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View Full Version : A couple Combustion 3 questions.

WhiteRabbitObj
12-02-2004, 05:43 AM
Howdy folks. I recently purchased Combustion 3, and boy does it seem convoluted and underpowered compared to what I was used to, that being D2's Nuke. One of the things I am knocking my face against the wall about (one of many) is my desire to slap a node down to adjust the timing of a composite node but I can't seem to figure it out. The manual suggests that "layers" can be adjusted but I cannot find an option for it. I know that footage ops have a control for speed but I wish to slow down some footage (putting together an animatic atm) that already has a network of nodes working on the footage op. I don't want to have to go through and redo ALL the keyframes of each of the nodes, and the manual seems to suggest I should be able to change the speed on the layer node just before a comp node. If Discreet hasn't even added THAT then boy am I going to be scratching my head as to what use this package is!

Also, is there a way to adjust transformations, say, per node? For instance, I had a footage node, then a mask node, then a layer and comp node. I wanted to transform the footage node and keyframe that transform, but the only way I could figure out to do that was the layer node. But since the layer node was AFTER the mask node, it also transformed the mask, which I do NOT want! I have so far gotten around it by slapping a layer/comp between the footage op and the mask op but jeebus... that's convoluted as hell! Please tell me there's another way! I can't fathom why there's not a Transform node like Nuke and (I believe) Shake.

Thanks for any help.
Marcioss
12-02-2004, 11:58 AM
Hi... WhiteRabbit.

Congratulations...

About your first question...
-There are many options to adjust a layer in composition time. You can slid your layer in timeline viewer on overview mode, just pic the layer graffic or the , adjust the in/out point of your footage in footage control.
- To change the velocity/time warp of the footage you can use several plugins that control the footage (Try "Jamretimer"), or change it in footage control (not animated).
-About composition time you can change it in the composite controls\output.

There are many diferent things that you can do at same time... try it.

About you second question... :)
-I donīt understand it, sorry!.... But you can link layers with "Parent" or with "Target"
and use null objects to animate several layers ate the same time.
-Or nesting a group of layers and then animate the nested layer.
-Another way is simply copy and paste the animation from one layer to another.

Combustion users can use several ways to get the same, and it is simple to use.
Try some tuturials... They are helpfull for new users.

Keep combustion....

Thanks... and Merry Chirstmas.....:)
Chris
12-05-2004, 02:52 AM
Starting on a new program always seems like the way it works is wierd/convoluted - once you get into the way it works however you should be right.

You cant adjust the speed of footage at the layer level, you need to do that at the footage level. You can slip layers back & foward in time in the context of a composite (in the timeline)

With your other problem, the layer node is effectively the transform node, or axis node - it is the node that gives your upstream information any relative position, size etc. If you want to make masks work interdependently of the layer movement, you can do a couple of things (depending on what it is you actually want to do). You could split the output of your footage into a separate layer & mask that, then use a stencil layer, or set matte operator to acheive what you want. The other option might be to animate your mask instead.
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