|
Controllers:
-
Controllers are used to affect the way we control
our animation. The default Controller for
controlling Position is Position:
Bezier Position. This groups the X, Y and Z values together, and is fine
for simple animation.
-
However, if we want to have greater control over the individual axis, we can
use a different controller.
-
You can apply controllers in two different places:
-
Command Panel>Motion>Assign Controller
-
or
-
Track View>Assign Controller.
-
We are
going to use Track View in this instance.
|
-
In Track View, with your Position
Track still selected, Click on Assign Controller:
-
This will bring up a list of controllers. Choose
Position XYZ and click OK.
-
You can now expand your position track into three separate tracks,
X, Y and Z.
-
By selecting each of these tracks, you can access its
function curve and
adjust it without affecting the other curves.
-
Select Y
Position.
-
You will notice that
the Curve is flat, i.e. it does not move up or down. This is because our sphere does not
move in the Y direction.
-
Select X
Position.
-
The Curve for X is a straight line moving diagonally across and up. This is
because our sphere is constantly moving in a positive X
direction.
-
Select Z
Position.
-
This Curve
looks very much like the trajectory of our
Sphere, but you need to understand that its NOT!
Function
Curve:
Trajectory:
-
Remember,
for the Function Curve, the vertical direction is showing the Sphere's
position/value in the Z direction, but the
Horizontal direction is showing how the value changes
over time, NOT how much the sphere has
moved across in the X direction.
-
Basically,
this Function Curve would look the same if we
stopped the Sphere from moving across at all, and just made it move up and
down.
-
Confused?
Don't be, It will all become clear once you start using these Function
Curves for a reason.
-
Right click
on any of the key frames along the Function Curve
to bring up the Key Info Box.
-
You can now
change the tangent types just for the Z
Direction.
-
Change them
all to Linear.
-
See how
this affects your Curve and your animation.
-
"Big
Deal" I hear you all shout! "We did that before and it was much
easier!".
-
But. In the
next tutorial you will see why it is much more effective to access the
actual Function Curves than just the Keyframes.
At the moment, I just want you to know how to do it!
|