ZBrushCentral

Frame-per-frame animation in ZBrush

ZBrush Artworks
#1

I’m looking to do some mesh, frame-per-frame, animation and can’t quite figure out the timeline, the linking or the difference between the “Layer” and “Layers” tracks.

What I’d really like is to simply switch one layer on at one frame, switch the next layer on the next frame, hiding the first layer, and so on. Setting keys for each step. I think I see some stepped keys in there which is great!

But so, could I get the next and prev key buttons to work on layer(s) keys instead of just camera keys? Could I get frames instead of seconds in the timeline? Some snapping of some kind? Could I somehow set a key without having to deal with the timeline? The dbl-click zooming is distracting.

Any ideas?

#2

Hey there

Although what you’re saying can be achieved with Zbrush timeline, I also have a plugin which seems to be what you’re looking for, but I haven’t finished or released it yet.

Take a look anyway

//youtu.be/IU0ipNd7AWY

The timeline here requires no work with layers, you pose and click ‘Set Key’ and the layer work is completed automatically. However you can use the existing layers to set the actual keyframe turning on and off the layers as required then setting a key (but u can ignore layer ordering etc as you keyframe any pose at any point in timeline as you wish).

Furthermore keyframes are clearly laid out, timeline is in frames (25 fps fixed though) keyframes are highlighted on timeline and there is Prev / Next keyframe button not for camera but for pose keys, and no dbl-click / zoom issues. It works for ZSphere rigs and also meshes (uses layers). I’ll let you know when I will release it but I’m so busy lately that I haven’t been working on it to complete it , thought I might release an incomplete version of it soon if it helps.

#3

Yeah, thats seems great. But what I’d like to do is mesh deformation, rather than zsphere manipulation.

I couldn’t find any scripting commands for the timeline, you know how to get control of that beast somehow?

At the moment, I am:

  1. Creating a layer.
  2. Manipulating the mesh it to create the next frame.
  3. Disabling record mode for that layer.
  4. Setting a key at the current layer value, 1.
  5. Going back to the start frame.
  6. Setting the layer to 0
  7. Setting a key at the start frame.
  8. Making that key stepped, or “Cut”.

PER FRAME. :slight_smile: As you might imagine, this workflow isn’t exactly helping me.

Any way of simplifying it you think?

edit: ooh, just read your post again and saw that you’ve though of mesh deformation as well. Cool! My only concern then is that I think I remember seeing this plug-in a while back ago at about the same stage in development. If you haven’t shared it still, I can’t really be counting on it, if you know what I mean… :confused:

#4

double post

#5

Sorry for bump but I’m interested in making a series of short toons for learning purposes and I just so happened to find this thread when doing google searches on how to animate with Zbrush.

I was pretty surprised to find out that the animation system ATM wasn’t exactly what I expected but also found some hope in this project, basically I need mesh deformation & key-frames just like what is described here.

I notice there hasn’t been any updates on this in a while, does anyone know what the progress of this plug-in is ATM?

Also, there isn’t really that good of tutorials for animating with the current system, unless I haven’t found them yet…