how do i change the start frame of an effect ?

Hollowman · Post by **Hollowman** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 4:39 am

Hi all

1. I've created some text "Cat on a Mission" each word as a separate object.
2. I've made "Cat on a" animate (coming into position from offscreen)
3. I want the word "Mission" to explode AFTER the words "Cat on a" come into position.

I do not know how to start the explosion at a certain time, it keeps starting from frame 1 each time i add the explosion effect ?

Can someone please help me

Im always available on MSN

BuZZarD · Post by **BuZZarD** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:45 am

Say your project is 200 frames.
"Cat on a" is in position on frame 100.

Select the explosion and apply to the text 'mission'.

Move to frame 100 and insert a keyframe on the explosion timeline.
Ensure that this keyframe is the second and if there are any between frame 1 and 100, just delete them.

On frame 100, in the explosion attributes panel, set the level at 0.
This frame will now be the point where the explosion effect begins.

Any key frame after this can be adjusted to how quickly etc the object/text explodes.

Using an object explosion will generate a huge amount of shrapnel that will engulf everything, whereas using a text explosions will deploy more managable pieces that don't hide everything else.

Hollowman · Post by **Hollowman** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 2:49 am

BuZZarD that worked !!!!!!!!!! i spent hours trying to work that out hahah

Just another question if you don't mind. I've done my "Cat on a Mission" and I DID make the "Mission" start to explode on frame 100 thanks to BuZZarD. However at the end frame (200) the explosion effect (under text effects/Explosion) the shrapnel is still on the screen and I want it actually fall away from the screen, is there a way around this ?

BuZZarD · Post by **BuZZarD** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:21 pm

If you want it to fall away in a specific direction, select an option from collapse type in the attribute panel for explosion.
Gravity will explode and then drop downwards gradually.
Random will go all over and ascending/descending goes up and down.

There's also the movement type which decides where the shrapnel goes (or what point of the text will explode first and which is last) and action sequence which you can experiment with for the best effect.

When experimenting, I'd advice using 320x240 project setting and curve quality as draft.
This will render much faster and then just set the curve and output quality to the desired level when you are happy with it and want to render the full project.

With the explosion option, you can mess with the timeline and set different levels which can give you a full-on quick explosion to a gradual or even a matrix style slomo.

Here are two early drafts I did using this effect:

http://www.re-volutionmedia.com/logo.wmv

http://www.re-volutionmedia.com/logo1.avi

You can really jazz things up with the particle effects using fire and smoke.

Hollowman · Post by **Hollowman** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:26 am

hay thank you very much for your help. i got a lot of learning to do. your vids look great, i wish i can make objects like that

cheers

BuZZarD · Post by **BuZZarD** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:54 pm

You can get 3d models free on quite a few sites on the net.
Turbosquid is one of them.
.3ds models can easily be imported into c3dps and you can use them in your projects.

C3dps does great things with 3d models.
It's just a shame they haven't updated it as they could do so much more with it - and it's user friendly, easy to get into and no need to read 24 bible length books to understand it.

MrA · Post by **MrA** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:30 pm

Hollowman wrote:BuZZarD that worked !!!!!!!!!! i spent hours trying to work that out hahah

Just another question if you don't mind. I've done my "Cat on a Mission" and I DID make the "Mission" start to explode on frame 100 thanks to BuZZarD. However at the end frame (200) the explosion effect (under text effects/Explosion) the shrapnel is still on the screen and I want it actually fall away from the screen, is there a way around this ?

In attributes there is also a percentage of the effect, i.e., at the beginning, you should be at 0% by the end, at 100%.

Try ending it at 100% a few frames before the actual animation ends.

You can also do a "fade out" using the same technique, by key framing the transparency, again, 0% completely visible, and 100% being invisible.

BuZZarD · Post by **BuZZarD** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:37 pm

Set variation to 100 earlier and the frames after will result in it just falling away in whatever direcion.

I use the gravity effect with shatter all to achieve a clear screen at the end.
You can also move the position of the exploding object to move forward as well, something like a Z value of around -400.

Use the camera to view the angle from above to see how far forward the object goes.