Covered in this tutorial.

1. Overview of files
2. Detail usage of files
3. Example Anim

Overview of files

Details

• Ini file
• Main.pov
• Objects.inc
• Moveobj.inc template

ini file

Things that have to be set

Main.pov

Objects.inc

#include "Anim/your_object_movement_file.inc"

Can use the Time var to remove sections.

eg.

#if (Time <=7.0) // 7 secs

#include "Anim/Missile1.inc"

#end

and in your scene file

#if(Time<=7.0) // 7 secs

object {Missile1}

#end

Moveobj.inc

Vars for the inertia system.

@obj@ is replaced with the name of you object.

AnimSystem Tutorial.

In this tutorial we will go from nothing to a simple and object and camera flying around a small landscape.

• What the AnimSystem wants for objects.
• Design the objects
• Set up the animsystem
• Render

1) Now the AnimSystem expects.

• 1 unit = 1 meter or to put it another way. if you had1 unit= 1 foot then the acc is in feet/sec² and the vel = feet/sec and pos = feet
• The object default axies are
• +x = Front of object
• +y = Up
• +z = to the Left
• The rotations are;

Object 1.

Lets have a simple paper place style object to fly arund with.

Now because of how the AnimSystem axis are used we will design the object so that it starts pointing in the +x direction with +y up and +z to the left.

* Note: If an object has been designed in a different direction, axis then do some initial rotations to the object first to make it point correctly.

Our Object.

Side:

Top:

Back:

We will make this up in three sections.

1. Wing
2. Mid
3. Complete object

1. Wing

This will be made up of three boxs, so, Create a new file called paper.inc and type in;

#declare value=sqrt(2)/2

#declare Mid=
difference {
        difference {
                box {   <-1.5,-value,-value> <1.5,value,value> rotate <45,0,0> translate <0,-1,0>}
                box {   <-2,-value,-value> <2,value,value> rotate <45,0,0> translate <0,-.9,0>}
                translate <-1.5,2,0> rotate <0,0,18.43>
        }
        box { <-5,0,-5> <5,2,5>}
}

2. Mid

#declare value=sqrt(2)/2

#declare Mid=
difference {
        difference {
                box {   <-1.5,-value,-value> <1.5,value,value> rotate <45,0,0> translate <0,-1,0>}
                box {   <-2,-value,-value> <2,value,value> rotate <45,0,0> translate <0,-.9,0>}
                translate <-1.5,2,0> rotate <0,0,18.43>
        }
        box { <-5,0,-5> <5,2,5>}
}

3. thing

#declare Plane=
union {
        object {wing}
        object {wing scale <1,1,-1>}
        object {Mid }
        translate <2,0.5,0>
        pigment {color White}
}

OK. Thats the paper plane done. Now for the landscape. We will use the land.gif picture as a height field.

Create a new file called land.inc and type in;

#declare land =
height_field {
  gif "land.gif"
        water_level .05
//      smooth
        texture {
                pigment {
                        gradient y
                        color_map {
                                [0.0 color Blue]
                                [0.05 color Yellow]
                                [0.2 color Brown]
                                [0.4 color Green]
                                [0.9 color White]
                                [1.0 color White]
                        }
                }
                finish {ambient .2}
        }
        scale <2000,256,2000> translate <-1000,-26,-1000>
}

Now by using Height Field Lab 0.84 with the land.gif, we are going to get so heights on the height field.

Land.gif is 117x88 pixels in size

First lets find some places on the gif for some buildings.



Name	X	Y	X	Y	PovX	PovY	PovY
a	20%	20%	23	18	.197	.205	.4627
b	25%	70%	29	62	.248	.705	.1412
c	27%	76%	32	67	.274	.761	.1647
d	45%	60%	53	53	.453	.602	.2078
e	53%	28%	62	25	.530	.284	.4118
f	68%	12%	80	11	.684	.125	.3294
g	85%	20%	99	18	.864	.205	.3451
h	76%	78%	89	69	.761	.784	.2078

Name	old Z	X	1-Z	Y	X	Y	Z
a	.205	.197	.795	.4627	-606	91	590
b	.705	.248	.295	.1412	-504	9	-410
c	.761	.274	.239	.1647	-452	15	-522
d	.602	.453	.398	.2078	-94	26	-204
e	.284	.530	.716	.4118	60	78	432
f	.125	.684	.875	.3294	368	57	750
g	.205	.846	.795	.3451	692	61	590
h	.784	.761	.216	.2078	522	26	-568

By using the above x,y,z points we can create some buildings.

Create a new file called building.inc and type in;

//Building.inc

//a  -606,91,590
box { <-600,91,580> <-620,200,600> pigment {color rgb <1,0,0>}}

//b -504,9,-410
cylinder { <-504,9,-410> <-504,80,-420> ,10 pigment {color rgb <1,.5,.5>}}

//c -452,15,-522
box {<-440,15,-510> <-460,120,-540> pigment {color rgb <1,1,.5>}}

//d -94,26,-204
cylinder { <-94,26,-204> <-94,150,-204>,15 pigment {color rgb <.3,1,.7>}}

//e 60,78,432
cylinder { <60,78,432> <60,250,432>,10 pigment {color rgb <1,1,1>}}

//f 368,57,750
cylinder { <368,57,750> <368,300,750>,10 pigment {color rgb <1,1,0>}}

//g 692,61,590
cylinder { <692,61,590> <692,220,590>,8 pigment {color rgb <0,1,1>}}

//h 522,26,-568
box { <500,26,-550> <540,80,-580> pigment {color rgb <1,1,0>}}
cylinder { <522,78,-568> <522,180,-568>,8 pigment {color rgb <1,0,1>}}

Now to put it all together in a POV file.

Create a new file called tut.pov and type in;

//Tut.pov

#include "colors.inc"
#include "paper.inc"
#include "land.inc"
#include "building.inc"

// Set a color of the background (sky)
background { color red 0.1 green 0.3 blue 0.8 }

object {land}
camera {
  location <0,100,-10>
        direction <0,0,2>
  look_at <0,100,0>
}
object {Plane pigment {color rgb <1,1,1>}
        rotate <0,0,0> rotate <0,-90,0> translate <0,100,0> }
light_source { <0,100,-10> color rgb <1,1,1>}

Have a test render.

3) Now to create the Animation

To Start with we will use the Flight option and only declare the movement for the plane first. The Flight option will create a flight path going around the landscape, so we can make sure the object won't go through the landscape.

Step.1

Create a folder/directory called tutanim.

Copy from the AnimSys directoru all of the folders and files, so you end up with.

tutanim
        anim
                moveobj.inc
                Objects.inc
        anims
                makeflc.bat
                joinflc.bat
        inertia
                convel.inc
                system.inc
        t
        ini.ini
        main.pov

Copy from the tut directory, where the Paper plane and landscape were designed.

building.inc
land.gif
land.inc
paper.inc
tut.pov

Step.2

Rename ini.ini to tutanim.ini.

Edit tutanim.ini

Do a search for ???
File: Tutanim.ini
Set the Final_Frame = 1
Set the Subset_Start_Frame = 1
Set the Subset_End_Frame = 1
Width = 320
Height = 240

Edit Main.pov

Again search for ???

Change;
MainScene = "tut.pov"
secs = 10 <-- the length of this anim approx
Frames = 2
fast = true
flight = on
Jumpin = false

Search for objectPOS
objectPOS = planePos

Edit tut.pov

place a #if(fast=false) .... #end around #include "land.inc" and object {land}
place a #if(flight=false)... #end around the camera statment and the object {Plane .....}

Edit Anim/Objects.inc

Change the line that reads,

#include "Anim/???.inc" to
#include "Anim/plane.inc"

Copy Anim/moveobj.inc to Anim/plane.inc

Edit Anim/plane.inc

First do a Global search and replace from @obj@ to plane

We are not going to set some default values for the object,

Go down to the default section. Hint search for [sec1]

Set planeInertia = false. Use the non-interial system. ie the acceleration and velocity are now just scalars.

Set planeDir = true. To lock the acceleration to the objects direction.

Set planeRotCh = <0,0,0>. As a default we don't want the direction of the plane to change.

Set planeAcc = <0,0,0>. As a default we don't want the plane to accelerate.

Not to set the start values for the object.

Go down to Initial Values. Search for [sec2]

set planePos = <800,100,0>. Initial position.

set planeRot = <0,-90,0>. Initial rotation. Point in the +z direction

set planeVel = <0,0,150>. Initial Velocity of 150 units/sec

Remove the next lines down to the #break, as these aren't being changed from the defaults.

They are;

        // only have to use the ConvertVel if @obj@Vel size <> 0 and using inertial system
        #declare Vel=@obj@Vel
        #include "inertia/ConvertVel"
        #declare @obj@Vel=Vel

        #declare @obj@Inertia = true    // True/False
        #declare @obj@Dir = false               // If the object acceleratiuon is in the direction of the object
        #declare @obj@Acc =<0,0,0>              // Heading,Pitch,Size in units/sec^2

Now move down to [sec3]

Change the line #range (part, ) to #range (part,3). ie what to do for the time from 1 frame to 3 secs.

set planeRotCh = <0,0,0>. No Rotations.

Delete the other lines down to the #break.

Now when we changed Main.pov we set our length (secs) = 10, so we now have to define the time from 3 to 10 secs.

Move down to [sec4]

Change the line #range( , ) to #range (3,6). ie what to do between the time 3 and 6 secs. The duration of the section = 3 secs.

set planeRotCh = <20,-planeRot.x,0>

Delete the other lines down to the #break. This will give us a slow turn to the left.

To know by how much this effects things, it works like this.

Take the current Rotation and add on 1/res of RotCh. Which in this case is 1/50 of RotCh. So it comes out as;

Time	RotCh	Rot
3	20,0,0	0.4,0,0
3.02	20,0.4,0	0.8,0.008,0
3.04	20,0.8,0	1.2,0.024,0
3.06	20,1.2,0	1.6,0.048,0
3.08	20,1.6,0	2,0.08,0
3.10	20,2,0	2.4,0.12,0

Etc.

Now copy the last #range .... #break group for time 3 -> 6 and paste below it, so you end up with;

#range(3,6)
   #declare planeRotCh = <20,-planeRot.x,0>  // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break
#range(3,6)
   #declare planeRotCh = <20,-planeRot.x,0>  // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break
#end

Change the second #range(3,6) to #range(6,10), so that this defines the time from 6 to 10.

Set the planeRotCh = <0,-planeRot.x,0>

Save the file.

Now we will go and do a test flight path render.

Run pov with the tutanim.ini

eg, povray tutanim.ini

Now you can see a white line with green and red blobs. The bottom most green blob is the Time=0, iw the start. Each Red blob from there is at 1 sec intervals with the last green blob for Time=10. At Time=6 the plane has reached the top of the curve so at that point we will flatten out the wings and start a turn to the right.

So re-edit the plane.inc,

Move down to the #range(6,10) section

Change the planeRotCh to <-30,-planeRot.,x,0>

Now Render again.

Now you can see from the flight path that the plane didn't immediately turn right. This is because it is already turning left and the plane has to first level out and then turn to the right.

Also at Time=10, the plane is heading for a block so to change this lets change the #range(6,10) section to read;

#declare planeRotCh=<-50,planeRot.x,0>

Now if we render again right from the start then it will again take ~ 1 min to render (on a 486x100). But if you look at the flight path you will notice that the values for a time <6 haven''t changed, and in the Lastval.inc is a set of values that specify a time close to 6.

So open up the Lastval.inc file. Go down the file until Time = just less than 6.00. I get 5.60. Take the values for the Tme=5.60 and copy to a new file called Startval.inc in the same directory as tutanim.ini.

The lines copied should be;

#declare Time=5.60
#declare planePos=<663.98170,100.00000,793.93549>
#declare planeRot=<52.00000,-157.08000,0.00000>
#declare planeVel=<0.00000,0.00000,150.00000>

Edit the file Main.pov and set Jumpin = true

Now render. This time it took me ~30 secs.

This gets us round but the plane looks like it might go a biut close to the top block. So lets change the

#range(6,10)
    #declare planeRotCh = <-50,-planeRot.x,0>
#break

#range(6,7)
    #declare planeRotCh = <-30,-planeRot.x,0>
#break
#range(7,10)
    #declare planeRotCh = <-50,-planeRot.x,0>
#break

Re-render to see what that looks like.

Now I have worked out the rotations needed all the way up 10 secs. They are;

#range(6,7 )
   #declare planeRotCh = <-30,-planeRot.x,0>               // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break
#range(7,8 )
   #declare planeRotCh = <-50,-planeRot.x,0>               // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break
#range(8,9 )
   #declare planeRotCh = <-25,-planeRot.x,0>               // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break
#range(9,10 )
   #declare planeRotCh = <45,-planeRot.x,0>                // Bank,Heading,Pitch in degrees / sec
#break

This looks like;

The rest of the animation for an object is just a collection of what has already been done.

Here are the rest for plane.inc

#range(10,11)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<11,-planeRot.x,0>     // The Rotation changes
        #declare planeAcc               =<0,0,70>
#break
#range(11,15)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<0,-planeRot.x,0>      // The Rotation changes
#break
#range(15,16)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<12,-planeRot.x,0>     // The Rotation changes
#break
#range(16,18)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<0,-planeRot.x,0>      // The Rotation changes
        #declare planeAcc               =<0,0,-40>
#break
#range(18,23)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<0,-planeRot.x,0>      // The Rotation changes
#break
#range(23,25)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare planeRotCh             =<90,0,45>      // The Rotation changes
        #declare placeAcc               =<0,0,100>
#break

Now as the motion is now defined up to time 25 , edit Main.pov and change secs=25

Change the Jumpin=false to render to whole path.

And now to define the camera.

• Edit the Main.pov file

Search for objectPOS. Set objectPOS = cameraPos

• Edit the Objects.inc file

Go to the end of the file and add in the line

#include "Anim/camera.inc"

• Copy moveobj.inc to camera.inc
• Edit camera.inc

Do a Global search and replace @obj@ to camera.

Search for [sec1]

Set cameraInertia = false.

Set cameraDir = true

Set cameraRotCh = <0,0,0>

Set cameraAcc = <0,0,0>

Add in the line #declare cameraLook = planePos

This is to make the camera always follow where every the plane goes.

Search for [sec2]

Set cameraPos = <600,100,750>. This is up by the first block.

Set cameraRot = <0,0,0>. Doesn't matter what it is as the cameraLook will be used instead.

Set cameraVel = <0,0,0>. Don't want the camera to move.

Remove the next lines down to the #break.

Search for [sec3]

change the #range(part, ) to #range(10,11)

Add in the line #declare cameraPos=<100,100,500>

This makes the camera jump to that position at time 10.

Remove all of the next lines down to the #break

Search for [sec4]

change the #range( , ) to #range(13,14)

Add in the line #declare cameraPos = <-700,100,50>

Remove all of the next lines down to the #break

Copy the last #range...#break section and paste below itself.

change the #range(13,14) to #range(22,22)

Change the cameraPos to <-600,100,-527>

The camera.inc sections should look like this;

//[sec1]
        #declare cameraDir              =true           // true or false
        #declare cameraRotCh            =<0,0,0>        // The Rotation changes
        #declare cameraInertia  = false         // true or false
        #declare cameraAcc              = <0,0,0>       // Heading,Pitch,Size
        #declare cameraLook             = planePos
// Controls

#switch(Time)  // The current time
#case(0)
//[sec2]
// Initial values
        #declare cameraPos = <600,100,750> // x,y,z
        #declare cameraRot = <0,0,0> // Bank,Heading,Pitch
        #declare cameraVel = <0,0,0> // Heading,Pitch,Size
#break
//[sec3]
#range(10,11)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare cameraPos = <100,100,500>
#break
//[sec4]
#range(13,14)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare cameraPos = <-700,100,50>
#break
#range(22,22)   // StartTime,EndTime
        #declare cameraPos = <-600,100.00000,-527>
#break
#end

Now go and do a render.



Each of the four spots define where the camera is going to go.

Now to finally have a look from the camera's point of view of the animation.

1.

Edit Main.pov

Change the Frames = 2. For two frames / sec

Change the flight = false

Edit tut.pov

Change the object {plane .... to read;

        object {Plane
                pigment {color rgb <1,1,1>}
                finish {ambient .5}
                scale 4
                rotate planeRot*<1,0,1> rotate planeRot*<0,1,0>
                translate planePos
        }

Change the camera definition to read;

        camera {
                location cameraPos
                direction <0,0,4>
                look_at cameraLook
        }

Now edit tutanim.ini

Now the length of the anim is 25secs, and there are 2 frames per sec, therefore there are 50 frames to render.

Set the Final_Frame = 50

Set the Subset_Start_Frame=1

Set the Subset_End_Frame = 50

Set the Width = 80

Set the Height = 64

Render and wait quite a while. 486-100 ~ 4:36.

To create the animation use what is approprite for your system.

For dos/Win95/Win3.11 goto the dos prompt.

(Win95 - Start/Programs/MS-Dos)

(Win3.11 - Main/Msdos)

CD whereever the tutanim directory is.

CD anims

makeflc fr 9 500 test01. This uses DTA, so you need that in your path.

dfv test01 to show the anim.

To see the animation better try ->

Edit Main.pov

Set Frames = 50/3

Number of frames is going to be 25*50/3 = 416.6667 so round up to 417

Set secs = (417*3)/50=25.02

Set fast=false

Edit tutanim.ini

Set Final_Frame=417

Set Subset_End_Frame=417

Set Width = 320

Set Height = 240

Wait a REALLY LONG TIME... ~~ Time for a Pentium 100 = 8 Hours.

That is how to create an animation using the Anim System. Have a look at the Shipanim and Shark examples also, to see how they work.

Fran.