MAXON Computer Cinema 4D Tutorials: Time Curves: Using Path Mode

- Animation

Animation:
Time Curves: Using Path Mode

Works with:
CE Requires:
Version 6+

Time Curves are a powerful feature that allow you to refine all types of animation (movement, transitions, etc). In this tutorial you'll explore how to use the Path Mode in the Time Curves Window to manipulate the motion of an object. This technique can also be applied to tracks other than Position (i.e. Morphing, Textures, etc.).

Creating a test scene:

To illustrate, you'll use a simple Sphere with a Position Track and then a special effect.

Step 1: Create a Sphere (Objects=>Primitive=>Sphere) and using the Coordinates Manager, place it at X=-400m, Y=0m, and Z=0m. Open the Timeline (Window=>Timeline) and create a Position Track (File=>New Track=>Geometry=>Position). Double click on the Position Sequence and set the length from Frame 0 to Frame 150, then click OK. Set a Position keyframe at Frame 0. Go to Frame 150 and create another keyframe. Enter 400m for the value of the X Position. The Sphere moves from left to right at the same speed, with no acceleration or deceleration.

click to view Quicktime movie

Now you'll use Path Mode within the Time Curves Window to control the movement of the Sphere.

Step 2: Select the Sphere's Sequence in the Timeline. Time Curves always affect the currently selected Sequence. Open the Time Curves Window (Timeline: Window=>Time Curves). You'll notice there is nothing in the window. You need to add a Path curve. First off, make sure you are in Path Mode (Curves=>Time Curves=>Path Mode).

First, you'll add a simple Ramp Up curve to the animation. This will cause the ball to run it's normal path of motion.

click to view Quicktime movie

Step 3: Choose a Ramp Up curve (Curves=>Time Curves=>Ramp Up). Play the animation. The default settings of this curve say that at the first frame, 0% of the animation is completed, and at the last frame, 100% of the animation is completed. This will tell the ball to run it's normal course through the animation.

Now you'll make the animation run backwards.

click to view Quicktime movie

Step 4: Select the Position Sequence for the Sphere. Change the Ramp Up curve to a Ramp Down curve (Curves=>Time Curves=>Ramp Down). The default settings of this curve say that at the first Frame, 100% of the animation is completed, or it has reached the final position of the animation. At the last Frame, 0% of the animation is completed, or the Sphere has reached it's "starting" position of the animation.

Now you'll animate the Sphere to 100% of its path and then back to 0%.

click to view Quicktime movie

Step 5: In the Time Curves Window, select the first point on the Path Curve (red line) and move it down to 0%. Then hold 'Control' and click on the Path Curve, about halfway between the two points. Since you're not worrying too much about accuracy, you can eyeball it. This creates a new point on your Path Curve. Drag this new point so that it is at the 100% mark vertically. Play the animation. The ball should go all the way to the right and then all the way back to the left.

Next, you'll oscillate the Sphere back and forth before going to the end.

click to view Quicktime movie

Step 6: Delete all your current curves. Hold 'Control' and click in the Time Curves Window at frame 0 to create a new Path Curve. Also, make sure this point is at 0%. You can double click each point to open it's settings, but don't adjust the tangents for this part, just the Position values.

Now create some more control points:

-  30F, 80% (at Frame 30, the Sphere reaches 80% of it's motion) 
-  60F, 20% (at Frame 60, the Sphere retreats back to 20% of it's motion) 
-  90F, 60% (at Frame 90, the Sphere returns to 60% of it's motion) 
- 120F, 40% (at Frame 120, the Sphere retreats back to 40% of it's motion) 
- 150F, 100% (at Frame 150 , the Sphere ends up at 100% of it's motion)

Notice when you play the animation, the Sphere goes back and forth according to the exact percentages of movement, at the exact points you have set. Imagine how easy it would be to animate a ping-pong ball traveling back and forth on a table.

Finally, you'll make the ball explode, disappear, and then reassemble. To simplify things, delete any curves as well as the Position Track on the Sphere so it remains stationary.

click to view Quicktime movie

Step 7: Create an Explosion Deformation (Objects=> Deformation=>Explosion), and drop it onto the Sphere Object in the Object Manager. Next, add a Parameter Track to the Explosion in the Timeline. With the Explosion selected go to File=>New Track=>Parameter. You'll have to switch back to Sequences to set keyframes (Timeline: Window=>Sequences). Set two keyframes along the Sequence (one at the beginning and one at the end) and adjust the Explosion Strength settings. Make the first keyframe 0% and the second 100%. Play the animation. Your model scatters into many pieces.

Step 8: Go back into the Time Curves Window (Window=>Time Curves). Next, add a Ridge curve to the Explosion Sequence (Curves=>Time Curves=>Ridge). The path should now go up to the right, level off, then go down to the right. You may notice that the curve rises above 100%. In path mode, the animation will always stop when the value is 100% or greater. Play the animation. Your sphere should explode, pause for a couple seconds, then reassemble itself out of thin air.

Those are the basics of Path Mode in the Time Curves Window. As you can see there is a lot of power in this feature. Now you can go back and play with the different settings to get the motion you desire.