[Released] Mopat: Motion Path Animation Plugin

AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

Mopat is a plugin for Daz Studio that lets the user see and edit the trajectory of any node (including cameras) visually.

The Motion Path animation complements or substitutes the keyframed animation giving great flexibility to your work.

  • Smooth editable trajectories.
  • A motion path can be transferred between different nodes.
  • The keyframed animation of positions can be converted into Motion Paths and vice versa. Rotations and Scaling keyframes persist along the Motion Path.
  • Optionally, the node's orientation can be aligned to the trajectory, instead of using the rotation keyframes.


https://youtu.be/BPi2At5g48c

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Post edited by Alberto on
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Comments

  • I am looking forward to the release of this product!

    It has a control handle!
    Finally I can fly my airplane!

  • PraxisPraxis Posts: 254

    Will the Bezier nodes be able to be created/edited/deleted via DAZ Script?

     

  • Praxis said:

    Will the Bezier nodes be able to be created/edited/deleted via DAZ Script?

    In this video https://youtu.be/BPi2At5g48c , it looked to me like you could click anywhere on the path to create them

  • RandWulfRandWulf Posts: 173

    This looks excellent.  It is actually something I have been hoping for.  Thank you.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    Hi, The Bezier nodes can be created and edited using the plugin.

  • PraxisPraxis Posts: 254

    Alberto said:

    Hi, The Bezier nodes can be created and edited using the plugin.

    Thanks for replying.

    Yes, of course the Bezier nodes can be created/edited/etc. interactively within the plugin - but that becomes very tedious if there are many nodes involved, or if they need to be placed with high precision, or if they need to be placed or oriented relative to various other items in the scene, etc.  In such cases being able to create/edit/etc. the path procedurally via DAZ Script would make the plugin much more versatile (and more marketable). 

    I find the Fisio and Fisio/SB plugins to be similarly limited without a script API - see e.g. this post in the Fisio thread: https://forum.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/7974866/#Comment_7974866

    I appreciate that adding a script API to a plugin is extra work, but I believe you would probably find it worthwhile in accessing a larger market. That would also open up the possibility of special-purpose add-ons for your plugins written by other PAs or users, which could even grow into a whole eco-system as happened with Howie's UnltraScenery.

    Anyway, I wish you well with this new product.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    Praxis said:

    Alberto said:

    Hi, The Bezier nodes can be created and edited using the plugin.

    Thanks for replying.

    Yes, of course the Bezier nodes can be created/edited/etc. interactively within the plugin - but that becomes very tedious if there are many nodes involved, or if they need to be placed with high precision, or if they need to be placed or oriented relative to various other items in the scene, etc.  In such cases being able to create/edit/etc. the path procedurally via DAZ Script would make the plugin much more versatile (and more marketable). 

    I find the Fisio and Fisio/SB plugins to be similarly limited without a script API - see e.g. this post in the Fisio thread: https://forum.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/7974866/#Comment_7974866

    I appreciate that adding a script API to a plugin is extra work, but I believe you would probably find it worthwhile in accessing a larger market. That would also open up the possibility of special-purpose add-ons for your plugins written by other PAs or users, which could even grow into a whole eco-system as happened with Howie's UnltraScenery.

    Anyway, I wish you well with this new product.

    Thank you for the suggestion. It's not possible at the moment, but I'll give it some thought.

  •  Congratulations on your release.
     I immediately purchased the Windows version.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    Thank you!

  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342
    edited October 7

    Mopat works great until I go to convert the path to keyframes and then Daz crashes.

    Something in the crash report about 

    abmopat.dll

    qtcore4.dll

    qtgui4.dll

    dzcore.dll

    user32.dll

    DazStudio.exe

    KERNEL32.dll

    ntdll.dll

    Post edited by RexRed on
  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342

    RexRed said:

    Mopat works great until I go to convert the path to keyframes and then Daz crashes.

    Something in the crash report about 

    abmopat.dll

    qtcore4.dll

    qtgui4.dll

    dzcore.dll

    user32.dll

    DazStudio.exe

    KERNEL32.dll

    ntdll.dll

    I love this plugin and REALLY want this to work, I have uninstalled the plugin several times, reinstalled Daz and even installed the latest Daz Premier version and Mopath still crashes when i try and convert the path back to keyframes. 

  •  I have started using MOPAT.
     It is very interesting and fun!
     Things that were difficult to do before seem to be much easier to do.

     Regarding Bezier curves, can't I use autoBezier or continuous Bezier?

     To make the plane fly smoothly, I need to align the three control points in a straight line, but depending on the trajectory I want to fly, this can be surprisingly difficult.

  • ArtAngelArtAngel Posts: 1,695
    edited October 8

    Alberto said:

    Thank you!

    I own 12 of your 30 products and this is one of them, just recently purchased, dowloaded but uninstalled. What version of DAZ was this created in? Or to the best of your knowledge, what versions will it play well with?

    Edit: tried the video has version off screen.

    Post edited by ArtAngel on
  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342
    edited October 11

    I had to uninstall Typi3d fonts and Mopath because it makes Daz crash when I try and use Figure Converter and/or Transfer Character Shapes.

    It seems that even when not being used Typi3d and Mopath are using resources that Figure Converter needs to run.

    And then there is the issue that on my machine when it try and convert the path to keyframes Daz Crashes. (It worked like once and won't work again.)

    I would like to have these programs installed in Daz (and use them) but I use Figure Converter a lot and not being able to convert paths to keyframes negates the usefulness of Mopath.

    Typi3d works very well except for it being incompatible with Figure Converter.

    I wonder if it is my version of C++ it would be nice to have some response to these inquiries. Thank you. 

    I assume updates are coming. wink     

                      

    Post edited by RexRed on
  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    RexRed said:

    RexRed said:

    Mopat works great until I go to convert the path to keyframes and then Daz crashes.

    Something in the crash report about 

    abmopat.dll

    qtcore4.dll

    qtgui4.dll

    dzcore.dll

    user32.dll

    DazStudio.exe

    KERNEL32.dll

    ntdll.dll

    I love this plugin and REALLY want this to work, I have uninstalled the plugin several times, reinstalled Daz and even installed the latest Daz Premier version and Mopath still crashes when i try and convert the path back to keyframes. 

    Could you upload the zip "DAZStudio_error_report", please?

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    RexRed said:

    I had to uninstall Typi3d fonts and Mopath because it makes Daz crash when I try and use Figure Converter and/or Transfer Character Shapes.

    It seems that even when not being used Typi3d and Mopath are using resources that Figure Converter needs to run.

    And then there is the issue that on my machine when it try and convert the path to keyframes Daz Crashes. (It worked like once and won't work again.)

    I would like to have these programs installed in Daz (and use them) but I use Figure Converter a lot and not being able to convert paths to keyframes negates the usefulness of Mopath.

    Typi3d works very well except for it being incompatible with Figure Converter.

    I wonder if it is my version of C++ it would be nice to have some response to these inquiries. Thank you. 

    I assume updates are coming. wink     

                      

    It's difficult to me to know what are the causes of these interferences between plugins.sad I cannot know the internals of  Figure Converter and/or Transfer Character Shapes.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    ArtAngel said:

    Alberto said:

    Thank you!

    I own 12 of your 30 products and this is one of them, just recently purchased, dowloaded but uninstalled. What version of DAZ was this created in? Or to the best of your knowledge, what versions will it play well with?

    Edit: tried the video has version off screen.

    In principle, they should work with Daz Studio versions 4.5+, but at least was tested with 4.21 and 4.22

  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342
    edited October 16

    I placed a Mopat node in the scene with a unique name. 

    Added a small sphere to the scene.

    Went to the timeline set it to max 0-199 frames.

    Set a keyframe at zero moved the play head up the timeline.

    Moved the sphere placing a keyframe along the timeline and repeated this step 5 times.

    I clicked on the Mopat node and viewed parameters

    and chose the sphere for the node owner and clicked "yes" precision 20%.  

    Then I set the end keyframe in the completion to 100% and the beginning keyframe to 0%

    Then I selected the Mopat node in the scene and went to the Mopat tab and selected the option

    "Convert motion path to keyframes".

    Daz Studio then crashes every time. I have attached the zip file from the crash report.

    Thanks for looking into this! yes

     

    zip
    zip
    DAZStudio_error_report_241015-235109.zip
    102K
    Post edited by RexRed on
  • OVDOVD Posts: 254

    This looks very promising! 

    I'm wondering if this will only work with the base node of an asset or if multiple joints of a skeleton would be able to follow the path? For example, could I get it to work with a snake model to make it slither along the path? 

    Thanks

  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342

    OVD said:

    This looks very promising! 

    I'm wondering if this will only work with the base node of an asset or if multiple joints of a skeleton would be able to follow the path? For example, could I get it to work with a snake model to make it slither along the path? 

    Thanks

    I couldn't get this to convert its final output to keyframes, I hope I am not the only one having this problem. This script would be helpful in visualizing the path of the snake. Having a visual cue could make animating the snake easier in my opinion. 

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    OVD said:

    This looks very promising! 

    I'm wondering if this will only work with the base node of an asset or if multiple joints of a skeleton would be able to follow the path? For example, could I get it to work with a snake model to make it slither along the path? 

    Thanks

    It works with the base node, but, you can combine it with other tools like the "Point at" property. You can create as many Mopats as you want and copy their path properties. For example, three distinct nodes can follow the same path but at different times. Or the paths can be at slightly different positions.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    RexRed said:

    OVD said:

    This looks very promising! 

    I'm wondering if this will only work with the base node of an asset or if multiple joints of a skeleton would be able to follow the path? For example, could I get it to work with a snake model to make it slither along the path? 

    Thanks

    I couldn't get this to convert its final output to keyframes, I hope I am not the only one having this problem. This script would be helpful in visualizing the path of the snake. Having a visual cue could make animating the snake easier in my opinion. 

    You should select the Mopat node (it shouldn't be in edit mode) and click on Convert Motion path to keyframes, then choose the desired precision of the result.

    The path is visible in the viewport.

  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    RexRed said:

    I placed a Mopat node in the scene with a unique name. 

    Added a small sphere to the scene.

    Went to the timeline set it to max 0-199 frames.

    Set a keyframe at zero moved the play head up the timeline.

    Moved the sphere placing a keyframe along the timeline and repeated this step 5 times.

    I clicked on the Mopat node and viewed parameters

    and chose the sphere for the node owner and clicked "yes" precision 20%.  

    Then I set the end keyframe in the completion to 100% and the beginning keyframe to 0%

    Then I selected the Mopat node in the scene and went to the Mopat tab and selected the option

    "Convert motion path to keyframes".

    Daz Studio then crashes every time. I have attached the zip file from the crash report.

    Thanks for looking into this! yes

     

    Sorry! I had not seen this. blush

    Could you share the .duf to check it? 

  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342
    edited October 23

    Alberto said:

    RexRed said:

    I placed a Mopat node in the scene with a unique name. 

    Added a small sphere to the scene.

    Went to the timeline set it to max 0-199 frames.

    Set a keyframe at zero moved the play head up the timeline.

    Moved the sphere placing a keyframe along the timeline and repeated this step 5 times.

    I clicked on the Mopat node and viewed parameters

    and chose the sphere for the node owner and clicked "yes" precision 20%.  

    Then I set the end keyframe in the completion to 100% and the beginning keyframe to 0%

    Then I selected the Mopat node in the scene and went to the Mopat tab and selected the option

    "Convert motion path to keyframes".

    Daz Studio then crashes every time. I have attached the zip file from the crash report.

    Thanks for looking into this! yes

     

    Sorry! I had not seen this. blush

    Could you share the .duf to check it? 

    I can't find the exact .duf but my scene had a cone and the mopat node with a circular path, that is it. Any scene I create will not convert path to timeline Daz crashes.

    If really needed I will create a .duf file and sent it along.

    I assume that either your computer has extra functionality that allows Mopat to work or mine has another installed script preventing it from converting the path to keyframes. (have installed 12,000 Daz assets.)

    The log file should reveal the problem.

    This is not the only issue I have, Figure Converter crashes only when Mopat and/or Typi3d are installed. I uninstall them and Figure Converter works again.

    Now that Figure Converter is embedded in the Premier version of Daz, I cannot uninstall it to see if Mopat might work without Figure Converter installed.

    Figure Converter is a script that seems to stay resident in the background and is invoked by hotkeys.

    I requested splines and paths in the Daz forums a while back, it seems I am the only one who cannot get them to work. indecision

    Figure Converter, Mopat and Typi3d all use the same asset and don't want to share.

    Post edited by RexRed on
  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342
    edited October 23

    Alberto said:

    OVD said:

    This looks very promising! 

    I'm wondering if this will only work with the base node of an asset or if multiple joints of a skeleton would be able to follow the path? For example, could I get it to work with a snake model to make it slither along the path? 

    Thanks

    It works with the base node, but, you can combine it with other tools like the "Point at" property. You can create as many Mopats as you want and copy their path properties. For example, three distinct nodes can follow the same path but at different times. Or the paths can be at slightly different positions.

    The Daz "point at" property is on some sort of gimbal and the camera erratically flips all around rendering the feature unusable for orbiting. If there were only a way to lock, set resistance or limits on certain axis on the "point at" property gimbal... Limits (or a +- offset) might be helpful for eyes as well so they don't look crossed when pointing at the camera.

    Post edited by RexRed on
  • Space JingorohSpace Jingoroh Posts: 170
    edited October 24


    I am slowly learning how to use it.

    I have a few thoughts while using it.
    It would be very helpful to be able to use automatic and continuous bezier.
    https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/keyframe-interpolation.html

    With Bezier alone, I have a hard time adjusting it to create a smooth trajectory.
    It's because it takes a lot of time and effort to create the curve I want while keeping the three “external point-internal point-external point” points in a straight line.
    Because it takes a lot of time and effort to align the three points, it is very difficult to adjust.
    Auto Bezier or continuous Bezier is always smooth because it is always in a straight line.


    Also, if I am creating a large scaled wide scene, it is difficult to select with a click because the control point is so small.

    I also find it difficult to move the camera when editing, so it would be useful to be able to select a control point and use the camera control.

     


    Mopat test movie.

    Post edited by Space Jingoroh on
  • AlbertoAlberto Posts: 1,436

    RexRed said:

    Alberto said:

    RexRed said:

    I placed a Mopat node in the scene with a unique name. 

    Added a small sphere to the scene.

    Went to the timeline set it to max 0-199 frames.

    Set a keyframe at zero moved the play head up the timeline.

    Moved the sphere placing a keyframe along the timeline and repeated this step 5 times.

    I clicked on the Mopat node and viewed parameters

    and chose the sphere for the node owner and clicked "yes" precision 20%.  

    Then I set the end keyframe in the completion to 100% and the beginning keyframe to 0%

    Then I selected the Mopat node in the scene and went to the Mopat tab and selected the option

    "Convert motion path to keyframes".

    Daz Studio then crashes every time. I have attached the zip file from the crash report.

    Thanks for looking into this! yes

     

    Sorry! I had not seen this. blush

    Could you share the .duf to check it? 

    I can't find the exact .duf but my scene had a cone and the mopat node with a circular path, that is it. Any scene I create will not convert path to timeline Daz crashes.

    If really needed I will create a .duf file and sent it along.

    I assume that either your computer has extra functionality that allows Mopat to work or mine has another installed script preventing it from converting the path to keyframes. (have installed 12,000 Daz assets.)

    The log file should reveal the problem.

    This is not the only issue I have, Figure Converter crashes only when Mopat and/or Typi3d are installed. I uninstall them and Figure Converter works again.

    Now that Figure Converter is embedded in the Premier version of Daz, I cannot uninstall it to see if Mopat might work without Figure Converter installed.

    Figure Converter is a script that seems to stay resident in the background and is invoked by hotkeys.

    I requested splines and paths in the Daz forums a while back, it seems I am the only one who cannot get them to work. indecision

    Figure Converter, Mopat and Typi3d all use the same asset and don't want to share.

    Yes, please create a new .duf file.

    Thank you for the information about the interferences.

  • RexRedRexRed Posts: 1,342

    Here you go, this is the cone animation .duf directly before I click to convert path to keyframes.

    If I click "Convert Motion Path to Keyframes", Daz Studio crashes.

     

    duf
    duf
    RexRed Cone Mopat.duf
    34K
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