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  • Maxon Cinema 4D

    camera following a path deformer object

    Posted by Michael Goldberg on November 10, 2006 at 4:26 pm

    Hi,
    I’ve created an arrow that travels along a spline using path deformer (I’m using path deformer, because I want the arrow to bend as it travels). I’m trying to get a camera to follow the arrow as if it is attathed, but slightly behind. I thought I could simply copy the path deformer, and apply a simple sphere to the copy. Then take the position of that sphere (using expresso), and pass it to the camera. That doesn’t work, as the position of the actual sphere doesn’t change. I then tried to copy the spline, and align the sphere to the copy, etc. The problem here is the interpolation between path deformer, and align to spline seem to be quite a bit different. I think I’m overcomplicating this simply thing. Anyone see anything obvious that I’m just not doing? It’s been a long day…LOL

    Mike

    Lennart Wåhlin replied 19 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies

  • Mylenium

    November 10, 2006 at 4:49 pm

    Try using the Align to Spline tag on a Null object and parent the camera to it. This should improve things. If that fails, use the structure manager to get your spline data and then use that data as position info in the Timeline/F-Curve editor.

    Mylenium

    [Pour Myl

  • Michael Goldberg

    November 10, 2006 at 6:15 pm

    Thanks,
    I did try the align to spline tag on a null, but as I said, the interpolation was quite a bit different than path deformer.

    MG

  • Mylenium

    November 10, 2006 at 7:08 pm

    I suppose there is some extra smoothing going on. Have you tried to subdivide the spline to get it smoother?

    Mylenium

    [Pour Myl

  • Lennart Wåhlin

    November 10, 2006 at 7:26 pm

    Hi Make.
    You can take the a look at the SteadyCAM_FREE_EDITION for this if you like.
    dload it from:
    http://www.tcastudios.com ->SteadyCAMPRO link.
    Dload the expression plugin SteadyCAM_FE (item009 under SteadyCAMPROv2 examples)
    install it and dload the scene 010 and check.

    It should help you out.
    What I’ve done is put the spline in Slot C5 (so the camera follows the spline).
    Put the same spline in C6 and checked Link. This way the camera looks along the spline using the animation
    from C5 and C6 is used for offsetting the “LookAt” position along the spline.
    Finaly in the Trim Tag I raised tha Camera using the “Cam C5 Trim” option.

    Cheers
    Lennart

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