Change pivot point in ProAnimator 4

[Theo Brown]

Anyone respond to this one yet? I’m wondering the same thing — how do you move the pivot point? If at all possible.

Couldn’t find it in the manual or FAQs…

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi guys,

The term pivot point is more appropriate for Invigorator and Invigorator Pro. In these cases, the pivot point of a set (a set is an invisible container into which objects are placed) is determined by the first object or objects placed into the set. In some cases, people add a cube to an empty set to behave as a null object.. then add the other objects… move the null around inside the set until they get the pivot point where they want it, then turn off its visibility. From this set-up work, they move on to animating the set.

Instead of sets, ProAnimator uses object tracks into which objects are placed. The pose positioning tools can help you manipulate the starting and/or ending point of the objects, but there really isn’t a pivot point option that I know of.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

Jon

[Theo Brown]

Hi Jon, just simply trying to move an anchor/pivot point so that it’s not centered on an object — for example, making a door look like it’s opening on it’s hinges (and not from it’s center!). If you look at this thread, https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/41/857486? , Serge states that moving a anchor/pivot point doesn’t exist. And yes, I do remember creating a null or invisible object in Invigorator to fake an anchor/pivot, but ProAnim4 doesn’t offer any options or workarounds for this?

thanks,
Craig

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Craig,

You might be able to accomplish it by adding one or more objects to an object track and making them transparent or invisible. These objects would cause ProAnimator to compute the location of what you might think of as a center or pivot point differently than if the object were not in the track.

The challenge would be figuring out the math involved so you could place the “invisible” object where it needs to be to put your point of rotation where you want it.

The beauty of ProAnimator is that all of the math (hard stuff) is hidden from the user.In this case it’s also the challenge.

Jon

[Theo Brown]

Jon, I figured that’d be my last option (adding a second object to offset the center point). Hopefully Zax will remedy this in the newer versions of ProAnimator.

Thanks for your time!

Craig

[Urt Snabela]

I had the same problem in PA, and the trick of placing “invisible” 3D primitives in the scene on the same object track solved it perfectly! And for me it didn’t take any maths, just eyeballing it into place made all the difference.
Thanx!