Unit Animation Help Needed!

[georgestow]

Here's my situation:

I've downloaded the Poser 8 trial and PSP trial, both for 30 days and intend on making as many of the units I want for my mod as possible within that time. However, I have encountered a problem at the Flicster stage. All of my animations work fine-apart from the fortify. When I go onto the 'View Animation' tab in Flicster, after loading the fortify animation, Windows gives me the error 'Flicster has stopped working'. It used to give me error 7 and error 9 before, then I tried to fix it and now it just gets the Windows error.
Any help please?
I've attatched the fortify file to this post.

 

[utahjazz7]

The problem seems to be that your storyboard has only ten frames, but the FLICster files were made for 15 frames.

When you export a .flc to an .fxm file, you can adjust the number of frames.

 

[georgestow]

Um...
So, how do I fix it exactly?

 

[Vuldacon]

open Flicster, click File, New, set the Frame Count and Frame size and if you already know the Flc Speed you can set that or set it before Generating the Finished Flc.

Click Export then Use only the .FXM file that is generated and name it the same name as your .pcx file storyboard.

Example: I would name Unit1_StoryBoard.FXM to OmegaZombieDefault_StoryBoard.FXM
Then if both the .FXM and your .pcx Storyboard have the same frame size and number of frames, you are good to go.

EDIT: I did the above and made the finished Flc set at 66 Flc Speed. You can change as you want.
The Storyboard and .FXM are in the zip as well.

 

[georgestow]

Thank-you!

 

[georgestow]

Sorry to have to ask more but I must have seriously screwed up somewhere along the line because the attack and fortify animations causes the game to freeze and the death animation doesn't happen.
Help, please?

 

[Vuldacon]

A simple matter of mixing up Rendered frames in the Folders for the Animations.

Many frames are facing different directions and some do not appear to be the same animation in appearance.

Take time to be absolute with the Frames and folders for directions.

Otherwise, all animations show in Flicster anyway.
Other than that... make sure the .ini file is set with the exact same names for the Flcs.

When you render the animations, calculate the Number of frames and the amount of time you want for the animation.

The problem seems to be in the .ini because I tested these animations in game and they play. The Flc Speeds are a matter of what you want.

 

[tom2050]

It would be a good idea to make a template folder to use for units...

Such as folder: UnitName
- UnitName folder contains a folder called: Directions
- Directions folder contains 8 folders: E, N, NE, NW, S, SE, SW, and W

Rendering from poser you place the appropriate directions in those.

Then you can use Sandris SBB to make storyboard with this, quick and easy. And you can check the folders to make sure they have the same number of animations, or that the correct ones are there.

This may be what you do, but I have found it easiest to just copy and paste the UnitName folder I have made w/e I am converting a unit, since it is the easiest most organized way I have found.

 

[georgestow]

Okay, the death was just an .ini problem, but I've tried loads of things and the fortify and attack animations still aren't working.
Please help?
What files does anyone need to fix these?

 

[Vuldacon]

Georgestow... Upload the Unit and .ini file as you now have them so I can take a look.

 

[georgestow]

Really sorry about all the hassle I'm causing...

Here are the current files.

 

[Vuldacon]

No Problem, I will get right back to you.

 

[Vuldacon]

...it was the animation time.
The Attack was set at 70 Flc Speed for example but the animation Time was 1875. That should have been 1050 at 70 Flc Speed and 15 Frames.
I corrected both the Fortify and Attack Flcs.
I set the Fortify, Attack and Death to 66 Speed
The Run is 58 Speed and the Default is 100 speed.

Notes: The Default Flc has a different frame #6 in all directions other than the SW, W and SE directions that causes a Jerk Movement.
The Run animation has a Jerky Shield and Spear that could be remade in Poser so it is smooth.

Curious...did you use Flicster to generate the Flcs?

EDIT: If you do decide to render the Run animation again in Poser, set the Frame Rate to 15 on the Animation Palette and also before Rendering, Under Time Span and increment: Set the Same Frame Rate of 15. that will provide a 1 second animation for the 15 frames, then when you set the Flc Speed in Flicster, you may be able to use 66 Speed.

 

[georgestow]

...it was the animation time.
The Attack was set at 70 Flc Speed for example but the animation Time was 1875. That should have been 1050 at 70 Flc Speed and 15 Frames.
I corrected both the Fortify and Attack Flcs.
I set the Fortify, Attack and Death to 66 Speed
The Run is 58 Speed and the Default is 100 speed.

Thanks!

Notes: The Default Flc has a different frame #6 in all directions other than the SW, W and SE directions that causes a Jerk Movement.
The Run animation has a Jerky Shield and Spear that could be remade in Poser so it is smooth.

The problem with the run was that I couldn't make it so the spear didn't end up going through the shield at some point without it ending up being jerky. Shame really, but hopefully I'll get better.

Curious...did you use Flicster to generate the Flcs?

Yes

EDIT: If you do decide to render the Run animation again in Poser, set the Frame Rate to 15 on the Animation Palette and also before Rendering, Under Time Span and increment: Set the Same Frame Rate of 15. that will provide a 1 second animation for the 15 frames, then when you set the Flc Speed in Flicster, you may be able to use 66 Speed.

Thanks! I'll remember that for future reference, but I just want to get this unit over and done with now.

 

[Plotinus]

The problem with the run was that I couldn't make it so the spear didn't end up going through the shield at some point without it ending up being jerky. Shame really, but hopefully I'll get better.

With that sort of thing, try rotating the hand that's holding the weapon (in every frame, i.e. apply the rotation in the first frame of the animation and then un-key-frame it in all the other frames, so it doesn't change), so there is no clash. This is generally a low-hassle way of resolving this sort of thing.

 

[Moosezilla]

No wonder I am a Civfanatic! Thanks for showing why once again. I don't know nottin'!

 

[Vuldacon]

georgestow... I realize you may not be enthusiastic about remaking some of the animations for this Unit but after all, there is not really any difference between perfecting this unit and making any New perfected unit. There are generally things we have to "adjust" and render again to obtain what we really want.

Taking the Time to perfect what you have made is what will present a Great Unit.
...besides, you already have the animations, it would not be difficult to correct and it would also help you with the next unit

 

[georgestow]

Taking the Time to perfect what you have made is what will present a Great Unit.

Time... that's the problem-I only have 30 days of trial, so really I want to knock these units out as quickly as possible, at a decent quality. I would love to be able to come out with an immense unit after spending ages of tinkering and tweaking time on it, but really I have quite a few units I need to make, and only a certain amount of time.

 

[Vuldacon]

Perhaps you could buy Poser 6 for much less.

 

[georgestow]

I would love to, but I've been looking around for ages for a good deal, and unfortunately, they're jsut not coming my way.