Ship on Waves

iClone Plug-in Developer (Python Open API)
1

Hi everyone,

I’ve started a new project. I want a ship to move with the waves. The animation is created using a script that reads the height from the displacement map. This is a first test—the height is already being detected.

There’s more work to do; the ship also needs to rotate, and I’d like to read the Strength, Base, and Multiplier values for the displacement map. Right now, I’m setting them manually in the script.

Does anyone know how to access these values in the script?

Have a great day
Tesira

2

Here come test 2 with rotations of the ship. Well it isnt so easy, to find the right values. But it rotates already.

Have a good time
Tesira

3

Hi Tesira,

I have created an iClone plug-in called “ShakyCam Plus” that has 2 functions:

  1. Adding adjustable camera shake to your project
    -or-
  2. Adding shake/rolling to objects (props)

I use the camera shake on almost every shot I do.

The object shake is also useful, as you can attach the camera to an object (such as a moving car) and then shake the car, so only the POV of the occupants shakes. Or you can shake the car, and set the camera outside the car so it appears that the car is driving over a bumpy road. I also have a preset for water vessels (boats) that has a longer period between shakes to achieve the “rolling” effect.

All cameras/props/frame interval/shake amount are selectable/adjustable from within the plug. If you are interested, check it out here:
ShakyCam-Plus

4

Hi gordryd,

this is a cool plugin, I’ll give it a try. But my ship should really roll with the waves and they are not always the same.

Greetings Tesira

5

Hi Tesira,

The “roll” is added to the existing motion, so if you run your waves plug first (which I assume is changing z-heights according to displacement map, or something similar), ShakyCam-Plus would add roll appropriate to the ship’s position at each frame interval.

Same with camera movement. You would want to create your shots, pans, dollies, etc. first and then run ShakyCam-Plus to create “excitement” without affecting your main camera movements.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, the roll from ShakyCam-Plus would not necessarily align with the wave interaction because the frame interval is set and might not match when the ship hits a wave. The ship will still roll realistically, it just might not roll in response to hitting a wave (kind of up to chance if they line up).

6

I have buyed it gordryd. :slight_smile:

7

Thanks! I would be interested to see how it performs versus the method you show above.

8

gordryd,

I fast have tryed it - and I like it. I have moved the box and also the ship, wich is the child of it. This dos really give a nice rolling with the waves. And the high, which I have calculated with my script, is holded.
Great work
Tesira

9

Hi gordryd,
I have learned from you, that it is better, to change the rotatione in intervalls, but not always, when I change the high. I have tryed with my script and it works much better now. Thanks, and your script is usefull for many things and it dos work well.

Greetings Tesira