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MarkWaldo - all messages by user

2016/1/31 0:53:17
Better controls for moving objects I usually situate objects by looking down from above for accurate placement. I also move my characters to the exact spot I want by having an above viewpoint looking straight down.
2016/1/26 19:55:47
How do I..... Just a couple of days ago I figured out the easiest way to put people in a car for a scene I am developing. Use a backdrop with the image of the back seat of a car. I did a google search for a car backseat.
When I found a good picture (in images), I downloaded the picture and went into GIMP 2 (free) or Photoshop, and free hand selected each of the windows of the car and filled them in with bright green. I saved the picture as a png file and then used that texture for the backdrop.
I put my two characters in, initial pose as sitting. I adjusted their size to fit in the seat properly. I then set up the camera to view only the backdrop with my characters sitting right in front of the backdrop. I then had them do what they needed to do and rendered the scene.
I then looked for video footage on youtube of "driving rear". There are a few of them that indicate you are free to use them in your footage.
I then brought up my video editor (I use Vegas) put the Muvizu footage on the first video track and the driving footage on the second video track. I then used the special effects of chromakeying, on track one, selecting the same green color using the eye dropper tool. Anything of that color will be transparent to the track below it. I then adjusted the upper end of the chromakey slider to come down a bit so that the lower track only showed through the windows of the car. Not doing this will cause the lower track to be seen as a ghost image throughout the upper track scene
The end result is a believable shot of two people in the back of the car. The video is a test shot to determine the limit of actions that can be done without the character partially disappearing into the seat. You will see some actions where this happens. This was very easily done and you don't have to load in a model.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KKOygzAumUU
2016/1/8 15:49:38
Timeline Endpoint Setting Thank you, Neil & MDW. That is what I was looking for - an explanation of why it couldn't find the end point because it was at 0 or the cursor was beyond the end point already and what keys to use to get to those points other than using the button to get to it. I always like complete explanations. So thank you again!
2016/1/7 19:03:04
Timeline Endpoint Setting Thanks, Neil and Pat. The reason I asked the question is that when I pressed the button to go to the end point on the timeline , it couldn't find the end point and sent me, instead, to about 20 minutes, far beyond any point I would have designated and there it did not show an end point marker. I then went into Video and set the endpoint even before Pat gave me those instructions, realizing that would set the end point. What I was hoping for would be a keyboard command that I could press that would bring up the end point and allow me to enter the time when the could not find it. I don't think there is such a keyboard command now. I have no idea why it couldn't find the end point marker to begin with.
2016/1/7 3:02:41
Timeline Endpoint Setting Is there a way I can set the timeline endpoint easily without having to move the endpoint to the place that I want? If it is set at 19 minutes and I want it to be 1 minute, the only way I know of is to physically move the point which takes too long.
2016/1/1 2:26:28
2 Questions please help! Ericksone wrote:
Issue # 1: I am trying to direct several characters to talk and/or sing at different times. Almost like they start off as a chorus, then one goes solo, then chorus again and then solo by another character. I am only finding clips for older versions of Muvizu or am missing something. Everytime I try to create or direct, the sounds are overlapping or others cant sing to different parts... hope this makes sense and I thank you in advance for your help!


I can help you only with Issue #1 because I never downloaded the Christmas pack. In order to prevent people speaking out of turn, you have to have separate audio tracks for each person or use the speak/shush buttons. If an audio track is shared by others, they will all say the same thing unless you have them shushed at the point you want one person to speak. I almost always don't use the speak/shush buttons, but rather, make the dialog in Audacity, with each person on a separate track and exported separately. I just leave the speak button on and they each speak independently on queue. I know that others do this and I find it the easiest for me instead of hitting the speak/shush buttons.
2015/12/28 17:06:28
Failed to load object from file winini33 wrote:
I had a small project to finish before Christmas, and because of this bug, I wanted to stop everything and throw this software.
But once I located this, I completed my project without any destruction of files.

I have checked, and I confirm what I said earlier:

This bug is located precisely around the time-line on the "head movements".
A file without "head movements" for characters has no problem.
If you adds some "head movements" without touching the time-line, you can save the file, it will be good.
If you slightly adjust the position of "head movements" on the timeline, the saved file is dead, will no longer open.
If you remove the line "movement of the head" in time-line, and if you save the file, it remains healthy.

I have communicated this information to the support, and they assure me.
"An update is planned before the end of the year."

MarkWaldo wrote:
Did you purchase the key frames option? If so, did you use it in your video? I have not had problems after head movement but have had the problem after using keyframes.

No, I do not have the Key frame option, and it is possible that it does not improve things, as key frame can change the time (but this must be check).

Although this forum remains for users, The support answer every time. What is unfortunate is that this information is not reported at the time downloading the software. And new users may be surprised or disappointed.


Sorry. I was totally wrong. After careful review, I found the problem happened after I put in head movement and was not a result of using keyframes. On every set where I used head movement, the set would no longer load. My workaround is to either not use head movement or to save the set to a different file before making any head movements and then add head movements and then render before closing the set, knowing that once I get out of that set, that set will no longer be retrievable. I, of course, look at the finished product before closing that set in case any adjustments needed to be made and then re-render. Once I am satisfied, I close the set that has the head movements. I still have the pre-head movement file in case I need it again.
2015/12/27 19:23:37
Failed to load object from file Concerning technical support, I agree that this is a small company with few people talented enough to solve problems. The one thing I find fault with Support is very simple. They don't respond to this forum showing their status in solving the problems and sometimes not even mentioning there are problems unless you contact them individually. For the past 2 years I have noticed almost no comments from support acknowledging they are working on anything. And if they do make a comment, it is very cryptic with few, if any, details. To make an assumption by us users that they may not even know where the problem is, is going beyond your knowledge to even make that statement. You don't know where they are at in the solving of issues. The one thing I want from the support team that is very simple to do is to state to this forum continuous updates to where they are at in solving the issues. It is not enough just to respond to those who put in a request for support and get a support ticket. For the majority of us to just sit here fiddling our thumbs not knowing even if support is working on the problem becomes very, very frustrating. Communication is the key here. Please, Support, keep us informed and not in the dark. To say that Muvizu+ costs only $29, I paid a lot more for it when it wasn't on sale. The cost of the program is not an issue. The number of customers using Muvizu is the issue. With all of us hanging around wondering when an update is going to come out and not knowing the status of the solution of the problem is not doing Support nor us any good. Too much frustration can cause many to leave Muvizu behind and look for other ways of expressing our ideas. I, for one, intend to stick with Muvizu in thick or thin. I just want Support to keep in current communication with the rest of us. That's all.
2015/12/25 18:46:39
windows media player won't play video I created. Thanks, MrDrWho13
2015/12/25 18:03:55
windows media player won't play video I created. wdeprospo wrote:
You can run the file through vdub64. It will rebuild the indexes. Then save avi as, using the same video codec as the original. This seems to keep the same quality.


I rendered a 5+ minute scene to avi to test your method for long video scenes. I ran it through vdub64 and the resulting video was only about 1 minute (in the middle of the scene) and it ignored the rest because it had problems throughout the video.
The best way to render long scenes is to either split it up into about 1 minute chunks and recombine them later or to use the targa output files which is much faster and eliminates errors in rendering altogether. You can also use any of the frames as a high quality picture. You just need a video editor that will put all the frames together and then you can add the audio.
Using this technique, I have found that I have to adjust the length of the audio file to match the length of the video file. I think it has to do with the width of the individual frames brought in. If anyone can help me, I would like to know if I can adjust Vegas so that when it brings in the Targa files it will be the same length as the audio file that goes with it without having to adjust its length.
2015/12/24 5:51:24
windows media player won't play video I created. D2257 wrote:
OK, I made a video in Muvizu, next I clicked on Make video button and selected 1280 x 720, and the program did it'a thing and developed a Muvizu file.

When I try to play it in windows media player it won't work. What I'm I doing wrong ?

Dick



If your scene lasted much more than one minute, it will not render correctly and all you'll get is a blank screen. Either split the rendering into more than one piece and render them individually and then later splice them together with Muvizu Join or in a video editor. Your other option is to save the render as targa files and use a video editor to put them together and re-render them as a complete scene.
2015/12/20 19:43:00
Failed to load object from file winini33 wrote:

On my other scenes, I remembered that the files are damaged after add of the heads movements.
As a previous version of Muvizu has a problem with the movements of the head, I wanted to look in that direction.


Did you purchase the key frames option? If so, did you use it in your video? I have not had problems after head movement but have had the problem after using keyframes.
2015/12/20 19:29:15
Failed to load object from file PatMarrNC wrote:
Add my name to the list of people whose projects are stalled by this error.

I don't know if it's significant, but the last thing I did before the problem started was this:
I wanted to delete one of my characters actions, but I went brain dead and instead of "right-click > delete" I pressed the keyboard's delete button, which effectively deleted ALL that character's actions .. and the character too. Seems like maybe something more benign could be programmed to happen when the delete key is pressed.... like maybe a dialog box that says "CURSE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE? (Y/N)"

When I saw what had happened, I closed Muvizu without saving, hoping that when I opened it back up, my last saved copy would have all my characters and 99% of my work intact. Instead, the project failed to load at all.

Previous messages in the thread indicate that the promised delivery of the fix was sometime last week. So I guess asking for more dates is kind of pointless. The fix will come when it's ready whether I pester or not.

In spite of stuff like this.... I just LOVE this software!!

My being a computer systems analyst for over 40 years and having used Muvizu for 2 years, I have asked the support team to warn people when they press the delete key to say "Are you sure you want to delete this character?" But they have not. It is a very common mistake to hit the familiar <Delete Key> when wanting to delete something on the timeline instead of right clicking the <delete> that is provided on the timeline.
2015/12/20 19:22:39
Failed to load object from file PatMarrNC wrote:
Add my name to the list of people whose projects are stalled by this error.

I don't know if it's significant, but the last thing I did before the problem started was this:
I wanted to delete one of my characters actions, but I went brain dead and instead of "right-click > delete" I pressed the keyboard's delete button, which effectively deleted ALL that character's actions .. and the character too. Seems like maybe something more benign could be programmed to happen when the delete key is pressed.... like maybe a dialog box that says "CURSE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE? (Y/N)"

When I saw what had happened, I closed Muvizu without saving, hoping that when I opened it back up, my last saved copy would have all my characters and 99% of my work intact. Instead, the project failed to load at all.

Previous messages in the thread indicate that the promised delivery of the fix was sometime last week. So I guess asking for more dates is kind of pointless. The fix will come when it's ready whether I pester or not.

In spite of stuff like this.... I just LOVE this software!!
2015/12/15 2:20:40
Default Chinese scene crashes Muvizu Phil7newbie wrote:
Looks like another bug! Muvizu crashes when I try to load the Chinese set into it. As soon as I get to about 78% it crashes with a long list of errors and my video card (Geforce GTX 650) shows it has recovered. I have Windows 10. I think I narrowed it down to the Chinese tree 1. I loaded 1 by one every asset from the Chinese history pack, even with a character so suited up, and was OK until I added that darn tree! It loaded kinda grayed out and then it all froze up and I had to click OK and the program shut down. Tried again with just the tree and bam! Did it again! Would show a screen shot but I don't know how.


To the Muvizu programmers (not users): This is a very important clue: When 78% of the scene is loaded then it bombs. This happened to me at 78% and probably everyone else who has purchased the key framing option. This is not just the Chinese Tree 1, it also happens when any scene is loaded and it says "There was an error loading the scene. Failed to load object from file." Look through the code to see what goes on just after 78% of the scene loads and you'll most probably find the problem. I suspect it has to do with the key framing.
2015/12/15 1:54:47
Watermark on video D2257 wrote:
I made a 2 second video and after making it, I viewed it on my computer. in the lower left corner was the Muvizu logo. Then I uploaded it to
You Tube and it was still there.

I'm using Muvizu Plus. How do I remove the Muvizu Logo?




DIck


Before you start rendering the video, you should notice a check box where it allows you to remove the watermark. Once that is checked, it will remain checked whenever you render another video.
2015/2/2 17:27:52
New Muvizu Movie Release I have just posted my newest movie, The Strange Case of David Lang - Part 2 on youtube
https:// class="iframe-wrapper">
If you haven't seen part 1 yet, I would recommend it first.
2014/10/31 15:28:19
Digimania News I'm sorry, you're right. I failed to see it is a 25 quid savings, not a total of 25 quid. Well, that puts it back up there where I can't afford it again. Oh well.
2014/10/31 15:24:54
Digimania News According to the latest add from Muvizu, it says the upgrade is 25 quid, not 50 quid. That equates to US$40. This deal lasts until 4 Nov.
2014/10/30 23:09:53
Digimania News The upgrade translates to US$40. This causes me to upgrade. I couldn't justify US$135 before. It is now within my means and makes it available to many more people around the world. From the questions I asked and the answers I got from the staff not long ago, I was wondering if this is an effort to get a lot more funding to justify further development and bug-fixing costs for Muvizu or is it to bring money into their other projects. Up to recently they told me they don't see their working on Muvizu in the near future. To me, it doesn't matter either way they go. The key concept is that Plus+ works pretty well now regardless of some bugs. It costs a lot more to get an Unreal Game Engine to develop your own software on and costs you even more for royalties should you sell your application software using the Unreal engine. By far, no matter what happens to Muvizu, whether they drop development, continue development or just continue with it as they are, US$40 is a bargain price and makes sense investing in it. I have already been using Muvizu to produce non-commercial cartoons, not caring if it shows the Muvizu logo. But now I can create movies for others commercially without a problem along with having my characters hold things and importing objects more easily (supposedly). My recommendation is upgrade now.
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Muvizu is easy to use 3D animation software that allows anyone to create high quality animations quickly and easily. Muvizu’s animation engine is ideal for storytellers, animators, teachers and businesses looking to engage, enchant and delight audiences with animated content.