please help

[buddhanature28]

Hi fairly new to Anime Pro and I am having this problem I cant figure out. My character looks fine with scrubber at 0 but then turns into a right mess when I move him anywhere on the time line.

[buddhanature28]

and this is the layering I used for folders if it matters

[neeters_guy]

Assuming you're using bone offset tool and no embedded scripts, check under the sequencer tab and see if the track has shifted from the zero frame. If so, try shifting the track back to zero and see if that fixes the problem.

[funksmaname]

Hey,
Check your parenting.

Also, is there any particular reason why you have separated the arms and legs into new bone layers? you only have one layer under them so it seems to be complicating stuff for no reason...

[Poptoogi]

Hi buddhanature28,

Like funksmename said check the way the bones are parented or linked together. You can do that by going frame zero and clicking the chain link icon to see what's going on. Also, I'm just guessing, but it may be related to the type of bone binding you have on. Double click on your bone layer and then in the bone tab, check to see if it's on flexible binding or region binding. It could be that you're using flexible binding and the strength is turned way up causing the weird distortions you've got going on there! I often have distortions like that because of the flex binding. I flex binding is on you may want to try selecting individual points and bind them manually.

[sbtamu]

For experienced users this could be fixed in a matter of minutes but w/o having seeing the file, we can only guess whats going on. It is most likely some key frames. Try deleting all animation from the document(if you are just starting. I would hate for you to delete parts that are working.) That should fix it and then you can start your animations anew.

Like others have said, there is no reason to make a new bone layer for the arms and legs but... I have made bone layers like this in the past when I do 3D and bones need different Z values.

[buddhanature28]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. So far I have relayered everything so the bones are all on one layer (I have seen so many tutorials online suggesting different ways to set this up I am very confused as to how folders with images and bones SHOULD be arranged but thats a separate issue!) Then with everything in one layer I made sure everything is reparented. I adjusted bone stengths though am still working on that. And I have used bone offset to move bones around to try to make it look right. I have also deleted all animation as there wasnt much so not an issue if trying to eliminate things. I checked and i do have flexible binding on.Oh and I checked the sequencer tab and moved everything along back to 1...(how does it get off of 1 and what does it do?) I am uploading three images now so you can see how the character looks at the beginning, then just one frame on and I also noticed the bones dont seem bound to the arms properly anymore. Thanks for any additional help!

[buddhanature28]

[hayasidist]

hi. this has the look of points and layers not being controlled by the correct bone and/or bones influencing points and layers that they shouldn't.

things to check in the bone layer:

- my preference is for region binding (not flexible binding)
I think you said you've checked all of the following, but ....
- parenting needs to be logical
- influence needs to cover the correct points
- "at a distance" needs to be correctly set (from the way you've aligned all the vector layers this means NO "at a distance") but that might mean that on Frame 0, for example, where the hand overlaps the body there is a conflict between two bones fighting for control of the same point.

Get around this by designing your frame0 pose such that there is NO OVERLAP of shapes in different vector layers: e.g. you could put the arms out horizontally - then reposition (and change the angle constraints on) the arm/hand bones.

[neeters_guy]

I feel we're shotgunning solutions, but here's another thing. You may need to through vector layers and release the layer (Bone -> Release Layer). This might happen if you start pointing binding then decide later you want flexible or region binding...you need to release the layer first. I find this resets the layer so you can start anew. Good luck.

[buddhanature28]

Hi

Thank you both. I have tried both your suggestions as well as all the others on the list and I finally seem to be getting some control over my character! The only issue I am still having is that at frame 0 the character as a whole is in one place on the grid, and then from frame 1 onwards it seems to jump a bit to the side. However then it stays there and doesnt continue to distort or more. And I still cant figure this part out. Also what does at a distance mean. Is there a setting for this?

Thank you all for your continued help!

Kind Regards,
Heather

[hayasidist]

"at a distance" -- sorry - should have used the correct term it's "offset bone" tool. check out tutorial 3.4 and ASP8 manual page 263.

sideways jump?! One possible cause is that on frame 1 you've inadvertently moved the "root" bone (and thus all the other bones) from their frame 0 position. use the "channels" view in "timeline" (and, in Edit/Preferences/Options, ensure that you don't have the "consolidate channels" option set) to see If there's a keyframe marker against a bone movement..

[buddhanature28]

Thanks! So I think yeah maybe I did move the root bone...but if so how do I reset it to stop that jump? I did try to select it and then click set origin but doesnt seem to be what that button is for! Checked the consolidate channels box and that was unticked so ok there, and didnt see any markers at 0...thanks again. Heather

[hayasidist]

if you haven't yet done any "real" animation the simplest way is to delete ALL animation from the document:

Animation / Clear Animation From Document (see ASP8 manual page 457)

==
or manually delete the bone keyframe (but this might lead to "unexpected" motion if you've later moved the bone):

select the root bone; then, in the timeline window, select and delete the frame 1 keyframe that is on the RED (bone-specific) channel. (see ASP8 p 392/3)

==
or live with it (this time)!

My own approach is to design the character on frame 0 in a pose that makes control "easy"; then on frame 1 I set the pose that is the starting point for action.

[buddhanature28]

thanks so much for all your help! You've certainly made learning this much easier!