TIME IPO

Support Basics & Interface
1

My manual (Official Blender guide 2.0 page 108) tells me to create a simple keyframe animation of a moving object and create a timeipo. The simple keyframe amimation is no problem, I do not know how to create a timeipo and the manual thinks that I do. I need some help at this point. thanks. My main objective is to be able to manipulate the ipo in order to slow down my animations. Of course, I am in over my head here too.

2

I’ve only used time ipos a couple times, so I’m no expert; but this is how I do it:

  1. Blender has a few preset screens set up already for you. To get the screen setup with a 3dWindow and an IPO window, press Ctrl_Left arrow key on your keyboard. (To return to the default 3dWindow screen - Press Ctrl_right arrow on your keyboard).

  2. In the IPO curve window you should see the ipo curves that you have set up for your object movement. Since you want a ‘Time’ IPO curve, Left Mouse Click on ‘Time’ name in the right column of the IPO curve window.

  3. Ctrl_Left Mouse click in the IPO curve window (on the grid) near 1, 1.
    Assuming your animation lasts 41 frames, click a second time near 41, 41. (Don’t need to be too accurate - we can fine tune the points later)
    To adjust the points - enter edit mode by pressing [Tab] and ensure one of the points is selected, then press [n] and enter the proper values. repeat for the other point.

  4. If you run the animation now you should notice the object moves a little differently at the start and end - it eases in and eases out. To change this - press [t] (with your mouse in the ipo window) and choose ‘Linear’.

  5. Play around a bit by adding more points, varying the slope of the curve, etc.

Hope that helps
If you need more explanation just ask.

3

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I’ll be playing with the numbers for a while to find out what makes what happen. I really wish there were a book that explained all of these intricices. Every new notch of learning seem to require hours of trial and error. By the way that book should be entitled “Blender for Dummies. vol. 1”