ICE: F Curve use

[Chris Marshall]

Hello All,

I've never really used the fCurve node much, as I was struggling with the concept. So I'm now using it, but I'm wondering if the workflow I've set up is generally how fCurve would be used.

I have, for instance, a scalar value that runs from 1 to 20, and I want to control the output with a function curve. So I'm running the scalar through a Rescale node that has a Source Start 1 End 20, Target Start 0 End 1. That goes into the fCurve, then that's plugged back into another Rescale with Source 0 and 1, Target 1 and 20, to get my range back to between 1 and 20.

Does that make sense? I could do it all in the fCurve node I guess, but I've never liked doing much in the micro fCurve editor.

Just wondering if that's a typical way to work with this, or is there a better way that doesn't require the two Rescales?

Thanks

Chris

[Paul Griswold]

This will be a really vague answer, but.... I was watching some of the videos AceMastermind1 posted on YouTube and one of them specifically covered using the fCurve node.

Of course I can't recall which video it was and I have no link.... but I do remember it had something to do with controlling particle emissions over time to simulate an explosion.  I think it was an Adam Sale video.

Paul

[Chris Marshall]

Hi Paul,

Thanks! Yep, that was pretty vague!! But the question was vague as well, so that's fine!

Cheers

:-)

--

Chris Marshall

Mint Motion Limited

029 2002 5762

07730 533 115

www.mintmotion.co.uk

[Paul Griswold]

I may have found it in my history - try this:  http://youtu.be/M6lIITmG9Bs

Paul

[Chris Marshall]

Thanks, I'll take a look!

[Alan Fregtman]

Well, in the example you describe, why use another Rescale when you
could just multiply by 20? (Or am I missing something?)

As for the FCurve node, it seems confusing at first but all you need
to know is its output is the Y value of the fcurve at the input (X)
value.

So... that is to say, the input is mapped to horizontal space and
output is the vertical space. Your output is the vertical value where
your input indicates where on the horizontal space it's reading from.
Make sense?

Cheers,

-- Alan

On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 5:58 AM, Chris Marshall
<chrisma...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Chris Marshall]

Well my example is just a simple setup I have now. If the output needed to be between 10 and 20, then using a rescale would make sense. I'm just thinking is it right that everytime I want to use the fCurve node, I need to have a rescale either side? I know that's not the case, but for the way I'm using it at the moment, that's how I see it working.

Generally I'm happier now about how to use it, now it's giving me more predictable results.

Cheers

[Mathieu Leclaire]

That's how I usually do it. I don't like playing with my FCurves outside
a 0 to 1 range, but obviously you could if that's what you want. I
personally prefer to keep the FCurve simple and then you have your
rescale output range with which you can adjust to basically scale your
FCurve. So you can plug in other nodes there to control that vs the
FCurve where you can't modify it other then come in and change it
manually. So yeah, I would keep that approach.

-Mathieu

[Mathieu Leclaire]

You can create yourself a compound if you'd like and share the first rescale nodes soucre and second rescale nodes target as one exposed value (well technically 2 to define the range) and expose the FCurve... this way you only have an input, an FCurve and a range to manage.

-Mathieu

[Chris Marshall]

I was thinking maybe I should do that, just to reduce clutter.

Thanks!!

[Andy Moorer]

I force values into a 0-1 range too.

But I have to say I dislike the curve node - it isn't intuitive for users with no way to label axis (axes... What's the plural for axis...) and having to rescale the values back and forth seems like a great way to clip floats. It's huge in the ppg and should have a way to me minimized or collapsed, and so on. There's a lot of power there but it feels like it needs more thought put into it.

[Chris Marshall]

You're right, which is pretty much why I've steered clear till now.

[Alan Fregtman]

For anyone losing sleep over important spelling matters as these...
plural of "axis" is "axes."

;)

-- Alan

[Eric Thivierge]

Do they sound different? Can you spell it phonetically? :)

--------------------------------------------
Eric Thivierge
Technical Director
http://www.ethivierge.com

[Grahame Fuller]

ax-ISS, ax-EEZ

From: softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Eric Thivierge
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 12:13 PM
To: soft...@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: ICE: F Curve use

Do they sound different? Can you spell it phonetically? :)

--------------------------------------------
Eric Thivierge
Technical Director
http://www.ethivierge.com

On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 12:06 PM, Alan Fregtman <alan.f...@gmail.com<mailto:alan.f...@gmail.com>> wrote:
For anyone losing sleep over important spelling matters as these...
plural of "axis" is "axes."

;)

-- Alan

[Andy Moorer]

Thanks, I well might have suddenly woken up at 4am wondering about that. It's happened before... :)