Keymate, Graphmate or both?

Deke

This topic got no love in the Newbie forum, so I'll post it again here:

I’m trying some more ambitious animations and need to ability to…for example….move key frames to extend the time of a move. Both Keymate and Graphmate say they can move and copy keyframes. Is one better than the other? Is Graphmate just a graphical add-on to keymate?

Tjeb

I find it difficult to say if one is better than the other.
I have them both but I can't even remember when I used keyMate for the last time. I tend to use graphMate all the time.
It does exactly what I want it to do.

Jaderail

I have both also, but as noted some features of each are in the other. If cost is important go with GraphMate first.

Deke

Good to know. Thanks. I didn't know if one requires that you have the other.

shadowfire87

I have both as well. Here is a link to a YouTube video explaining why you should have both. They both complement each other but I do agree that GraphMate would be my first grab if I had to choose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryUgvapGUG0

jaebea

I have been using Keymate alot but I don't understand Graphmate. I really need some help understanding the curves. Usually watching a tut video will get me going but this time it didn't. I know the curves are important! Keymate is cool, especially when cleaning up motion capture. It tends to add a key in every frame. I like being able to see the detail of the frames and delete one I want. Because the Daz timeline is so "simple", anything that can help is good. I recommend getting both!

Jaderail

Yes for full power both is needed I agree on that.

GraphMate and the Graphs, okay think of the graph as TIME over frames. If you have a say U graph that will DROP suddenly (depending on if a down motion) Slow down then slowly go into a fast UP at the end. That is why you have the different types of graphs, say you want a item to Jump up then hang there and then drop again that would be a RAMP up to a straight line then a Ramp down, for Slow up hang then lower again. The graphs just for moving items is cool. I'll not explain others but there is real power in it. Just set down and Play with different things one day, that's what I did and before long I went AH HA. I'm very sure I've not scratched the surface yet...

jaebea

I reaIly, really want to animate so I need to get this!

Deke

I think either plug in will do what I'm after...which is being able to slide keyframes. I often set up a nice move and then realize it's happening too fast or two slow. Sliding a keyframe is similar to After Effects and is better than having to re-animate the move over more frames.

Tjeb

You can move a group of keyframes, not common practice I think.
Isn't it better to re-time an animation in let's say VirtualDub?

Deke

I haven't used VirtualDub. I have brought a finished clip into after effects and used time-remap on it. That only goes so far before you get a stutter frame effect.

jaebea

I watched George Maestri's Foundations of Animation on Lynda.com and was able to gain understanding of graph editing. For the past few days, I have using both Keymate and Graphmate in conjunction with the timeline. I like using Animate2 but unfortunately, in order to use dynamic clothing, any aniblocks used will have to be baked to the timeline so I end up using the timeline more often. Both are dang useful!