Cause a 3D Title to grow with time

[Anonymous8743]

I can create a 3D Title using the Wax Editor: (Video Plugins/General/Text3D)
.
But there must be a easier method than the one I am using to use key frames to make the text grow with time.

For instance, to start the text at time zero with a font size of one, and end 5 seconds later with a font size 10:

The way I am doing it is to create ten key frames, one every half second, and increase the font size by 1 step for each key frame.

But there should be a way to simply start at font size one, end 5 seconds later at font size 10, and have the text grow without creating all the intermediate key frames, isn't there?

The font size parameter for the "Text 3D" plugin doesn't have the time element that most other parameters have. So there must be some other method I can use. Maybe another plugin? I just can't figure out what it is.

Can anyone tell me how to do this?

Thanks, Tim

[Cornucopia]

Assuming you already know how to put elements into the timeline...

Set your timeline position at the start point of you growth, set the size parameter to what it should be at that time.
Then select the clock icon next to the parameter and change it to Linear (or whatever you want)
Then move the timeline position to the end point of your growth, and set the size paramenter for what it should be at that time.

That's it.

-> (Debugmode even shows a tutorial on generating keyframable movement on his/her website)


Scott

[Anonymous8743]

Thanks for the reply Cornucopia,

For the Text3D plugin, the clock icon next to the parameter does not offer a dropdown box with "Linear, smooth,
custom" options. It does for most other plugins, but not for Text3D.

I watched the tutorial on keyframe movement, but it doesn't show how to get the movement in the absense of
those dropdown boxes. There must be a way. But I've spent days experimenting and searching the internet with no luck.

Can anyone help?

Thanks kindly, Tim

[Gavino]

You probably need to create the text at the largest size wanted and use keyframing to vary the 3-D camera position (ie zoom in or out on the z-axis) to change its displayed size.

[Anonymous8743]

Ok, do you mean to use the key framing within the Text3D plugin? I think I did that, described in my first post:

>create ten key frames, one every half second, and increase the font size by 1 step for each key frame<

Is that what you mean? Or are you talking about varying the camera position with/from a different plugin?

Thanks, Tim

[Gavino]

I mean varying the camera position using the parameters in the Camera category of Global Settings (see Section 2.11 of the Wax User Guide).

[Anonymous8743]

Ok, I did that just now. But that zooms the whole movie. I want to just have the text zoom as the movie plays. There must be a way to do it. I'll keep trying. Thanks

Tim

[Anonymous8743]

I finally figured out how to make this work, although I'm still wondering if there isn't a better way.

I had to drag my avi to the timeline first, then Text3D and Transform3D as children to the avi.
But that resulted in the problems I detailed earlier in this thread.

The breakthrough was when I dragged the avi to the timeline again, in track 2.

I shortened the track 1 avi, clipping from both the beginning and end, so that I ended up with 5 seconds of the avi, roughly in the middle of the clip. This shortened the Text3D and Transform3D sub tracks also.

I then created the 3D title I wanted within the 5 second segment in track 1.

With only one avi, in track 1, I could only see the 5 second part of the avi. There was no manipulations of the controls that allowed me to see all of the avi and the title.

With the avi added a second time in track 2, it is entirely visible. The 5 second segemt in track 1 apparently plays on top of the track 2 avi, and it looks the way I want it to.

Maybe I just took a week to discover what everyone else already knew. Wax really is a nice application. Sure would be nice to have a manual though.

Tim

[Gavino]

Wax really is a nice application. Sure would be nice to have a manual though.

There's the Wax User Guide which is installed with the software ('User Guide.pdf' in the Help folder).
This can be called up directly from the Windows Start->Programs menu, or from within Wax via the Help menu or the Help icon button.

There is also a support form at http://groups.google.com/group/wax-discuss.