This section explains the Animation Path system in the D5 Render. Using paths, we can place characters and vehicles with animation effects in the scene.
Draw Path
The Animation Path tools in the navigation bar are divided into Character Path and Vehicle Path, which are used to create large scale character and vehicle animation scenes.
Similar tools are available in vegetation tools for making street trees or hedges, etc.
Model Selection
Select the corresponding path tool, click it and select the model in the library. You can add up to 18 models for character and vehicle paths and up to 6 models for vegetation path.
When drawing a path for the first time, select a model directly from the Asset library and draw it. Click the checkbox or use the Ctrl key to multi-select the model. Different paths cannot select assets across categories, but only under the category corresponding to that path.
In the sidebar of the existing path, you can see the vegetation model on the current path.
Select an existing model and you can delete, replace, or add new model in the empty slot.
Replace
Hover over the model slot, click the Replace button, and select a new model to replace the current model. The replacment affects only the selected model and does not affect the distribution of other models.
Delete
Hover over the model slot and click the "minus" button to delete the current model. After deletion, the other models on the path will be redistributed.
Add
When a model slot is available, a "plus" sign will be displayed. Click "plus" and select a model from the pop-up Asset library to add it to the current slot. You can only add one model at a time, and multiple clicks will replace the current slot. In the vegetation path, you can add up to 6 types of vegetation assets.
Drawing paths in the scene
For the first drawing, place control points in the scene with successive clicks. Use the right mouse button to cancel the drawing state.
To continue drawing, first choose whether you want to continue drawing from the beginning or the end. Click on the endpoints and a new line segment will be automatically connected, just continue drawing lines in the scene.
To add a new point in the middle of a path, you can click directly in the path to add a new control point.
Press and hold the control point to drag the control point to any position.
Path Editing
You can click the " Done" button on the right sidebar or right click the mouse to finish drawing.
To edit the path again, double-click on the surface segment of the path, or click the "Edit" button in the right sidebar.
The path base parameters include position and rotation, which can also be adjusted with the scene tool. Paths do not support rescaling.
The basic drawing and editing methods for Character Path, Vehicle Path, and Vegetation path are the same, with different specific parameter settings.
Character Path
Path Parameters
Path-related parameters to adjust the movement and distribution of the path character model.
D5 has automatically set the spacing, position and speed randomness of the character, no need to adjust again.
Density
"Density" controls the total number of models on the currently selected path. The exact number depends on the length of the path. When the density is minimal, the path will have at least one character model.
Width
"Width" is used to control the side-by-side distribution of the character models. The larger the path width, the more characters can walk side by side.
Direction
There are only two directions of character path movement, and the direction drawn along the initial path is specified as "forward". The forward and reverse movement of the path is toggled by a switch.
On the ground
When the model surface is curved and uneven, the path does not fit the model surface completely, and the model on the path will float in mid-air. When you use the "On the Ground" function, the model will be automatically attached to the nearest model surface.
Vehicle Path
Path Parameters
Density
"Density" controls the total number of models on the currently selected path. The exact number depends on the length of the path. When the density is minimal, the path will have at least one Vehicle model.
Lane
The "lane" parameter allows you to select whether the lane is a "Single Direction" or a "Dual Directions" lane.
In "Single" lanes, all vehicles travel in the same direction, the minimum number of lanes is "1" and the maximum number of lanes is "5". In "Dual" lanes, vehicles travel in opposite directions with a minimum number of "2" lanes and a maximum of "10" lanes.
Direction
Depending on the traffic rules, you can set "Left hand" or "Right hand".
Width
The "Lane Width" corresponds to the real-world data in "meters". Default width is 3.5 m, adjustable range is 3m to 5m.
Speed
The "Speed" value is in "kilometers per hour (km/h)" and the default speed is 40 km/h. The speed can also be set in the video rendering mode.
On the Ground
When the model surface is curved and uneven, the path does not fit the model surface completely, and the model on the path will float in mid-air. When you use the "On the Ground" function, the model will be automatically attached to the nearest model surface.