PATH

Parabolic

 

The Path->Parabolic command in the Motion module allows you to animate an object along a parabolic path. You can specify the height of the arc, the start and end frames for the animation, and the source and destination points for the motion. (The source and destination are specified as the SOFTIMAGE 3D centre of user-selected models.) The object then moves along a characteristic gravitational arc, slowing down as it approaches the top and speeding up on descent.

 

Procedure

  1. Create a model and duplicate it twice. One copy represents the source model, another represents the destination model, and the third is the model to be animated.
  2. Translate the source and destination models to the place where you want the parabolic arc to start and end.
  3. Choose the Path->Parabolic command.

    The Parabolic dialogue box is displayed.

  4. Set the parameters as desired.
  5. Click Ok.
  6. Pick the Source model, the Destination model, and the model to be animated.

    Tip:

    To see the animation better, hide the source and destination models by selecting them and choosing Display->Toggle & Desel. Hidden.

  7. Play back the animation.

 

Parameters

 

Height

The height in SOFTIMAGE units of the model's flight path. The height must be greater than the distance in y between the source and destination objects.

Start and End Frame

The beginning and ending frames for the animation.

Frame Rate

For the motion timing to be correct, this option must be set to the same frame rate being used in SOFTIMAGE 3D, usually 30.0 or 24.0 frames per second.

Next, Previous, Delete, Key, and Frame

For the animated effects, Next advances to the next keyframe, Previous goes back to the previous keyframe, Delete removes a keyframe, and Key sets a keyframe at the frame you specify in the Frame text box. These controls are available only after you have set the initial parameters in the dialogue box and clicked Ok. To return to the dialogue box and edit keyframes for the effect, select the effect icon and choose the Effects->Edit Parameters command in the Motion module.

 

Last updated 02-apr-1998