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Old 4th September 2012, 11:59 AM   #1
BSquaredeighteen
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Default Any Video Tutorials for Doing Translations?

Hi,

In my work on using AC3D to animate X-Plane models, I've used Mid7night's excellent video on Introduction to Rotations to learn how to do a rotation.

Now, I need to learn how to use similar principles to make a straight-line translation; i.e., a sliding canopy for an aircraft.

I tried applying what I learned in the video, but when I clicked on X-Plane --> Make Translation in AC3D, I wasn't sure what to do next.

Are there an tutorials, preferably video but text if video not available, for doing what I want?

Thanks,
Bill
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Old 4th September 2012, 12:45 PM   #2
Stiglr
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Default Re: Any Video Tutorials for Doing Translations?

There is one:
X-Plane Animation Plug-In Tutorial

...but for some reason, the author details how to animate a gravel-dumping dump truck instead of something aircraft-centric and useful, like, say, a landing gear sequence with multiple doors, ground-reactive gear strut oleos and complex rotations. That, I think would have covered just about every contingency for aircraft kit.

If I can figure out how to do the animations properly one day, I might have to create said tutorial myself. But, I digress... I think the tutorial at least introduces the subject at a reasonable level of detail.

One thing you'll have to add to this is to look through the VERY long list of X-Plane functions you can attach to each animation, in order to find the correct ones for each of the parts you're animating. I believe the file is in a ReadMe within the plug-in, but don't quote me on it. You'll be able to quickly find that data somewhere in the plug-in or on the web with a few Google searches.
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Old 4th September 2012, 01:04 PM   #3
BSquaredeighteen
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Default Re: Any Video Tutorials for Doing Translations?

Re: One thing you'll have to add to this is to look through the VERY long list of X-Plane functions you can attach to each animation

Yes, that part I've gotten pretty familiar with. As Mid7night mentions in his video, you can type in a key word to see only the datarefs that have that word.

I've seen the tutorial you mention. For some reason, even though I have the Quicktime plugin, I cannot access the videos where there are Quicktime icons. Besides, that tutorial seems to focus mostly on rotations, unless I missed something. I've gotten a handle on rotations; it's translations I need help with.

Anyone know of any other videos, or what about translations is different from rotations? I discovered how to stretch out a line that would seem to be for a straight-line translation, but I can't make it work with the animation slider the way I was able to preview a rotation.

Bill
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Old 4th September 2012, 01:47 PM   #4
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Default Re: Any Video Tutorials for Doing Translations?

Happy to report that after clicking on everything I could think of in the AC3D window, I figured out how to make the translation of the cockpit. Tried it out, and it works great in X-Plane.

Hope I can replicate what I did and figure it out for future use!

Bill
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