[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Julian,

In an ideal world, you would want a 3D particle system that lives in the same 3D space where Invigorator operates. Trapcode Particular is a 3D particle system but lives in After Effects 3D space, so it doesn’t consider the geometry inside Invigorator. Particle Playground would have the same limitations, as would the 2D snow effect from DigiEffects.

You could use layermaps to simulate the accumulation of snow particles on the top edge of the letters – it would let you do a color change and simulate accumulation via bump mapping, but you wouldn’t really get any depth of snow.

Sorry I can’t be of more help. so far as I can tell, there’s no one easy solution.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Conrad,

Invigorator is already doing the 3D text part. I would recommend creating a mask layer with a bumpy, feathered edge to make the text disappear into the carpet, rather than having it pass through a 3D plane. The bump map would only make the plane look bumpy at certain angles, but it’s not really changing the geometry involved.

Whether you use Invig or another app, it’ll be the same issue.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Amo,

You could split the book model apart and import the pieces into one Invigorator scene to animate.

Personally, I’d build the entire book using Illustrator and Invigorator. Doing so gives you more flexibiity in applying materials.

You could use simple planes for pages, but they wouldn’t warp like paper does. If you can deal with that, you should be good to go.

One last tip – I wouldn’t fly the book then open it. Keeping the pieces coordinated during the flight would be a pain. Instead, I’d limit the set animations to the book opening and pages turning. Instead, fly the camera to make it look like the book is flying. It’s a lot simpler.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Invigorator should see any fonts you’ve installed in your system. Otherwise, you can always do things the old fashioned way and create your text in Illustrator and convert the fonts to outlines.

Then, Invigorator treats them like objects and you don’t need the fonts in your system.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Okay. That helps.

Try Pose Position> Cylinder Wrap, adjust the bend slider to get your circular shape. Then go to pose grouping>spin y and check the use common center.

Does this help?

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Mel,

Are you talking about ProAnimator or Invigorator?

My assumption is you’re talking Invigorator. In that case, once you have all of your stars positioned, you can assign them to the same set and keyframe the rotation of the set in the X, Y or Z plane, depending on what you want.

Does this help?

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Danat,

Using the AE camera with Invigorator objects is useful in many situations, but it does have some limitations. AE’s 3D space and Invigorator’s 3D space are still different places… the software essentially allows one camera to mirror the other, so it looks like everything’s together.

One solution that solves all of this is to create a plane in Invigorator instead of using an AE solid. Of course, you can map whatever was happening on that AE plane to the Invigorator solid using layermapping.

Hope this helps.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Ed,

I’m not sure I understand. Some hints that may help you.

The solid to which you apply the Invigorator effect should be the same size as the comp.

The movie will be stretched to fit the front or rear fact of your tv object. If the aspect ratio of the movie and the screen are the same, you won’t get any distortion. Otherwise, you will.

Any border around the movie will be considerd part of what’s stretched to fit the face of the object. If the movie is in a larger precomp and you’re layermapping the precomp, the border will come into play.

Does this help?

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

One way is to use the object pop-up menu below the set-up window. You can use it to choose one or more of your letters without actually clicking on them. You can also select invisible objects and deselect everything.

Jon

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi dotan,

Assign the letters different set number as you have, then close the set-up window.

Now under the scene preview window, choose the set icon (three cubes). Now you should be able to select the sets containing individual letters.

Does this help?

Jon