Animation Problems

Perfectly acceptible to have animated child groups.
Just remember the parent animation applies to the child group before the child group animation is applied.

I’ve made a start:
[img:z6xp4oyo]http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=235andt=79817andp=955340#p955340[/img:z6xp4oyo]
<!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=235andt=79817andp=955340#p955340">http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. … 40#p955340</a><!– m –>

Hi guys

I have been trying to set the animation on this project and after a multitude of trys actually have an animation (in 3DC at least)

However One of the components has a huge list of presumably aborted attempts and I can’t delete them without losing my Animation

Screenshot

[img:2ebxxx3f]http&#58;//i257&#46;photobucket&#46;com/albums/hh213/401Sly/Animationtrouble1&#46;jpg[/img:2ebxxx3f]

The Left connecting Rod has multiple (50 plus) instances within the animation when I try to delete it says it must leave one frame in there..
I have also tried Naming the sequence and then deleting but it does not seem to reduce anything.

If I clear all animations I presume that will get rid… but I will have to start the animations again frame by frame

Any shortcuts or solutions?

Sly

Animations for train sims should only be applied to groups, and not to objects.
For simple rotations (like wheels) try my rotation x script.

The first thing you need to decide is the number of key frames you are going to use – bear in mind, you don’t need to define every key frame for every group.

e.g. for a simple rotation of 32 key frames, you only need to define 0, 8, 16, 24 and 32, the rest are interpolated.

The rod animation plugin will accurately do most of the job for you.
Unfortunately it’s not that simple to understand.
It also does not do everything, but it does give you a good starting point.

I’ll try an put together a small tutorial today some time.

One here, but I had trouble following it:
[img:28033i3n]http&#58;//steam4me&#46;railpage&#46;org&#46;au/trainsim/tutorials/3dc_rod_an&#46;html[/img:28033i3n]
<!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/trainsim/tutorials/3dc_rod_an.html">http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/trainsi … od_an.html</a><!– m –>

Some others relating to other modelling tools here:
[img:28033i3n]http&#58;//steam4me&#46;railpage&#46;org&#46;au/trainsim/tutorials/index&#46;html#models[/img:28033i3n]
<!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/trainsim/tutorials/index.html#models">http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/trainsi … tml#models</a><!– m –>

Hi Paul.. thanks for the responce

Yep I have seen those tutorials…
It looks like I have to clear all animations for that object… using the black cross?

I presume that when I run my animation in 3DC it jumps and lurches through because of all these entries…. it steps through OK.. but doesn’t at this time export properly to Rail Simulator.

On the question of moving parts being in groups (which they are)… Is it OK to have moving parts in a child group of another moving part?

For example
MAIN GROUP
|-PISTON GROUP
| |—Piston
| |-GROUP2
| |—-Union Link
| |—-Combining Lever
|
|-WHEELS1 GROUP
| |—Wheels
| |-ROD1 GROUP
| | |—Rod1
| |-ECCENTRIC GROUP
| |—Eccentric Link
| |-DIE BLOCK GROUP
| |—Die Block

Thanks Again

Sly

Edit
Hmm the boards took out the blank spaces in my tree.
However
Piston Group is a child of Main Group
Group2 is a child of Piston Group

Wheels1 Group Is a child of Main Group
Rod1 Group Is a Child of Wheels1 Group
Eccentric Group is a child of Wheels1 Group
DieBlock Group is a child of Eccentric Group

Sly