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Activity Forums Zaxwerks So Confused!!

  • So Confused!!

    Posted by Robert Kazden on March 8, 2006 at 3:17 am

    Okay this one’s a little hard to explain but I’m just flabbergasted, so any help would be appreciated. I should also say that i new to after effects 3d as well as zaxwerks….
    Okay, I made a new white solid, turned it 3D and rotated it 90 degrees on the x axis, so i got a perfect side view of a plain, basically. Made a new solid layer, added invigorator pro and made a 3d X, turned on use comp camera and moved the set in the invigorator window so the x appears to be resting perfecting on the plain. I then added a new camera, and what i was planning to do is move the camera around to show the 3d dimensions of the x resting on a plain, using a spotlight and shadows, but whenever i move the camera’s point of interest (up and down) the x goes THROUGH the plain. WHY??? if it is resting on the plain, and i’m not moving anything but the camera, why does the x go through the plain? i’m so confused. Help!

    thanks.

    Kazden

    Serge Hamad replied 20 years, 2 months ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Serge Hamad

    March 8, 2006 at 3:34 am

    Hi Kazden,

    I would simply create the plane in Invigorator. Did you try that? This way you will have a better objects interaction.

    Salut.
    Serge

  • Matt Rhodes

    March 8, 2006 at 3:37 am

    Hi Kazden.

    I think I understand what’s happening.
    I believe you should be adding your AE Camera *before* clicking
    on the Use Comp Camera checkbox.

    I think what’s happening what you have Use Comp Camera on, but
    not AE Camera in the scene, is that you’re making the scene “look”
    right, but you’re making it look right with the wrong camera. Then,
    once you’ve added the AE camera, your object is actually not properly
    aligned with the new camera.

    If that doesn’t work, feel free to send me your project (just the .aep file)
    and I’ll take a look.

    Let us know how things go.

    Matt Rhodes
    Zaxwerks, Inc.

  • Matt Rhodes

    March 8, 2006 at 3:38 am

    Serge makes a good point.

    One thing I forgot to mention is that an Invigorator layer cannot
    cast shadows outside of itself (such as on a non-Invig layer). Therefore, it’s best to have
    the plane receiving the shadow in your Invigorator as well.

    Matt Rhodes
    Zaxwerks, Inc.

  • Robert Kazden

    March 8, 2006 at 3:57 am

    Okay so thanks for the help guys. basically i figured out what i was doing wrong, but in doing so i have another question. I, stupidly, turned the layer into a 3D layer as well as using the comp camera in the invigorator window, as soon as i turned off the 3d layer, it was doing what i wanted with the camera, BUT without that 3d layer on, how can i get that X to cast a shadow under a spot light? is that possible?

  • Serge Hamad

    March 8, 2006 at 4:35 am

    Kazden, 2 ways to do so: You apply a regular drop shadow effect or you use a plane inside Invigorator and use Invigorator lights.
    Another way would be to indeed switch the Invigorator layer to 3D and use AE lights. Depending on your animation this could work, especially if you set the layer to always face the camera and animate the set to compensate some camera moves.

    Salut.
    Serge

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