Hey,
I think it would be helpful if the performers were instructed to take the path of least resistance when creating a transition, instead of defaulting to a flipped move. I always have to click "flip" when creating a transition, and if I forget to, I might not realize it until I watch the animation over again later. I usually have to go back and change multiple sets after that, too! The path of least resistance should be the default, don't you think?
Mike
Path of Least Resistance
Moderator:PywareTechSupport
Re: Path of Least Resistance
Hi Mike,
Coming from another designer here (8 years using pyware) - I think you're misinterpreting this as a program flaw, when in fact it's something you can take care of as you are drawing each set. It's just part of the care we need to put in, because the software has to allow for multiple customizations, as some people write things that flip and gate on purpose. If this was to be "fixed", then those people would have to flip the forms all the time due to what you think is the "default" setting, when in fact I think it's just all a little misunderstanding of the way the drawing of forms works on pyware.
You are not alone and are experiencing something that I did early on in my career. I thought that if I grouped/glued the performers from left to right, that means the left dot was the first one. It's actually the opposite, and it'll make more sense when you read my explanation below.
If you have a horizontal line of 5 dots (A,B,C,D,E - in that order) and they are grouped/glued from the furthest right dot (E) to/towards the furthest left dot (A), that means the A dot will be the first point when you draw a new arc or line of those 5 people. If you glue them together gluing towards the E dot, then when you draw the next picture, E will be the dot that corresponds with where you place the first point of the new form. (the first place you click)
The key in all of this is the DIRECTION you are grouping/gluing the performers and the DIRECTION you are drawing the forms.
Illustrated horizontal line as it would be by default:
A-B-C-D-E
If you glued it L to R making E the last glued position and you wanted to draw another horizontal line with the positions in the same order (A-B-C-D-E), you will HAVE to draw that line starting with the RIGHT point (E) and then click on the LEFT - drawing the line right to left. I know it 'sounds' backwards, but that's just something you'll get used to over time.
If you draw the line the way Westerners are all accustomed to and what is most natural (left to right) then you will end up with this:
E-D-C-B-A
And then, yes, you would have to go back and edit/flip the form to have them end up in the order you intended.
(For me - sometimes I do a quick knife/glue and set the direction towards the left side just to make it easier for some forms. Not always, but on occasion. It helps).
This is just one of those "little" things that you have to understand and get used to with the program. Believe me, I messed it up a few times when I first started, but like I said, once you understand that the point that you are gluing towards is going to be the FIRST point of the next picture you draw - it should all be simpler from there. I used to draw EVERY line/arc/curve top to bottom or left to right without even thinking or considering the direction a form was grouped or glued and that created those same issues for me at times. Once I realized what I was doing, it became so much easier and I have never had that issue since.
It all comes down to putting that little bit of extra care into being aware of the direction performers are grouped and the direction you draw the forms. But it's not that you have to memorize every grouping direction in the drill. Many times I even draw a line or arc with the end on the opposite side I wanted to originally... I just click the "Flip" button before I confirm it. Not a big deal. (maybe this was what you meant originally... but still, if you miss it as you are designing, that's just part of what goes into the care we have to put in if we want the form to move a certain way).
Hope this helps.
Coming from another designer here (8 years using pyware) - I think you're misinterpreting this as a program flaw, when in fact it's something you can take care of as you are drawing each set. It's just part of the care we need to put in, because the software has to allow for multiple customizations, as some people write things that flip and gate on purpose. If this was to be "fixed", then those people would have to flip the forms all the time due to what you think is the "default" setting, when in fact I think it's just all a little misunderstanding of the way the drawing of forms works on pyware.
You are not alone and are experiencing something that I did early on in my career. I thought that if I grouped/glued the performers from left to right, that means the left dot was the first one. It's actually the opposite, and it'll make more sense when you read my explanation below.
If you have a horizontal line of 5 dots (A,B,C,D,E - in that order) and they are grouped/glued from the furthest right dot (E) to/towards the furthest left dot (A), that means the A dot will be the first point when you draw a new arc or line of those 5 people. If you glue them together gluing towards the E dot, then when you draw the next picture, E will be the dot that corresponds with where you place the first point of the new form. (the first place you click)
The key in all of this is the DIRECTION you are grouping/gluing the performers and the DIRECTION you are drawing the forms.
Illustrated horizontal line as it would be by default:
A-B-C-D-E
If you glued it L to R making E the last glued position and you wanted to draw another horizontal line with the positions in the same order (A-B-C-D-E), you will HAVE to draw that line starting with the RIGHT point (E) and then click on the LEFT - drawing the line right to left. I know it 'sounds' backwards, but that's just something you'll get used to over time.
If you draw the line the way Westerners are all accustomed to and what is most natural (left to right) then you will end up with this:
E-D-C-B-A
And then, yes, you would have to go back and edit/flip the form to have them end up in the order you intended.
(For me - sometimes I do a quick knife/glue and set the direction towards the left side just to make it easier for some forms. Not always, but on occasion. It helps).
This is just one of those "little" things that you have to understand and get used to with the program. Believe me, I messed it up a few times when I first started, but like I said, once you understand that the point that you are gluing towards is going to be the FIRST point of the next picture you draw - it should all be simpler from there. I used to draw EVERY line/arc/curve top to bottom or left to right without even thinking or considering the direction a form was grouped or glued and that created those same issues for me at times. Once I realized what I was doing, it became so much easier and I have never had that issue since.
It all comes down to putting that little bit of extra care into being aware of the direction performers are grouped and the direction you draw the forms. But it's not that you have to memorize every grouping direction in the drill. Many times I even draw a line or arc with the end on the opposite side I wanted to originally... I just click the "Flip" button before I confirm it. Not a big deal. (maybe this was what you meant originally... but still, if you miss it as you are designing, that's just part of what goes into the care we have to put in if we want the form to move a certain way).
Hope this helps.