Need Animation Software

[shaneshane1]

I'm after some sort of animation software (free)

basically what i want to do is to be able to create images like the dune bug that blueroomelectronics has shown in some forums.

Thanks to anyone with infomation that may help me!!!

 

[Krumlink]

**broken link removed**

Bill, me and mark uses this software.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Sketchup is 3D CAD, not really animation software. But Krumlink's right it what I use to create the drawings.

 

[crusty]

you can use gimp animation package to create animated .gifs with layers.
https://www.gimp.org/

 

[theinfamousbob]

When I first started doing animation in 3D, I found the free tool Anim8or:

www.anim8or.com

Works well, and is a good intro to design, keyframing, lighting, etc. Simple enough to learn in ten minutes but complex enough to do some really neat stuff.

 

[shaneshane1]

I downloaded the google sketchup and i have been drawing some things up, eg: i drew up a 3D integrated circuit and it looks good, but how do i put the final touches on it to get it looking right?

 

[matk95]

Try Blender Totaly Amazing free Software But More Complicated And Quite Profesional . You can do more advaced things like physic simulations aswell
https://www.blender.org/
example

 

[shaneshane1]

I will stick with google sketchup for awhile, i can work most of the stuff out, it just doesnt look proper, eg: i done a simple square and i cant get it to look good, the edges look dodgy and it looks like i could get a better result with ms paint, I've seen heaps of example pics of things and they look heaps better, does anyone know how i can get it to look half decent?

 

[Hank Fletcher]

How can you get a square wrong?! That said, I once reduced my own mother to tears just trying to explain to her how Google works.

Sketchup has a really intuitive feel to it once you get used to the way it works, but there is a bit of a learning curve. I recommend working through their introductory tutorials to familiarize yourself with how the basic features of the program work. The tutorials are very easy, step-by-step walkthroughs of some simple designs, and can all be completed in the course of an afternoon.

When you say the edges look dodgy, do you have one of the style features selected, like "blueprint" or "white-board marker?" Some of the styles will compromise the appearance of the object you're representing, for the sake of emulating the aesthetic of the style you've selected. Style selections like the more traditional CAD options will give you cleaner looking lines that are more consistent with what a draftsman might expect.

 

[kchriste]

Post a picture of it. I haven't used sketchup, but it sounds like you need to turn on the anti aliasing filter to eliminate jagged edges.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

It's rare I release my 3D drawings but here you go
**broken link removed**

​

 

[shaneshane1]

I've been through heaps of different options, still not turning out 100%, like on bills dune bug, if i create a resistor that small it turns out all dodgy, it looks fine on a larger scale, but when its to scale it looks wrong and you cant even make out what it is supposed to be, every thing im doing is A OK on a larger scale, its just when i make it smaller it looks crap?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Practice practice practice, took me a wee while to get the hang of it.

 

[wmmullaney]

Nice software, Dune bug? Isn't it Junebug?

 

[Marks256]

3d ANIMATION software?

I would recommend Blender 3D.

This is my favorite blender animation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK074Sm6D48

It just looks so damn real! the scenery is real (just a panned view of a street), but the crane/tractor thingy... WOW!

 

[Hank Fletcher]

I've been through heaps of different options, still not turning out 100%, like on bills dune bug, if i create a resistor that small it turns out all dodgy, it looks fine on a larger scale, but when its to scale it looks wrong and you cant even make out what it is supposed to be, every thing im doing is A OK on a larger scale, its just when i make it smaller it looks crap?

Hmm... Have you tried going to Window->Model Info and checking out the "Units" section? You can change the unit system, but also the precision there also. For drawing smaller parts, you would want to change the "Precision" value to something like 0.01mm.

While you're at it, you'll probably want to adjust the "snapping" feature. This will "snap" each line or dimension you're creating to the specified minimum unit. I find this feature cumbersome and irritating, so I usually turn it off altogether.