AM Character tools

#1

I don’t know anything about the recent versions of AM and was wondering if the character tools were any good… Particularly ik tools. I’m just looking for a cheap sollution that actually works and the other apps I have just don’t cut it. I just need a lot of flexibility in the character tools. I would really like to get some insight from some AM users. Also some pros and cons of the package would also be nice cause I can’t find any recent reviews of AM, just some stuff from like 1998.

Thanks

(I’m not sure if posting this question is taboo cause my post got deleted last time, so sorry if it is)

#2

It is a tribute to the power of marketing (or the lack thereof) that this even comes up…

A:M has the Best character animation tools on the market Bar None. IK on A:M is about as good as it gets, constraints, relationships and other character set-up tools are extraordinarily powerful and at the same time Easy To Use (an amazing concept in 3d I know.)

Add to this a simple to learn and flexible workflow, reusable actions, the best Non-linear Animation implementation going from the guys who developed NLA first…

the downsides of A:M have traditionally been render related, but with the latest version that is less and less of an issue with every release.

I’m not saying I’m unbiased though cause if you buy A:M you will need a good book to learn it with :deal: but at the same time I have put up with more from A:M than I would have with any other app just because of the character tools.

-David Rogers

#3

I am hesitant to learn a new program, and from my understanding, it sounds like the hardest part coming from most 3d programs to AM is modelling. At least that is what I heard. But I am more than willing to deal with those issues and any others that may arrise just as long as the character tools work great. :thumbsup:

#4

Modeling is a little different, but in my opinion it is the fastest most intuitive way to model that I’ve seen.

If you get a chance to see Wegg or Joe Cosman model, you will be blown away at how easy it is. When I watched a demo that they did on the Siggraph tapes all kinds of light bulbs went on in my head. After I saw those tapes, I made fast improvements.

Like any complex program, there is a lot to learn, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to make anything!:arteest:

#5

No kidding, Cosman is teh roXor! :scream:

AM has it’s issues, but boy are the character tools something. Setup is truly a breeze, animating, even more so. Modelling is definitely the one issue people new to splines and hash patches have the most difficulty with, but when you get good, watch out!

Steve needs to put the rest of his video tutorials up (I’ll see if I can find the url) as that will at least let you see some of the workflow. You could also try picking up one of the Anzovin videos like Secrets of AM2003 . Once again, this will show you how AM works and let you see if it agrees with you before spending the dinero.

I warn you though, it can be a damn addictive little program. Yes it has issues (can be buggy, though 10.5 is a big improvement) but for the money, nothing else comes close.

I wish Hash would do a demo version of the program, or barring that, release an older version (like 8.5) for free.

#6

Hehe…first time I modeled in AM I felt right at home (coming from SoftImage and Maya). I guess if you’ve worked with NURBS, it’ll be easier than if you’ve only done poly modeling. What I like most about modeling in AM is that the points are ON the surface (not inside/outside it).

When I started rigging in AM, it was kind of funny, I kept adding extra bones and stuff that I would have done if I were using Maya…and then kept removing them, as they weren’t needed in AM to get the same functionality. “Hey, I don’t need that bone and that constraint…I can just do it like this.” and so on.

Only downside was the creases, but that’s much improved in 10.5.

Ragnar

#7

Originally posted by ragtag
When I started rigging in AM, it was kind of funny, I kept adding extra bones and stuff that I would have done if I were using Maya…and then kept removing them, as they weren’t needed in AM to get the same functionality. “Hey, I don’t need that bone and that constraint…I can just do it like this.” and so on.
Ragnar

Boy are you not kidding. I’ve been spending some time in Maya again this last month and while there are things I love about it (Mel rulez!!!), some aspects of it leave me scratching my head in disbelief. 5 clicks to do something that takes 1 in AM… sometimes worse!

#8

Thanks for the insight guys. I found it very helpful in making my decision. I think I’ll do just some more research. BTW, I noticed the AM section here on cgtalk is pretty small. If you guys know of any other useful resources concerning AM that you could tell me about that would also be very helpful.

Thank you:thumbsup:

#9

There are others–AmExchange, animationpitstop–but for forums, this is one of the more active ones…most people are scared away by the spline patch modeling system, I think…

There’s always the mail list, though, and its couple hundred messages a week. It’s pretty good for support, tips, etc., though there is really no discussion.

But man…“I just need a really cheap tool with the best character animation tools on the planet…” This app was written for you!

#10

Yup it has some great animation tools. You won’t find much easier.

here are some links to help you look for resources.

links to AM resources

Start with cantins tutorials. it will help you understand how the patches work. A must read for all beginners going into Hash.

sherwood forest is THE SOURCE for all things animation master related. you’ll find everything there.

Hope this helps,

Jason

#11

I’ve been working for almost seven years… Maya, then Lightwave. Those two programs are not similar by any stretch.

Modeling wise Hash’s implementation is very simple, almost too simple. Any development of a complex organic model benifits from the use of subdivision/polygon technology. As good as some masters of A:M are, a similarly endowed artist working in subpatch (called metanurms/subpatch etc. ) will always work faster and can add more detail. (And for anyone who can disprove this, put your money where your mouth is :thumbsup: )

I came to Maya first and then I believed that NURBs modeling was the way to go when modeling characters. Poly modeling was just too painful and clunky. Lightwave was foisted onto by a company I was working in at that time. Subpatch in Lightwave was amazing.

Now a heavily detailed, completely ready for animation model can be made in a day. At least that was my workflow. Maya got subdees at a lower price in 4.5. In Hash it can take a day to a week. Rendering artifacts aren’t very helpful as well. Speed and quality of render is a huge issue.

But do I care? YES I make a living off what I do. And it is an issue!

But on the other hand… I agree completely with Obnomauk. NOTHING, let me re-emphasize that again, N-O-T-H-I-N-G comes close to A:M when it comes to character setup, and animation. Admittedly I’ve no practical experience with SoftImage, but for Maya/Lightwave/Max comparisons, read the above sentence.

The character animation tools are so good, I am willing to forego quailty/speed render issues, modeling bottlenecks, and lots of bugs. We are using A:M now for a very demanding client.

BUT a caveat, we are working on cartoony characters (Which is incredibly painful to do in Lightwave…), and our backgrounds are composites to alleviate the speed problem with rendering. For the price…

Damn man do yourself a favor and get a copy. And the funny thing is anything you learn in one package is easily transferable to another package…

#12

Steve just put up bunch more video tutorials he’s done here:
http://www.hash.com/vm/

They don’t cover everything, but they will give you an idea how AM works.

#13

I can’t get over the incredible video quality of those tuts (considering the fairly small file sizes). It’s just crystal clear. I wish more people would use this format for video tuts.

#14

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