV
• http://youtu.be/I7IEBm8ZH7s
• http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF5F0358ECA93FFAB

From Joy to ... a Different Kind of Joy.

1.5 hours ago I was bouncing with joy at having finished my first 3D model. Now I'm limping from my first black toe after an ill-connected kick at a Tae Kwon Do lesson. And I still have to cycle back home, in the dark, in the rain. But I'm still joyful, because I'm finally doing something else I've always wanted to do - martial arts.

SoftImage

Asides from a bunch of other lectures, we started getting used to SoftImage, and learning how to model in it. Trying to do a simple Colt .45 single action modeling exercise, and every other simple operation going wrong. Like swirly candy cane birail, insane extrude, explosive transform... . Days later, and I'm still working on it. Behind the whole group by 1 exercise, 1 assignment, and an exponentially growing reading list that I haven't touched.

[edit] To make this log book more log-like:

Started Sunday, finished Wednesday night, with lectures during the weekday, of course. First ever finished 3D model. Next side goal is to finish that lion-thing from this summer. Or put a body under Aristotle's head in ZBrush.

Second Chance

It would be interesting to have a progress log book to examine at the end of this 1 year master's degree program. To see where and how far I will have traveled in this unique window of opportunity to switch career.