Trouble with the "follow path" effect resp. understanding how it works

[Marcel B]

Hi,

I need help with the "follow path" effect.

Thats the problem: In an animation there are created several circles. The next step in this animation is that I want them to spiral from their given place in a continuos smooth movement to the center (and disappear). I tried everything I could think of with the follow-path-effect by interpolating a frame (where I drew a red spiral). So far so good: There was some kind of movement. But although it is in a way spiraling, it just doesn't do what I want it to (which is that I want the circle follow exactly the spiral-shaped path of the underlying frame).

The second problem is that the circle jumps from the position it is left by the first animation to the position where the "spiraling" starts. I have no clue how to solve this but I guess that it has something to do that the path is interpolated.

So: Is there any possibility to have the circle a) use the path to exactly follow it "as is", e. g. like it is drawn and b) that the movement starts with the circle right in the position where it is being left by the first animation, so that there is the illusion of one continuos move?

There has to be a solution for this but I just am stuck.

Does anybody have an idea how to solve this problem - I can't be the first person to seek a solution for that

I also discovered that any change-position-effect added to a frame animated with the follow-path-effect will just overrule the follow-path-effect. Is that correct or have I just overlooked something.

Best:
Marcel

 

[Pangolin]

Hi Marcel,

There is a path following effect in Showtime, but it does not show up in the list by default. Instead, you must load it...

If you go to the Effect list, and then click on File/Add, you can find the "path" effect in the folder LD2000\Shows\Effects. It is called PATH.EFF

You then need to edit this path effect -- putting in the frame number you want to use for the path.

This path effect uses complex internal functions that are not likely to be easily understood. We recommend you not try to understand it, and rather simply change the frame number, and then the effect will do the work for you.

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Setting this aside, your question is of a visual nature, and yet both of us are only using words in a forum post. We find that words are not very good at describing visual phenomenon. It may not be possible to fully answer visual-related questions in forum posts, and when that is the case, we can dial into your computer using a "Go To Meeting" type technology, where we can take control of your computer and show you how to do things. When this becomes necessary, please call the office directly.

Best regards,

William Benner