How do you animate grass, or leaf? (without dynamics, because I need artistic control)
Normaly, I just need to duplicate and then offset time in the animation hack.
Since I have many grass objects, I need to keep them in instance (linked), but I need to offset their animation.
In 3dsmax, I can offset animation because shape keys are stocked in a modifier, not in the mesh data.
Any clue guys?
(i’ve tried link blend file and dupli group with no success too)
To offset space transformations you can use the Delta transform panel, to offset animation data I don’t really know maybe particles?
Anyway I just wrote this little script/addon to do some time offsetting for f-curves…
Script will run on selected objects, and you get two modes. First one: just set an offset value and apply. The other is a slider you drag to see some interaction in timeline, dopesheet or f-curve editor… this last mode is highly ‘experimental’ couldn’t make it refresh in 3d view. Give it a try and tell me if its worth doing some more work on it… maybe a time shuffle button?
edit: now that I think, you can try NLA Editor to do this also, you need to press the snowy icon to be able to drag each action…
update: just got some time to try the script myself and worked pretty well here, added ‘random’ button to give each object a different offset based on time offset value and fixed a problem with the drag slider… see that because of this feature you need a recent build or it won’t run at all…!
Thanks a lot Liero!
I’ve tested your script, but it won’t fit for me. I need to offset shape keys animation, and this keys are stored with mesh data.
If I make all my grass objects single user, the scene will be too heavy.
I can’t use particles, cause I have to manage the texture when set dressing is over.
I’m badly stuck with this. A solution could be to have a mesh cache modifier, so I can record the animation once, and then apply it with offset on my grass objects.
Ivo Grigrull made this, but the project seams to be stopped http://www.ivogrigull.com/
It is the biggest thing to have if you want to integrate Blender in professional pipeline.
Neverthelesss, i think your script could be very useful with transform animation, I keep it…
maybe particles?
couldn’t make it refresh in 3d view. Give it a try and tell me if its worth doing some more work on it… maybe a time shuffle button?
