1. 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 04, 2009
- 1152 views
has anyone developed a simple, vector based animation creator?
I'd like to try to model neuron-synapse look/function at the molecular level (just one neuron).
I've looked at an open source animation program, Synfig, but I think (hope) I don't need something that complicated, particularly since by their own admission, it's slow on older machines.
http://www.synfig.org/Main_Page
Dan
2. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DerekParnell (admin) May 04, 2009
- 1083 views
has anyone developed a simple, vector based animation creator?
What are your functional requirements? That is, what do you actually want the product to do and how do you want to get it to do that?
I assume by 'vector' you mean that you want to describe an image in terms of line segments and colors. And animate it by describing images at different 'ticks' and having the product calculate the line segment changes during the 'ticks' to form a smooth animation from one 'tick' to the next.
3. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 04, 2009
- 1147 views
has anyone developed a simple, vector based animation creator?
What are your functional requirements? That is, what do you actually want the product to do and how do you want to get it to do that?
I assume by 'vector' you mean that you want to describe an image in terms of line segments and colors. And animate it by describing images at different 'ticks' and having the product calculate the line segment changes during the 'ticks' to form a smooth animation from one 'tick' to the next.
Your assumptions are correct, though my inexperience with animation means it's possible I don't really need vectors, just the ability to compute positions etc between key frames as you described, in order to have the program create the in-between frames. If that can be done with sprites, that would be ok.
What I want to do is to take something like the following,
http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/animations/actionpotential.swf
and, without attempting to create the nifty "click within the demo to select views" presented in the demo, I'd like to semi-duplicate the demonstration/animation of the neuron impulse propagation processes shown, but add more detail showing HOW the action potential is propagated along the neurons axon via ion movement facilitated by electric fields acting across short distances on ion channel proteins. Ditto at the synapse for calcium channels at pre-synaptic axon terminal, and sodium channels at post-synaptic dendrite spines. Also show the action and results of inhibitory neurotransmitters binding to post-synaptic receptors.
So, I need to be able to draw lines (an axon), balls (ions), some shapes (ion channels), mark key frames, move ions, re-mark key frames, cause the computed movement as you described, and then output the result to some kind of video file. I have some video file format converters, so it shouldn't matter what kind of output, though I'm looking for .wmv so it can play on Windows Media Player. I'd like to be able to add sound too, but could probably do that with some kind of post-productions software, I hope.
I'm not sure if I answered your question sufficiently?
And this is all (at least for now) just for my own edification.
Dan
4. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by ghaberek (admin) May 04, 2009
- 1158 views
I assume by 'vector' you mean that you want to describe an image in terms of line segments and colors. And animate it by describing images at different 'ticks' and having the product calculate the line segment changes during the 'ticks' to form a smooth animation from one 'tick' to the next.
Also known as "tweening" 
-Greg
5. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by shfrance May 04, 2009
- 1143 views
This is similar to Synfig
6. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 04, 2009
- 1142 views
This is similar to Synfig
Thanks, I'm downloading it now to take a look! Not sure if my system meets requirements, but I'll see.
Dan
7. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 04, 2009
- 1143 views
I assume by 'vector' you mean that you want to describe an image in terms of line segments and colors. And animate it by describing images at different 'ticks' and having the product calculate the line segment changes during the 'ticks' to form a smooth animation from one 'tick' to the next.
Also known as "tweening"
-Greg
Thanks Greg, though I'm pretty sure Derek knew that, & was just being descriptive in order to make sure I understood what he was saying.
But it doesn't hurt to know the right words, so thanks! 
Dan
8. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 04, 2009
- 1105 views
has anyone developed a simple, vector based animation creator?
What are your functional requirements? That is, what do you actually want the product to do and how do you want to get it to do that?
I assume by 'vector' you mean that you want to describe an image in terms of line segments and colors. And animate it by describing images at different 'ticks' and having the product calculate the line segment changes during the 'ticks' to form a smooth animation from one 'tick' to the next.
I think I would want it to do the following:
allow drawing shapes, by placing default simple geometric shapes like circles,rectangles, triangles, and user drawn polygons, and user drawn curviliniear shapes;
storing shape, color, position, orientation & size info
editing position etc for key frames
tweening between key frames
collision detection while tweening, with queuing and path sharing
previewing animation
outputing to video file viewable on Windows Media Player or convertable to .wmv
Dan
9. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by ghaberek (admin) May 04, 2009
- 1126 views
Thanks Greg, though I'm pretty sure Derek knew that, & was just being descriptive in order to make sure I understood what he was saying.
But it doesn't hurt to know the right words, so thanks!
Oh yes, I'm sure Derek knows full well what he's talking about. I was just elaborating for those who may not know. 
-Greg
10. Re: 2-D vector based animation?
- Posted by DanM May 05, 2009
- 1122 views
This is similar to Synfig
I downloaded creatoon, a bunch of the .exe tutorials, and the unlock.exe.
But I can't get it to INSTALL! When I run the installer, I get the first screen, and press continue, and then I see a quick couple of screens, maybe, with something about extracting, and then..nothing.
I have McAfee from Google, but it didn't appear to be active or interfering with the install, as far as I could see.
Did you install it, and have any trouble installing it??
The .exe tutorials run fine.
Dan
