Flip Top Kitchen Table Animation, EDIT "Problem solved!

Support Basics & Interface
#1

[edit] The blend file is updated to the working version [/edit]

http://www.wilsonssaloon.com/images/table.blend

I wouldn’t normally post such a basic question but I haven’t had much luck finding my answer with data mining (I own the manual, have elysiun search page linked to my desktop, and am a google fan). The file is 85k and looking at it you may quickly be able to figure out what my issue is. Frames 1-121 are just like I want them. At frames 122-181 I would like to have the table flip open. Whenever I rotate the top half and and Insert a key at 181 the Interpolated frames are not what I want. I want the table to open as if on a hinge (which I plan to add once I get this figured out).

Is a simple bone what I need? I can’t get the first set of “table slideing” frames to work right when I put an armature bone in. The two halves of the table top don’t move together with any bone position I have tried during the first 120 frames.

I do some wood working and am actually going to build this table so I’ll post some pictures of the real thing as well as this 3d VR part of the project. It’s all just for fun, oh yeah, that and we need a kitchen table and have very little space!

Still learning the many facets of blender… Thanks for the help!

#2

i haven’t looked at the file but I think i know what the solution is. you don’t need to use armatures. the easiest way, would be go into edit mode for the flipping table piece, select all vertices, and move them so that the object center is on the edge of the thing, about where the hinge would be. that should make animating the rotation easy. the second thing you should do, is select the IPO curve with the A key or, however you wish to select it/them, and type, with mouse cursor in the IPO window, ‘T’ which will give you a menu for IPO curve types. you will want to choose ‘linear’.

#3

Modron: Thanks for trying to help me out. My most major malfuntion was not setting up proper parenting. I did end up using an armature and 2 parent levels and everything works well now. I am going to render the sequence right now.

Here is the blend file with completed motion. Now it’s time for some better texturing and added details. This is so simple I won’t bother posting it in the WIP unless I stumble badly. Cheers!

http://www.wilsonssaloon.com/images/table.blend