Speed Animation #7 (Lava Lamp)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/DJBiGToE/image.gif


_Lava Lamp_

One Last Easy Comp.

The idea,
I want to see you all animate the waxy stuff inside of a lava lamp when they heat up. The motion of the ocean, but in a bottle. This may sound easy, but, we are talking about the timing of the liquids moving around, the shapes of the liquids as the move around, also camera moves. Because a fixed camera looking at stuff moving up and down, seems a bit boring. Unless you are really good. And in that case, you need to prove it.

_Rules_

- The due date is June 16th, (two weeks from now) a Friday. Voting will be on that Saturday.

- Maximum animation length is 60 seconds, unless you just have to have more.

- Recommended screen resolution in 320x240 (you can do 640x480 if you want, but why would you).

- You can post W.I.P.s but you are only allowed one complete entry. That link is also final. No redos.

- Websites where you post your finals is up to you.

- Remember, it's about animation, use your time for animation, not to get the best render possible, unless you can afford it.

- Use of plug-ins not allowed. Must be key framed (hand animated)

- Try to use Quicktime or Divx if possible. If you can, make a gif.


- Voting will be as follows -

Pick your favorite animation.

First Place- (0-5 points)

Second Place- (0-5 points)

Third Place- (0-5 points)




Good luck!


BiG ToE

[Freespace-3DT]

This is comp #8 ;P

I'm out of this one, guys. It's my exam period and I can't do this aswell as "learn" for college.

[DerekSc]

Yeah baby! Groovy topic! Shagadelic!
Gotta get my mojo moving on this one, oh yeah!
I'm warning everyone right now, if you're lactose intollerant, stay away from my entry, cause I'm going for mega cheese on this one!

(Freespace, sorry to hear you won't be joining us this time, hope you'll have a better schedule for the next one!)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

This is comp #8 ;P




fine.

[XYZ]

derecksc :evil: I challenge you in a duel ! ,, so you can start sharpenig your mouse! . hehe.

though hand animating that is like kamikaze animation .. ? I dont know,, I'll search some info,, If I find a video I'll share it here so everyone have a refference and more people join, I like this one its a real challenge !

well, finding this was easy but anyway,, here you have quick refferences

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Lava+Lamp

[DerekSc]

Ha ha! I accept your challenge, XYZ! Oh, and thanks for the link.

Found this article about the invention of the lava lamp, not really helpfull for animating, but it's interesting just the same.

http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa092297.htm

[hammering3D]

Interesting subject...for me beeing new at this aniamtion stuff...look verry wierd and don't know how to start...but I research :d...

...and is look verry hard...hmm let's see what I can come with...

...

[BiG ToE-3DT]

just to clear things up a bit, no plug-ins, but modifiers are a ok.

[KL-Maverick]

I'll try Maya first, but I think I wanna use Cinema 4D for this one.

[shikav4]

Well this one is gonna be hard. I just cant figure out how it can be done. I dont think I'll get time to take part on this one as my school is about to start.

And XYZ thanks for the video as I have never seen a lava lamp before.

[Terrarist]

Truespace was made for this, not sure i am though

[DerekSc]

What I'm thinking of is a sphere with a bunch of bones in a kind of starfish configuration. That way I can shorten or move a bone to deform the blob to smoosh (is that a verb?) around another blob or up against the side of the glass.
I'm going to do a test tonight and post it (if it works). If it doesn't... I'll just tell you and spare the bandwidth. :)
Hopefully this will help get others started and get lots of people in on this one.
(the only way to improve is to try the hard stuff... even if you fail, you've learned something from it, and maybe you'll succeed the next time)

[XYZ]

good idea with the bones derecksc, thanks for sharing ideas,,

big toe, , I have never used blob mesh in max, but is that considered a plug in? I think it is a modifier,, but well,, you decide.

(well a plug in can be a modifier )

[BiG ToE-3DT]

I think the way we should go about plugin/modifiers is by saying if they can be keyframed or not. Most plugins that I have used, you just tell it what to do and how long to do it. The mods on the other hand, you tell it what when where and how, and you can change it however you want over time.

But let me know if I'm wrong.

[DerekSc]

Alllllright, the blob test works, not as well as I had hoped, but it works. It kinda wrinkes up a bit when you compress it, but I think if you start it out stretched a bit, then you won't have to compress it as much to get the flattening effect. I monkeyed around with the joint weights to smooth it out a bit, probably have to do a little more to get rid of the wrinkle effect completely. The joint in the middle will have some weight that makes donuts out of the other weights. I completely killed all weight associated with the center joint to fix that. Not sure how Max or other programs will generically skin it, that's what Maya did (I've only used the biped in Max).
The image is a screen shot of my test sphere and rig, and to see a test movie of how it moves, take a look here:
http://www.schafferworld.com/movies/blobtest_ds.mov

If anyone has any other technical ideas, feel free to share. The more ideas we have flowing the better for all of us. Remember, I'm pulling for ya, we're all in this together.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

it looks good. I was think of a ripple mod and/or wave, but if it come sdown to it, I'll be morphing all the way.

Take a sphere, and make like 10 morph targets then morph the hell out of it.

[bobi]

I we tryed today to use blobmesh compound for max with emiter super spray, and it look good so far.
Just to figure it out how to stop the particles naturaly. :)

[DerekSc]

I think particle emiters are out for this one, at least for the blobs, since you don't have to key anything (you just set up the emiter and let it go). I think particle emiters would be ok if you wanted to do bubbles coming from the bottom or something secondary like that though.
That's my interpretation of the rules, but I could be wrong.

[shikav4]

Hey even if you use the sphere method. How are You gonna make the joining and splitting effects? I saw that those bubles keep splitting and joining together.

[DerekSc]

Yeah, I've been thinking about that. I've seen a few movies where the spheres sorta squish together but go around each other and stay seperate (because of the temperature difference I suppose). But for the stuff coming from the bottom, where it comes out and seperates I'll need to work on that. What I'm thinking of is having one object that does the blob rising from the bottom, then when it seperates I'll have two seperate objects representing each part, and key the visibility in one frame. That's how I did the hat for the bus stop movie, there were actually three hats. One parented to his head, one parented to his hand, and one that was free so it could easily fall to the ground and sit there. It's just a matter of lining up them up so you don't notice a jump or anything.
The other thing is that there will be "other" action going on to distract the viewer from noticing the blob flaws. Sorta like whenever they switch between the real actor and the digital double they will have them pass behind a post or something. Smoke and mirrors! :)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

About the splitting and joinning, you dont have to do either. Its your lava lamp. Make it do what you want it to do.

[bobi]

Well, I would like to know, is particles allowed?
I think that the particles is more complicated, then to use some sphere, for example, with 2 or 3 animated modificators. My particles also has a key frames.
Wonder...

Anyway, I have already started this way, and i will stop if this kind of animation is not allowed. So far, about 2 hours on this (including reading user reference :) )

And here is a test animation (only 370kb)
I would like to tell me what you think.

http://www.mysharefile.com/v/4112009/TEST_LAVA.wmv.html

With all respect.

[Freespace-3DT]

DerekSc, you mentioned in post #15 that sometimes the mesh wrinkles up... Well, just add a Relax modifier and you're set. :D

[DerekSc]

Any idea what the Maya equivalent of the relax modifier is, Freespace? :)

bobi, the test looks really nice.

[Freespace-3DT]

I never touched Maya, sorry. ;P

[BiG ToE-3DT]

bobi, the particles are fine, as long as its not your main bubbles. You said you keyframed it. Can you show us a screengrab with the keyframes, the way your movie looks, you wouldn't need any.

[XYZ]

big toe, I though about using morph too, still dont know exactly how to do it, but today I'll find out the way. The part that worries me is splitting the big wax mass and the blob that goes up.. I think that a morph can do it,, then use the dereksc technic of hidding and showing different objects , which I have used before too :D ( I thougth that was a dirty trick I should keep in secret, but I see I'm not the only one , hehe ), floating blobs wont be that hard to animate, until they collide .. your blob looks nice dereksc, good results.

[bobi]

The spread is animated so the bubles can shrink a little until they rich bootom (or top).
I know it's not much, but I'ts only a start.
As I say if it's not allowed, I respect that, and I will animate handly the main bubles (unfortunately, they will look bad if they can't join).

[bobi]

All right.
Once more, I have read the first post and the rules, and I aggre that particles can't be the main bubbles, becouse of...


I want to see you all animate the waxy stuff inside of a lava lamp when they heat up...
...we are talking about the timing of the liquids moving around, the shapes of the liquids as the move around, also camera moves...


But... hmmm... don't realy ever touched morph, even I know what they are for.
I'll investigate a little, and let you know if I fall into a problem with morph.

Hey, I'am realy interested in this one...
Why do you people use morph, becouse you can do the same things with bubbles, useing simple sphere, and adding them a couple of animated modificators (twist, bend, noise, taper, and so on...) ?

[BiG ToE-3DT]

morph is cool because you can take a main mesh, then clone it a few times, make small or large changes without adding or subtracting from the mesh, then go back to your main mesh and view the changes. The best part is you can apply as much of a change as you want, from all the morph targets. And you can still add a bend, twist, ripple, after.

[DerekSc]

It's also good to practice morphing on a simple object like a sphere before moving up to something more complicated, like facial animation.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

played with the morpher, I think it looks ok for 5 minutes.

http://www.mysharefile.com/v/5145332/blob.avi.html

[DerekSc]

played with the morpher, I think it looks ok for 5 minutes.

Yep, looking good BiG ToE, nice and smooth too, it's going to look great.

XYZ: I'm warning you now, this is no ordinary lava lamp I'm making. I am bringing it. It is being brought. I'm making up for my lack of effort in the last challenge by incorporating it's theme here as well.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

sounds like XYZ is in trouble, trouble.

[XYZ]

All I have to say is : :lame:

I'm rendering a test right now,, you are a dead modeler derekcs, you can start thinkng about jumping from the edge ;P

[Curtis Martin]

I guess ill represent.....
But Ill have to give it a little twist....

[XYZ]

and this is just the begining ,, muahahahaha !

www.bgraphik.rgbspace.com/lava.avi

I didn't use blobmesh, only morpher in this test.

[Curtis Martin]

nice...... i didnt know you could seperate a mesh in morpher...

[XYZ]

nop.. you can't (at least that's what I think )

they are the same object until they split, then they are two different objects, I hid the first one when they split.

[DerekSc]

Aha! Nice one XYZ, really looks great!
I'm working on my lamp and "props" now, already have my music picked out.
Curtis, looking forward to your entry as well (especially after the last challenge), the more the better!

[de4dy]

Hi me again here is a teaser of what my lava lamp looks now
renderd in metalray :)

http://freeweb.siol.net/acdoo/lavalamp.avi

still need to make more deformations :)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

hey de4dy, for your test renders you dont need to go all out. That way your renders will be faster, saving you time.

[KL-Maverick]

Gave it a try! Will try again later or friday! I dont have a Lava Lamp so I'm just imagining.

Lava Lamp (http://www.kal3d.co.uk/KAL_Lava_Lamp.mov)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

good test. Only thing I can say is, don't try again Friday, do it Friday.

And Freespace missed out on this one. He must have known that everyone was going to bring it and he got scared.

[KL-Maverick]

Alright then paw' Will do! FRIDAY.

Freespace shame on you!!

[Freespace-3DT]

Yeap, I stirred the hornet's nest and I'm not sticking around to get stung. ;P

Oh, and it might have something to do with First Year exams or something like that... :)
Best of luck guys! I'm keeping an eye on this thread once in a while... Between breaks.

[KL-Maverick]

Yeah Yeah! :haha:

Goodluck on those exams man!

[de4dy]

tryed another way to make the blob in the lava lamp but i dont like it that much

http://freeweb.siol.net/acdoo/lavalamp2.avi

how ar u guys making this

[BiG ToE-3DT]

I think I'll be sticking with the morph, but I don't plan on having anything split apart. Just a good ole fashioned wiggle.

[de4dy]

whats a morpher ? :)
du tell

[bobi]

whats a morpher ? :)
du tell
Morph is a compound object.
For example, you make a object, clone it 3 or four times, make changes on clones, and then add a morph compound to make a tranzition betwen 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 object. The objects must have the same number of poly-s.
It's moustly used for character expretions, becouse, that way you can easily have a differend, let say key's, for different character exprestion.
So that's what I know abot it.

I have never use it, but I must try it for this chalange. And expect a huge help from this people here.

[de4dy]

u mean blend shape???

[Bounty Hunter]

u mean blend shape???

morpher = blend shape

morpher = max (?)

blend shape = maya

hmm I dont think I'd use a blendshape though....probably go with realflow, the trial last i looked is a 30 week thing I think, but make sure you monitor it as the demo has a popup every so often that stops the calculation, you tell it to bugger off then hit resume.

hmm nevermind...

- Use of plug-ins not allowed. Must be key framed (hand animated)

helps if you read the rules....

[BiG ToE-3DT]

yes, it does.

[Saber]

and this is just the begining ,, muahahahaha !

www.bgraphik.rgbspace.com/lava.avi

I didn't use blobmesh, only morpher in this test.

very nice, but i don't get how you make the object split?

[BiG ToE-3DT]

very nice, but i don't get how you make the object split?

what he did was, he made three objects. Morphed one into the almost split shape. Then he took the remainning two objects modeled them to match the top and bottom of the morphed object. Then he placed the two objects in line with the morphed object and set the opacity's on each object to show up when they need to be seen.

[Saber]

I'll see wheter I get what u mean, thx:)

[Saber]

ok, I had a quick try and have a few questions
1) how do I get the morph star from anoth frame then 0
even if I put autokeys from 0 to 100 where nothing happens it still morphes from 0
should I first morph it to the exact same object?
2) how do I split an object in different objects? Like the opposite of connect.
thx

[d3m0ni0]

and this is just the begining ,, muahahahaha !

www.bgraphik.rgbspace.com/lava.avi

I didn't use blobmesh, only morpher in this test.

very good test...I like it!

[d3m0ni0]

ok, I had a quick try and have a few questions
1) how do I get the morph star from anoth frame then 0
even if I put autokeys from 0 to 100 where nothing happens it still morphes from 0
should I first morph it to the exact same object?
2) how do I split an object in different objects? Like the opposite of connect.
thx


for the first question: with autokey pressed, go to a frame different than 0, pump up the morph value as you like...then deactivate autokey. you will have two keys on the trackbar. the first at frame 0, the second at the frame you were when you used autokey. so now you can move this key wherever you want...so i.e. place the start at frame 20 and the end at frame 61...

for the second question i'm not sure i understand what you mean exactly :)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

ok, I had a quick try and have a few questions
1) how do I get the morph star from anoth frame then 0
even if I put autokeys from 0 to 100 where nothing happens it still morphes from 0
should I first morph it to the exact same object?
2) how do I split an object in different objects? Like the opposite of connect.
thx

1. move your first keyframe from 0 to the frame you want it to start at.

2. you dont. you have to fake it like XYZ did.

[Saber]

ok, it worked, but now it crashes everytime I apply a meshsmooth

[BiG ToE-3DT]

what you do is, apply the meshsmooth with a value of 0, but turn the render value to whatever. Then it should work.

Or dont use a meshsmooth at all.

[XYZ]

saber, try to do the morpher with a simple mesh, after you finish animating and all, you can add a mesh smooth,, maybe your mesh has too many polygons,, or do wat big-toe-3dt says,, it should work.

,, I'm not sure I'm going to use the morpher when they split,, It will be too hard to morph and animate 5 or 6 bubles at the same time.. each one splitting from the same or identical wax objects.

[d3m0ni0]

I did the first test to get the hang of it...

it sucks :D

>> Download XVID video (http://www.bevel.it/wip/lava_lamp_test001.avi) <<

[Saber]

thx for all the help already, now all goes fine till frame 101, that's where mesh1 turns invisible and mesh2 shows up. My pc doesn't seem te manage, it always crashes there
bummer

[d3m0ni0]

I managed to get something also with blob mesh, here's the video:

>> Download XVID Video (http://www.bevel.it/wip/lava_lamp_test002.avi) <<

So, if I understand well, if i keyframe particles that's fine for the competition?

[BiG ToE-3DT]

thx for all the help already, now all goes fine till frame 101, that's where mesh1 turns invisible and mesh2 shows up. My pc doesn't seem te manage, it always crashes there
bummer


Are you rendering this out when the crash happens? If so, try rendering out numbered stills. That way you can render up to 100, then after is crashes, start a new render from 101. Put it into affter effects or the like, and it will import as a movie, putting it all together for you.

So, if I understand well, if i keyframe particles that's fine for the competition?

Not really, I said you could use particles for like background bubbles. The thing is, you have to keyfram a particle system, no matter what you need as least two. The start and stop. But everything that happens in between, happens on its own. That's the part that needs to be animated by hand.

[d3m0ni0]

Not really, I said you could use particles for like background bubbles. The thing is, you have to keyfram a particle system, no matter what you need as least two. The start and stop. But everything that happens in between, happens on its own. That's the part that needs to be animated by hand.

Sorry for the misunderstanding... :)

[Saber]

I first tried rendering in 3DSM frames 0-100,102-130 but that didn't work, the I tried 0-100: al went well
then 101-130 and it crashed again... So I will try 102 - 130 when I find the time
thx for your patience

[DerekSc]

Saber: Here's a suggestion, in case this is an issue of resources on your computer: split the animation into 2 files. The first one only has the objects you need to render up to frame 100 (so get rid of mesh2 and anything else that is not visible up to that point). The second file only has the objects you need from frame 101 on (and get rid of all the objects that turn invisible, like mesh1). It should lower the file sizes, the number of meshes, etc... and perhaps will be renderable.
If everything is lined up properly, and all your render settings are the same between the two files, it should be just as seamless as if it was all rendered from the same file.
If it still crashes, try exporting the things you need for the second part, perhaps there's some sort of file corruption.
Good luck, hope it all works out.

[Saber]

Ok, I just started all over again and it kind a worked,
although I still have a problem: you still see the reflection
tryout viewable at : http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/test%200021%20LAVA.avi

[BiG ToE-3DT]

its fine, plus when you add in other smaller bubbles, it will take away from anything you don't want focus on.

[Saber]

other smaller bubbles are best done the same way? by morphers?

and I know the form of the bubble and the transition still suck, the form is easy editable, and about the transition...I hope u are right and the smaller ones take away attention from it.

I'm in the exams right now, so i don't know for sure if I'l find the time... but proly I will

Thx for all the help

[initiative]

YEAH, this sounds like a great animation challenge, I have started working out some ideas for my lava lamp, so I hope I can get the work I´ve been imagine since I red this challenge, so everybody GOOD LOOK

XYZ - your one is looking great, this is my first time in animation challenge so hope to hear your comments (when I´ll upload it) as you do in my modelling challenges!!
good look man

[Terrarist]

procrastination is a bad thing, best i've done with regards to this comp and come here and glance over the replies

[Saber]

I thought to improve and then I got this, quite funny, but why is it doing this?
TRY OUT (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/test%20003%20LAVA.avi)
PS: I applied a shell modifier to it, can that be the problem?

[al3x]

Saber :)) that's funny ..why dont u replace the object exactly a frame earlier than when it colapsess, with 2 separated object that's looks the same and contiune the animation ..btw , why did u aplly the shell modifier ? :shout:

[Saber]

because i split the mesh in two and then I had an ugly end. to fix that end I use shell, but that's not th way, I know, I should weld, but I don't really know how to do this

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Weld: take the two verts that you want to become one, select both of them, then find the collapse button, and use it.

[initiative]

Hey guys, well I´m having problems in splittig two bubbles out of one, can you help with this, I using morpher modifier but I cant splitting it out

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Hey guys, well I´m having problems in splittig two bubbles out of one, can you help with this, I using morpher modifier but I cant splitting it out


We would love to help, start out by going back a few pages, then read all those posts. Its a lot, but we went over how to split a few times.

[Saber]

I think I quit guys, my pc is really acting weird, it rendered again the collapsing bubble collapsing , even without shell modifier
And rendering takes aaaages, if it doesn't crash. Normally it's not that slow....
with 2Ghz and 1024RAM that shouldn't be a problem...
I'll check for virusses etc. and when he works properly again, I might add an entree friday, butn probably I won't

[initiative]

Saber: maybe you should let your computer rest a little a bit, turn it off for a while and then try again, after that check your render configurations and try to use low rendering setting for render probes.

And don´t give up man, keep trying, just try to rest a little you´ve been working a lot and maybe your mind it getting crazy lol!! your still have time man

BIG TOE-3DT = thanks for the help, I didn´t read all the post

[BiG ToE-3DT]

hey guys, I'll be out of town thursday - monday and chances are, I wont be able to get my hands on the internet.

So, I was thinking we should move the dealine back to tuesday. What does everyone think.

[DerekSc]

Sounds fine to me, gives people a little more time to get around their technical difficulties. Gives me a few extra days to taunt XYZ as well. :D

[Saber]

initiative: lol, thx for the advice, since I've got exams it's not such a bad idea:)
Some more time is fine too

btw: is there anything it for the winner? Not that that 'd be why I 'd do it, but I'm just interested:)
As if I will win:)
btw2: does anyone knows why my anim does that weird thing (Animation test (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/test%20003%20LAVA.avi)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Saber: I've never seen that before. Does it look like that when you scroll threw the timeline. It seems like your scaling it down to hide it while, if you have a modifier on it that deals with the surface, that might be why its pulling that way.

[XYZ]

Until tuesday, great, though w/o procastinating it is no funn :roll:

now dereksc has time to pray form me not to participate on this one,,


saber,, man, start again, with that pc you should not have not problems at all...

use a simple mesh next time, and dont try to turn the bubles into rare things , that would be another comp ;P

[KL-Maverick]

Thats cool man! Tuesday it is.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

New Deadline

Tuesday the 20th at lets say 12:00am your time.

Then voting will be Wednesday.



New comp Thursday (will be out of town again Thursday night)

[Saber]

Saber: I've never seen that before. Does it look like that when you scroll threw the timeline. It seems like your scaling it down to hide it while, if you have a modifier on it that deals with the surface, that might be why its pulling that way.

It's not like that when scrolling trough the timebar. Don't know what it is either.
What do you mean by 'a modifier on it that deals with the surface' ? cuz it's with and without shell modifier

[Saber]

and I started again, but ehm, I still got that welding problem.
Cuz if I just collaps al the vertices in one vertex, it looks ugly. Isn't there a way to just close the gap
http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/test.JPG

[hammering3D]

Saber select border (not edge)...then select the hole...and all edges arond the hole will be selected at once, then search the option CAP, PUSH IT and the hole will be CAP (closed)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

another thing you might want to try Saber, collapse all the verts again, then go into the element (the cube) now click on the mesh that you just collapsed verts on. Now scroll all the way down in the menu to the right, look for smoothing groups. There should be a bunch of numbers, click on one. That should smooth out the uglyness.

[Saber]

ok thx guys, it works now:)

if I'm annoying u with all the questions, say so, I'm only a noob. Btw: is music tolerated in the animation?

[Saber]

XYZ: did you start your nimation from a cilinder or did you draw the mesh yourself. Cuz I'm trying from a cilinder and it looks a bit odd, especially the beginning, when the bubble starts coming
======>Bubble<====== (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/test.avi)

[Ghosty!]

Ok I gonna enter this one. Still plenty of time.

I made my lavalamp in about 20 mins of modelling. I'm using Maya BTW.

http://www.croc-film.com/files/lavalamp.jpg

I havent begun proper rendering, so mats are not finalized. Its only software renderer too, I will use mentalray and maybe a HDRI map.

My aim is to make a looping gif, so its continuous goooeyness :dance:

[BiG ToE-3DT]

music is a ok.

and so are questions. You might not be the only one with the question, just the only one brave enough to ask it.

[XYZ]

saber, I thinnk I did it from an oil tank object, or from a capsule, I dont remember. then I converted it to editable poly and cloned it. then I selected the copy ( to make it a morpher target later) selected some polys on the top center and moved them up like it was the buble splitting, I also moved vertexes until it looked ok. to split them Y took the second copy and cloned it twice, and erased the polys of the buble in one and the polys of the bottom wax on the other ( hope you understand my english) I never welded or or collapsed the vertexes I think its better that way,, ,, .. well I think you can figure out the rest. Hope this is of help, but I think you can try another way to do it, i think it is too complicated doing it like this. too many things splitting joining etc..

[Saber]

Thx XYZ, I'll try that when I 've got the time

here already is a small tryout of how my lamp will look:
http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/lavalamp.jpg

[BiG ToE-3DT]

that looks nice

[KL-Maverick]

Loking good Saber

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Mine is getting there, need to have it finished by thursday, but I'll post it tuesday. Might do it monday night.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/DJBiGToE/003.jpg

[DerekSc]

Looking good people. I'm not going to post a teaser cause it will spoil the cheesy surprise. Love the shine on the metal Saber, very nice.

[XYZ]

yes saber, that looks nice.

hmm, so dereksc is working hard on his lamp,, hmm .. I haven't forgotten our duel!,, you wont win that easily! I warn you..

[DerekSc]

Hahaha! Nice new avatar, XYZ.
You can make all the faces you want, it won't help you win!
Getting close to 200 posts myself, will have to change my avatar then as well.
I'm taking a small break to do the speed modeling challenge (I suggested it, so I should compete in it), but my animation will be done and done well! Bring it on, XYZ!
:D

[initiative]

SABER = nice work, I told you, the answer was resting a little bit!! and I thing you are getting a really good work!! keep working man

and keep asking, that really help to all us, cause when I read your question I answer them to myself to help you, but someone post the answer before! lol
anyway hope to upload my lava lamp tonight!!!

[Saber]

thx all^^

[initiative]

Hi SABER, how's your animation going, have a questions ... why do you have SABER as you nickname, lol???

SABER // NO SE// TAL VEZ// lol

[Saber]

well, all be surprised, I 've got a problem:)
when I did my first render I got this
TEST1 (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/Lavalamp001.avi)
And then I made another mesh, moved the bubble higher, and this happened...
TEST2 (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/Lavalamp002.avi)
Why is it going down, when it wasn't doing that at first?

Thx already

[hammering3D]

Saber -hmm, U use show/hiden object when u split the mesh ?...maybe when U move the bubble higher ... u not move the bubble that show after spli...so it apear litle lower and seems like the bubble go down then up...

...or is something in u'r keys ...

[BiG ToE-3DT]

yep, it looks to me like you might have moved the wrong mesh and you had auto key selected.

[Saber]

ok, thx, I'll try and see whether that 's the problem

and initiative, I don't know what you mean. Saber is a character from Ice Age, being the sabertoothtiger:)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

I'm leaving, be back Monday, any questions about the comp, either hold on or ask and let some else try to answer it.

Deadline is still 12am your time. With these extra days, I want to see everyone who started, finish.

That's it I'm done.

[hammering3D]

BiG ToE-3DT have a nice trip ...

[Ghosty!]

I dont know about you guys but I've kinda lost interest in this comp. I did a 10s clip but after that I lost interest. I will upload it as an entry I guess, its better than nothing.

[DerekSc]

I find your lack of faith disturbing. :)
The ideas are usually simple, and it's up to us to find something unique and unusual to do with it. If you look at good animated movies compared to great ones, you'll see that in the great ones they don't just do what they have to, instead they bring out every last bit of life in a scene.
Take a look at what Freespace did in the last comp, well above and beyond - but still sticking to the basic principle of the topic.
Post what you've done, we'd love to see it, and stick around for the next comp (and post a few topics in the "ideas" or "discussion" threads based on what you'd like to do).

[Ghosty!]

Hmmm... ok here she is. I animated this small part, modelled and textured etc in about 2 hours.

http://www.croc-film.com/files/lava.mov

[Saber]

ok, I hope I will be able to finish it before tomorrow, noon, cuz my mouse is breaking down. it stops functioning all the time...

[DerekSc]

12am is midnight. So you have until tomorrow night... unless you can only work on it until noon. Your call. :)
Hope to see your entry though, and at the very least you can participate in the judging (anyone can, if they've entered or not).

[BiG ToE-3DT]

alrighty, I hope you all are in the middle of doing your final renders. We hand them in 12 am your time Tuesday. Then we vote Wednesday. Then we start the new one Thursday.

[XYZ]

sorry guys but I wont do this one,, only this one! ,, I have nothing done yet and I will not have time tomorrow,, so, dereck,, ok, you win our duel,, but nex time you'll see!

good luck for everyone with those lamps.. I wish I had time now, but I need some rest.


wait,,, 12 am is midnight ?? tuesday ? I dont understand.. :???:


hmm,, so I have the time,, i think..

[BiG ToE-3DT]

yes 12am is midnight.

[DerekSc]

D'oh! I hate defeating someone by default! I better see something flashy from you next time, XYZ! :)
Rendering will be tonight, with file construction, sound, and any touch ups or re-renders tomorrow.
It will be there by tomorrow night, no problemo.
Looking forward to seeing everyone's entries.
(how was your trip BT?)

[hammering3D]

Hello ppl...

This type off animation required pacience...and imagination and talent...and till now I don't have them ;P...

so...I wait and wait for imagination to come...but days pass buy and I am again in the last minutes...and again with an entry made in rush :o ... shame off me... :o :o :o ...

but hope U still enjoy it...I like litle of it...and now I regret I not speend more days to try more...and maybe come with something nice to watch...for now I learn my leson...try and then complain :))...

Here it is my FINAL ENTRY (http://clips1.vimeo.com/video_files/2006/06/20/vimeo.152675.e18779.wmv)

Soft: 3ds Max 8
Animation Type: all object are animated buy hand.
Method: Morph, Noise,

see U,

[BiG ToE-3DT]

its nice, but your camera is so close that we miss out on any secondary snimations that may be happening off screen.

[anem8or]

Hello this is my entry.

I used XSI 5 and animated all the blobs using bones and envelopes.

Lava Lamp Entry (http://www.mysharefile.com/v/3562886/lava_lamp.mov.html) EDIT: A faster download link.

[Saber]

It's not really the way I wanted it to be, but well, here's my entree. It's the first anim challlenge I joined, and I know I won't win it, but it was a nice practice and maybe, sometime....

anyway, here's my entree

LAVALAMP Entree (http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/Lavalamp.wmv)

[hammering3D]

BiG ToE-3DT - tnx, ehh to far the buble are not visible good...and I like how they look zoomed like that...so I leave just the animation that is visible in that camera ...

Saber - nice how u play whit the text over the booble...and in the end how the one buble stay away the other booble :D

anem8or - U'r movie download link is verry slow..I wait 5 min for the movie to start downloading...I close it few time because i trought that is stuck...maybe is just my internet...
...The movie is nice ... I like the render that look like a cartoon...I like how the buble split ... I like the movement of the booble...but I think the speed of booble's is to fast...

[KL-Maverick]

Hmmmm! PC acting a fool, posting shortly got 52mins left.

[KL-Maverick]

My render is acting a fool! @ quarter to 12 I will just upload wireframe. if this problem persist. Sad because I wouldnt care but every comp, I notice people saying "nice render before" nice animation.

PC locing up very disturbing.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Saber: your overall animation is nice. I like how you made two lamps in one, and the way the bubbles move around and interact with each other. But your camera movements are too fast. If you just slowed them down a bit, the whole thing would be better.

Another thing, can I see a screen grab with key frames. Just select one of your main bubbles, that will do fine.

[KL-Maverick]

Anyway here it is my Final Entry! Hand animated over 1707 frames and used particles for the bubbles. Camera was allinged to path and keyed every 500 Frames in the y-axis. Enjoy.

Please omit the glow that suddenly appears, just keyframes that by accident.
Click the image below.

http://www.kal3d.co.uk/KL_LL_img.jpg (http://www.kal3d.co.uk/KAL_Lava_Lamp1.mov)

You can save as and view @ 320 x 240 its clearer.

[KL-Maverick]

Here are my Keyframe Curves!

I used 6x Lava Blobs(spheres) then offset the keys.

http://www.kal3d.co.uk/KL_Lava_Keys.jpg

[BiG ToE-3DT]

that was really good

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Here is my crap. With my small vacation and all I didn't have much time to work on it, but unlike XYZ, I did something.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/DJBiGToE/014.jpg
http://www.mysharefile.com/v/7554803/lava_lamp.avi.html

[XYZ]

Here is my crap. With my small vacation and all I didn't have much time to work on it, but unlike XYZ, I did something. :wall: next time...

[BiG ToE-3DT]

hehehe

[Saber]

Saber:
Another thing, can I see a screen grab with key frames. Just select one of your main bubbles, that will do fine.
I'm very sorry, I'm trying to get max 8 installed so I deinstalled max 6. But since I'm experiencing some probs now, I don't have any max at all on this pc....
What do you want to know? I'll try to explain (no, I didn't use any plugins:))

[DerekSc]

Whoa, Saber, easy there.
It's not midnight here yet, and as such, here is my entry (had to rerender a few bits... I had an "object" passing through the glass). About 2 days of work in all.

http://www.schafferworld.com/movies/lavalamp_ds.mov

About 15Mb, so please download it instead of viewing it in your browser.

Here is a glory shot and an example of my keyframes for one of the blobs (set up with bones in a starfish configuration as in my example earlier in the competition).

Good work all, looking forward to the next one! :)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Saber, for the voting: for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place (0-10) points, and of course first place should have more points than second, and second more than third.

If that is what you did already then leave it, if not, first thing wednesday, vote again.

[hammering3D]

BiG ToE-3DT - nice, but it look like the liquid shoot boobles ...and not that the boobles born from liquid...or there is a lamp that do that ?...

DerekSc - like the camera movement alot and the all athmospher creathed...but the boobles look like a rigid object and not like a booble...they not shake or wave...

[KL-Maverick]

BiG ToE-3DT I was wondering when you were going to post the links to everyones entry, as its after 12. Then it hit me, you're in different time zone, so you guys are sleeping!

[DerekSc]

hammering3d: Thanks for the comments! I never get time to do a test render and watch the whole thing first, and I agree that the bubbles don't look very fluid. They do actually deform (as you can see by the keys), but the movement is too subtle and slow, and I think it's hard to see because of the rapid camera work as well. Ah well, that's why it's called speed animation.

KL-Maverick: Yours looks really nice, how did you get the bubbles to smoosh together like that? It's a really nice effect. Good job on everything!

[BiG ToE-3DT]

hammering3D: http://clips1.vimeo.com/video_files/2006/06/20/vimeo.152675.e18779.wmv
anem8or: http://www.mysharefile.com/v/3562886/lava_lamp.mov.html
Saber: http://users.skynet.be/michael_tritsmans/Lavalamp.wmv
KL-Maverick: http://www.kal3d.co.uk/KAL_Lava_Lamp1.mov
BiG ToE-3DT: http://www.mysharefile.com/v/7554803/lava_lamp.avi.html
DerekSc: http://www.schafferworld.com/movies/lavalamp_ds.mov

alright, let the votting start. Let me know if I missed one(i just woke up).

[BiG ToE-3DT]

KL-Maverick 9 points (are you sure you hand animated that, the way the blobs react with each other just seems too perfect. If you did then, good job, first place. Would love to see a small tut, on how you did it.)
Anem8or 8 points (sure would like to know how you did that, with the glass down the middle and how the blobs bounce off and slide up against it)
DerekSc: 6 points. Too bad your competition didn't show up. your space ships would of had a chance to blast him.

[hammering3D]

hmm in rules u said that points will be from 0 to 5 ...now we must gave from 0 to 10 ? ... and what are this points...like give marks ?...

Voting will be as follows -

Pick your favorite animation.

First Place- (0-5 points)

Second Place- (0-5 points)

Third Place- (0-5 points)

[DerekSc]

I think ghosty and de4dy had movies in there as well. I seem to have them on my desktop, and they don't look like lava tests (I have all those on my desktop too).

(200th post... hmmm, time for a new avatar)

[hammering3D]

Lets say points are from 0-10...so here is my vote...

KL-Maverick: 9pts (look verry nice how the buble multyply and unify...and the movement is natural...)
Anem8or: 6pts (is good...but the movement of the buble look some time unreal and forced...and when they touch but not unified it look like ballons not bubles :(...
DerekSc: 5pts (I like alot all the composition...music and special camera movement...and i think the bubles mouve naturals...but to bad that is not visible how they deform :((

[DerekSc]

My votes:
KL-Maverick: 8 points - good animation, I like the flow, just some initial start up problems though and a few odd motion changes (the drops won't change vertical direction since the effect is based on heat), but a great piece of work!
Anem8or: 7 points - another great visual piece, also like the flow, but the wax seems a little too bubbly (too bouyant), nice deformations.
Saber: 5 points - an odd choice of sound track, but I liked the deformations, needs more wax though, more bubbles! :)

Good attempts by everyone! Ghosty you almost had third except it was kinda short so I didn't see enough. Looking forward to the next comp, hope to see everyone in that one too!

[KL-Maverick]

Anem8or - very nicely animated on some of those blue bubbles, they sperate really cool on 2 occasions. 8points

Saber - this is a nice entry, your seperation at the beginning is really nice, almost precise. I'm not a dictator but I do think you could have done more in 2 weeks and had the best lamp, you were on the right track. 7points

DerekSc - This was a very entertaining entry from yourself, your lamp is escentric. Way cooler tan the ones I saw @ the market. Would av' loved a bit of 'lava type' motion on the spheres but its a lava lamp comp, not a science fair so again, very entertaining lamp. 6points

[BiG ToE-3DT]

hmm in rules u said that points will be from 0 to 5 ...now we must gave from 0 to 10 ? ... and what are this points...like give marks ?...

Voting will be as follows -

Pick your favorite animation.

First Place- (0-5 points)

Second Place- (0-5 points)

Third Place- (0-5 points)

yeah I blew it, it was early this morning.

just do up to 5 or up to ten, when I added it up, I'll figure it out. I did the numbers to make it easier for me to find out who won. at first I was going by how many first place, second place, third place votes someone got, but that doesn't work. So now I'm trying this.

[BiG ToE-3DT]

sorry Ghostly, I missed your entry, I didn't see it until now. For future comps make sure you say final entry in your final entry post. And make sure you put some kind of screen grab or render in wit hyour final post, it makes it stand out from the rest.

[Saber]

5 points ::> DerekSc
nice starwarships, original choice, though your bubbles were a bit of and you focused too much on the ships

6points ::> KL - Maverick
NIce overall, but the bubbles were moving too fast and just splitting and connectng like, ehm, whatever splits and connects a lot. The overall look of the lamp was standard but decent. Some camera movement would have been nice

7points ::> anem8or
NIce tooney look, the way your bubbles split was very nice too, but they were moving too fast and sometimes influently

[XYZ]

Anem8or ( 9 ) from me,, realy good,, they dont look like wax but the animation and the splitting is ok.

Big toe (6) It is a little unfinished but the animation with noise? looks fine, and when they split,, it's ok I suppouse.

Derecksc (5) lol, that's funny ( and the star wars tropical theme is very funny too), but you should have focused on the bubles a little more.


good one saber.. too short,, only two bubles.. but good work with the splitting.

and malverik ( the animation of the bubbles is ok,, but I suspect you used some tricks ;P so you have an honorable mention fron me.

good work everybody else,, keep those mice moving!

[BiG ToE-3DT]

Winners are:

First Place: Anem8or

Second Place: KL-Maverick

Third Place: DerekSc

Good job everyone. On to the next.

[DerekSc]

Thanks for the votes everyone, I had fun with this one.
Good job to all, and congrats to Anem8or and KL-Maverick.

Oh, and just so I don't feel bad about sampling the music and not giving credit...

Star Wars, Cocktails in the Cantina by the Evil Genius Orchestra.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I7VZ/sr=8-1/qid=1150948443/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5751760-0934426?%5Fencoding=UTF8

A whole album of lounge-style Star Wars music from the classic trilogy (would love to hear these guys do Duel of the Fates). So if you like lounge music and John Williams, I encourage you to check it out (you can hear other samples from the link above).

[KL-Maverick]

Time to lip sync!! Cheers all.

[KL-Maverick]

... but I suspect you used some tricks ...

No tricks! just software. I mean we had 2 weeks to do a comp, isn't that long enough to get it near right? Some entrants obviously tried harder than others. Now I see how this comp is judged by some.

Thanks for you hororable mention though!