Flash CS4: Inverse Kinematics Robot
The above is an Inverse Kinematics example authored with Flash CS4 that doesn’t use any (of my) code. The robot just seemed fitting with the domain.
Having looked at David Stiller’s tutorial and Lee Brimelow’s blog on the subject, I decided to see how easy it would be to do something similar to David Stiller’s puppet of Tom but allow the user to drag the pieces around like in Lee Brimelow’s example. After hunting around for the way to make the pieces draggable without using any code, it turns out it’s really easy: look at the Property panel on the Armature layer and change “Type” from “Authortime” to “Runtime.” Probably this is in the help somewhere, but I just stumbled across it on my own.
For more info visit Adobe’s Flash CS4 Help on Inverse Kinematics.
Download the source (version 0.2).
Note: I have recently updated the swf so it uses vectors rather than bitmaps so you can more easily do the selection. If anyone can figure out how to combine the runtime method with the authortime method so you can have your puppet fly in and then allow the user to move it around, please let me know — I was having difficulties with this. I assume it can be done by using several swf files rather than a single one. Also I found out that skewed movieclips in your armature can have unwanted side effects.
Jesse—
That’s pretty darn cool. I’d known about this ability in Flash, and having wide experience in 3D modeling and animation, I’ve very used to the concept of IK. It’s about time the added the ability of IK and, subsequently, chains in Flash.
I have some easy questions for you.
1st, i have created a stage with a background image and 2 of my cartoon characters. all have been created in photoshop. the 2 characters have been cut into peices, head, eyes, mouth, neck, and torso. i then assembled them back together using preset motion tweens, such that when all of the tweens are done the characters fall together to make complete characters. now that the stage looks as it should i want to copy that keyframe at the end to allow the viewer to see everything put together for about 2 seconds. when i try to creat more key frames everything moves a little instead of staying put, and it messes-up my “bounce-smoosh” preset motion tween. it changes the timing. how can i copy without changing anything? i have tried inserting keyframes, modifying, cutting and pasting. all of my art are .psd files.
i have also tried to place bones to connect the different body parts and it will not allow me to do that as well. the curser changes into a bone-bind tool, but when i click on each part nothing happens.
my library list my art work as .psd files with a symbol icon in front of the name.
thanks for your help!!!!!
tom
Sorry I had no response for you Tom, I hope you figured it out. I was out of the flash world for several months, but I’m back to it now.
I am just learning flash, and have imported a psd file, import to stage. Made a mc symbol of it and brought it to the stage, and motion tweened it across the stage to test if it was working. Play movie and I see nothing.
I have had no problems tweening vector images.
Can not figure out what I am doing wrong.
Thanks.
Donalda
@Donalda Brook
Donalda, since you had no problem tweening vector images, I’m not sure what’s going on in this case. What version of flash are you using to make the tween? If Flash CS4, then there three kinds of Tween you can choose from: Motion Tween / Shape Tween / Classic Tween. If the arrow for the tween shows a dashed line, then something is wrong with the tween (such as a missing symbol). I would suggest starting with Classic Tween, which is the way things were done before Flash CS4.
Wow, it worked, thank you. Yes it is CS4, I have not yet covered Classic Tween in school. And could not sleep trying to start a school project got up and have been struggling since very early this morning.
Thanks again. I will try to pass it forward when I have learned enough to help someone else.
it would be great to see this robot effect done with Coornhert and other historical figures. PS I added you to my blogroll at superiormotive.com.