Character Animator New Features (Part 1: Triggers & Controls Panel)

[@flynner9360]

Converting was a piece of cake and the puppet responded without a glitch. I was nervous that I'd have to rework some aspects but it was seamless. Love you Adobe and the Character Animator team :)

[@okaysamurai]

Phew, glad to hear it!

[@SKETCHFLIXGAMES]

Whooo hoo! Looks like im not getting any sleep tonight. I can't wait to use the new features

[@robbclayton101]

This really helped me understand swap sets. Couldn't get my cycle layers to work until I watch this...

[@jo.da.6240]

The merging is genius!! Was looking for this tool but I thought you could only do it in the symbol controls panel and there I could only group sliders. Wow! I had blink states for each eye for each angle of 5 angles so when I recorded und decided I want to change the angle I had to record the blink again. And if I changed angle in between the take I would get more tracks for each separate blinking state of the other angle. So I started to have around 20+ tracks in my timeline and was going a bit crazy. I was afraid the merging would lead to 5x2 layers for blinking at all times in the timeline panel then but NO it's just one track with blinking und in the angle track I can just change the angle of the puppet with a right click. My mind is blown. Everyday something new that makes the workflow even more fantastic!

[@jo.da.6240]

It it even stays reactive! Like if I create another angle of the puppet and throw the eye blinks into the blinking master after I have already recorded the blinking track, it includes the new triggers as well. I mean, it makes sense but it still amazes me. This is so much more flexible than After Effects!

[@howtohaunt]

This clears up any questions I still had about the control panel and triggers.

[@okaysamurai]

Great to hear!

[@SkyGrymm]

This is so much better! I'm glad this came out - just finished a new character this morning! Can't wait to try out the new trigger system :D

[@krishnavincimarx4104]

brother, I love to have ur character

[@inventsable]

These updates are amazing and exactly what I was requesting in the forums. Thank you!

[@spencerwinston43]

i guess it is pretty off topic but do anyone know a good place to stream new tv shows online?

[@johndarbonne2799]

Thx Dave! Great release and you really explained it well.

[@_arman_]

Sooo exciting!! These features are AWESOME!

[@fcm3d]

Yess! I've been working on brand new puppets and this is awesome!!!!!

[@fcm3d]

Oh yeah all my midi controllers say I love you. Ooooow my APC40 is PERFECT for this!

[@BobKirksey]

It's beyond belief .... this thing just got wowsome ...!

[@benh5343]

Looks amazing! Thanks guys :)

[@1SGLittleTop]

Woohoo been waiting on this!

[@ajanimation3188]

Can't wait to use this!

[@Gnome2D]

Hi Dave, new release really awesome! Again thx for your work. I dont have MIDI - contoller, but i find another way. I use android like a midi-contorller with TochDaw app, and now "background" triggers working is perferct! Sorry for bad English. Большое спасибо, за вашу работу!

[@okaysamurai]

Excellent to hear that's working for you!

[@lichtspieler_erklaervideo]

Nice Video. Thank You!

[@mohamedm6120]

you're a very good man thank you, from Morocco

[@Christiantillend]

This is the best so far

[@Lespetitsaventuriers]

Thank you for all the new features. Did you plan to get the key points and to convert the sequence as an after effects composition ? It would be awesome !

[@okaysamurai]

That's a common feature request. Possibly!

[@gregfish6805]

Control = awesome! (all of it, really)

[@TimMillaway]

Yea!!!! Great stuff! This is going to be awesome!!

[@STReLoKInTheBox]

Triggers looks awesome! Can i use my dualshock 4, or another gamepad to control this?

[@okaysamurai]

It depends on the plugins/software. I believe some older ones are only for the 360/PS3 era, but some (like the Dan R one at the end with the arrow) is PS4.

[@newteknix5691]

They need to add a 3d character model version for this

[@ecct1395]

amazing tutorial and software!

[@tinytabletop]

When I manipulate the X Position Transform in the Control Panel, my background moves as well. How do I lock it down. And, for that matter, where is your background? I don't see it displayed as a layer anywhere. Martin

[@okaysamurai]

Backgrounds are usually separate puppets dragged into your scene. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpmnnXZ7qrGtq7sm43s.

[@firmaticsmedia6984]

I have been a lot of issues with, the walking behavior, it simple doesn't work, the handles don't appear, is there some kind of rule to the psd layers structures in order for the handles to appear?

[@okaysamurai]

Yes - check out Walkbot from the Start menu as a basic walking template, or Maddie or Evans from the other example pages listed in the video description for more walking characters. Basically all the limbs need to be independent and the handles need to be at the specific correct level of the hierarchy to work. If you set your characters up exactly like those examples, you should be set.

[@crewmark]

At 10:37 you're renaming a swap set... how'd you get that to edit? I've tried selecting, hovering over, right mouse clicks... nothing seemed to allow me to edit the name in the tiggers pane?

[@okaysamurai]

Sorry, should have explained better - I believe it's pressing return/enter on selection.

[@ThatsAllFolkss]

thnx dave

[@SandroSanakoti]

Hello Dave, hello guys. I have one pretty urgent important question for you: Is it possible to put multiple controllers on a single midi note/slider? Currently I have no midi controller to test that, but this possibility might be crucial for the job I'm doing right now

[@okaysamurai]

Yes. See the last part of the "Advanced Tips" video on this channel, it will show you exactly that - one dial controlling several things.

[@SandroSanakoti]

Okay Samurai God bless you, Okay Samurai :) thanks

[@edwindebruijn6090]

Is it possible to change the size of the control panel buttons? I think there to small to show the artwork that's inside. Does anyone know this?

[@okaysamurai]

Currently no. But you can customize the icon artwork - just drag any layer onto it in layout mode. Tull the Cat on adobe.com/go/chexamples is a good example of making custom icons (all of his are hidden under his torso).

[@edwindebruijn6090]

@@okaysamurai Thank's for your support! :) I already checked out Tull the Cat example and made some custom icons like you suggested. It would be a nice feature to be able to scale these button's, maybe in the near future then;). Thank's a lot!

[@ВладиславПопович-в6к]

Hello, Can I assign keys on the computer keyboard for the "Position X" function without the MIDI keyboard? How to do it?

[@okaysamurai]

Not yet. You either have to move a control panel slider, drag over the numbers in the properties, or use MIDI to change position X live. Some people have figured out ways to use 3rd party plugins to get it working with game controllers or other devices though.

[@ВладиславПопович-в6к]

Thank You!

[@tinytabletop]

I hope this is not reverting back to something too basic for this demo, but here goes. I'm looking at your screen at 23:45 and I see in the Project window you have a scene, "Scene - Cassandra," highlighted. But in the Properties window, rather than the scene displaying, the puppet, "Cassandra 1" does. Not only does whatever I've highlighted in the Project panel appear at the top of the Properties panel, I can't highlight the puppet's name (as it is highlighted in purple on your screen) when it does appear in the Properties panel. I am having difficulties staging other things and I wonder if it stems from this. Martin

[@okaysamurai]

So think of the project panel in the upper left as your master files. You can select those to reveal properties about those files, or double-click them to reveal them (puppets in Rig mode or scenes in Record mode). But those project panel selection states stay even if you move on to another panel, like selecting a layer in Rig mode or a timeline puppet in Record mode (which is what was happening at 23:45, but the timeline is hidden behind the Controls panel). The right properties will basically always show you the latest thing you've selected.

[@tinytabletop]

It's confusing, but got it, thanks.

[@alexasmr3047]

Can you do tutorials on how to draw character and object in Photoshop or illustrator??please

[@okaysamurai]

Here's how I draw in Photoshop: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6i0i3WQhrKZgtUm58s.

[@mihimarugt5204]

非常棒！谢谢分享！

[@okaysamurai]

不客气!

[@JimmyBlimps]

Can a control be configured to a layer within a puppet? For example, rotation?

[@okaysamurai]

Yes - In that case you would need to add an extra Transform behavior to the group you want to control and then drag that behavior into your controls panel.

[@JimmyBlimps]

+Okay Samurai Amazing 😎 I have to say it's really exciting learning this software. I've always wanted to be able to animate but everything before has seemed way to daunting.

[@okaysamurai]

That's great to hear, that's our goal! Trying to make animation more accessible to people.

[@JimmyBlimps]

+Okay Samurai A damn fine goal to have, and it's cool to see Adobe being so engaged with its customers. I'll be sure to let you guys know when my animations make their way into my videos.

[@aelioth]

Nice :)

[@sharon_hart]

I can't add hand group to triggers panel. My "Keyboard Trigger" on the right under properties says "obsolete" is this a version issue?

[@okaysamurai]

This is explained in the first part of the video - you'll want to ignore the "Keyboard triggers (obsolete)" area and just use the Triggers panel. For the hand group, try right-clicking the group in your layers and making it into a new swap set from there.

[@lasted_leather]

How can we recycle swap sets for use with other characters?

[@okaysamurai]

Currently you can't copy and paste triggers from one puppet to the next, but this is a common request and one we might add in the future.

[@louisemichaels9546]

Is there a resource for someone to set up my rig? I’m just having too much difficulty and I am an artist and this is not my strength.

[@okaysamurai]

The "getting started" video tutorial is probably the most entry-level rigging process, but otherwise maybe look for help on twitter with #CharacterAnimator or on the official forums?

[@LouiseMichaels]

Actually, I'm doing better. Thanks. I wonder if you can help with the mouth settings? 1) I'm animating a horse 2) I wanted to try using the regular mouth parts but with my horse art 3) if that doesn't work I wanted to try using the single jaw movement instead. Can you tell me where to find help for these? Thank you again.

[@okaysamurai]

I don't remember what video covers the nutcracker jaw, but check out adobe.com/go/chexamples and look at Wag the Kat or Pinky Bear - both have an independent group named "jaw" and the "Nutcracker Jaw" behavior added to them.

[@coachfitz13]

How do you copy & paste triggers or draggable movements on timeline?

[@okaysamurai]

Edit menu should have copy, paste, duplicate, etc for draggers. For triggers you can right click to add a new one somewhere, then extend as need be.

[@DutchmanPF93]

Does the midi triggers work while livestreaming and playing games I mean can you trigger things while the program is running in the background now?

[@okaysamurai]

I haven't personally tried it but I've heard it's possible.

[@DutchmanPF93]

If it works can u make a video about it :P because I'm waiting for that feature to buy a midi keyboard

[@okaysamurai]

Will do. :)

[@redefinery]

i haven't tried it on mac, but it does work on windows. app windows doesn't need to be focused/in-front for MIDI control to work.

[@DutchmanPF93]

Oh Awesome thanks a lot :D

[@joebroome2019]

Are there only 4 or 5 people who got character animator to work on their computers and those are the ones who are sending in these examples? How did anyone get character animator to work with their camera

[@okaysamurai]

If you're having camera issues please post your webcam & OS specs and any error messages in the official forums at adobe.com/go/chfeedback.

[@maryrees5996]

When does this upgrade happen?

[@okaysamurai]

Out today!

[@LeontineGaasenbeek]

Cant find the update? I am based in Europe, is that correct?

[@okaysamurai]

Everything should have gone live last week - CH and just about every other Adobe app. You may need to log out/in of Creative Cloud or "check for updates" to see them all.

[@LeontineGaasenbeek]

Still cant find it. the latest version I have is 1.6 (beta version) Any other tips?

[@okaysamurai]

Is it just CH you can't update or all the Adobe apps (or do you just have CH)?

[@LeontineGaasenbeek]

CC notes there are no updates....

[@okaysamurai]

This is all I know about it: helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/update-app.html

[@LouiseMichaels]

When I make a Swapset, it didn't automatically create the "Default" layer as you show. Also, I need a Swapset for ears. I made it and it works, however, the main default ears are still in place. Should I move the main ears into the Swapset?

[@okaysamurai]

If a default isn't created, just click the little finger icon next to a trigger in a swapset (only works for swapsets, with the three circles icon) to make it the default. For the ears - for a swapset to work you should always put every state you want in it. So if you have two ear positions you'll want a swapset with two triggers inside it - one for each ear group/layer.

[@louisemichaels9546]

Thank you. Things were going pretty well. Then somehow I lost the attachment of the head to the neck. Then I lost the entire puppet when I went back to test it. Can’t seem to get any part back onto the “stage”!

[@okaysamurai]

Open Window > History and go several steps back until you see it again.

[@LouiseMichaels]

That worked. Wonderful. It broke when I added "Cycle Layers" because I'm trying to add a mouth with 5 layers that chews hay! (Did I say it's a horse?) I'm struggling with this. Can you also tell me how to get the head to reattach to the body at the neck please?

[@LouiseMichaels]

So the two ears that are the basic looking forward position should also go into the swapset group and be the default?