C4D - Xpresso with Time Offset

Hello,

I’ve got a simple animation driven by xpresso. I am duplicating it using the Mograph Cloner. The issue is that the traditional way to time offset the clones (with the random, step etc. effector) does not seem to work with xpresso driven animations. Checked the web, the question’s been asked quite a few times before. Unfortunately I could not find an answer. Any ideas how to do that?

Thanks.

-inlife

You’re talking about time-offsetting a keyframed animation, right?

Animate your object with keyframes, put it in the Mograph Cloner, then use an Effector, like the Random Effector, for instance and under Parameter turn all it’s Transforms off and turn its Time Offset up to 30 or so.

That would do it…or you could use the Effector fall off and then animate the Position with keyframes or with Xpresso.

I tried something similar not long ago. The only way I got the time-offset working was baking the xpresso data to keyframes.

Teb is right I think, try baking it then cloner object and step/random effector offset.

felt_tips said

You’re talking about time-offsetting a keyframed animation, right?

Animate your object with keyframes, put it in the Mograph Cloner, then use an Effector, like the Random Effector, for instance and under Parameter turn all it’s Transforms off and turn its Time Offset up to 30 or so.

That would do it…or you could use the Effector fall off and then animate the Position with keyframes or with Xpresso.

Yes but the case is that a piece of xpresso driven animation acts as a cloner child. The time offset option in the mograph effectors does not seem to recognize xpresso animations… thus not affecting 'em in any way. Maybe baking as the guys suggested would do it.

-inlife

the trick that solves everything solves this one too.put the xpesso driven object in a null then in a cloner.works for me

fAntasticmE said

the trick that solves everything solves this one too.put the xpesso driven object in a null then in a cloner.works for me

Awesome. Thanks a bunch!

-inlife

InlifeThrill said
fAntasticmE said

the trick that solves everything solves this one too.put the xpesso driven object in a null then in a cloner.works for me

Awesome. Thanks a bunch!

-inlife

Sounds like your question got answered, Inlife, but I’m curious. I don’t see how putting the animated object inside a Null makes any difference.

If Fix Clone is off, Xpresso’d animation gets picked up anyway, as well as any Position, Scale and Rotation parameters dictated by the Effector. But for me, directly in the cloner or under a Null makes no difference…an Effector’s Time Offset parameter has no effect.

I know, still trying to get my head around why things work in a certain way… and there are just a few people I know that are actually proficient in Cinema… and this sucks! Hopefully there will be more threads on Cinema. I’d love to participate in such discussions… or at least read them.

p.s. Hey Ben, 2500 posts? Pop bottles on 3… 1,2,3… :slight_smile:

-inlife

its in the wierd zone of cinema when things arent as they should be try either a null object or the connect object

fAntasticmE said

its in the wierd zone of cinema when things arent as they should be try either a null object or the connect object

Sure, I’m totally down with putting things inside a Null or Connect or even a Fracture (especially a zeroed Null for transforming parented chains that have keyframes)

But in this particular instance, it doesn’t have any effect when I build a little system to do what I think Inlife’s doing and then put the Xpresso animated object under a Null.

I’d like to know because it’s a problem I’ve hit upon before. I found a workaround then, but it was a little complex and took me out of the realm of using a simple Mograph Cloner.

When I get a moment, perhaps I’ll do a little screen cap and revive this thread.

Will be much appreciated!

-inlife