Make Follow Path start at frame other than 1

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Hi,
I am trying to get an object to move along a path, starting at a specific frame number. I have succeeded in getting the object (blue square) to follow the path, but it always starts at frame 1. I would like it to start at frame 1130. Is there any way to do this? I attach a JPG showing my settings, and the blend file. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Zaffer

shot_04.blend (1.78 MB)

Attachments

follow_path.JPG1607Ă—1080 229 KB

2

Use a Follow Path constraint set on the blue square with your curve as the Target Object - click the “Animate Path” button once then you can set the axis and keyframe the offsets. You can Keyframe various offsets where ever in the timeline you want them.

Or, use a Curve modifier for the blue square and keyframe active axis offsets for the blue square and it will follow the curve. In this case the blue square and the curve must have a common origin.

Cheers, Clock.

3

Thanks Clockmender, I will experiment with your method of keyframing the offsets. In the meantime, I worked out a method that uses keyframing of the Evaluation Time. Here it is in detail:

  • Make a cube and a path (important, both with origins set at zero).
  • (I used a plane because I’m working in 2D.)
  • With path in Edit mode, give it some curves.
  • With cube selected go to Object > Constraints > Add Constraint with Target > Follow Path.
  • In Follow Path (Inspector), choose the curve (NurbsPath) as target.
  • (The cube should move to the beginning of the path at this point.)
  • Now, insert keyframes to make the cube move.
  • Select the curve and go to its curve properties in the Inspector.
  • Path Animation should be checked.
  • Set Frames to 50 (for this example). (Timeline can be any length greater than 50.)
  • With the timeline at 1, set Evaluation Time to 1, right click Evaluation Time and choose Insert Keyframe.
  • With the timeline at 50, set Evaluation Time to 50 and insert another keyframe.
  • Now that there are two keyframes, the cube should move along the path.
  • The above is covered in this online tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1iJAlSxdV8

I further made the animation action and the curve/cube objects move to where I wanted them:

  • In the Dope Sheet, select both sets of keyframes and move them to where you want them in the timeline.

  • In the 3D view, grab the NurbesPath and move it (and its child cube) to where you want them in the project.

    I also made the cube (plane) reduce in size while traveling the path by giving it an action.
    I haven’t experimented yet, but I think further refinements can be added by tweaking the Evaluation Time in the Graph Editor and/or playing with the Evaluation Time keyframes. Blend file attached.
    Zaffer
    path_follow.blend (435 KB)

4

Neat - that works well.

Cheers, Clock.

5

blender 2.8

  1. graph editor
  2. “N”
  3. expand “editor”
  4. chage “y = 0” for “y = -20” any number whit minus
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