Motion Menus in DLP

[ckurowsk]

Hey I am rendering motion menus for a quiz on DLP. Everything is moving into place and the buttons are all active as they should be. The only problem I am having is the highlighting of button selection is showing on the screen before all of the object motion into place. Is there any way I can make it so that the highlighting will not be seen while the questions and answers motion into their places? I want to keep the highlighting but I want it to show up after the motion menu intro with the words dropping down.

[tinker]

For that you need to split a cell and insert high lites on second half when all the motion is done.
Other way would be to create a second menu with static picture and have buttons there.
First menu will connect End Link to second one so second one will come up as first one finish.

[ckurowsk]

Ok so how do I split a cell. And if I go with the two menus there wont be any live buttons on the first motion menu correct? If theres no buttons how does DLP know to go to that static menu, or at the conclusion of the motion will it go to the next menu in line. I thought a menu had to have live buttons or links on it to compile. It cant be a movie because a black screen will appear when transitioning and it wont blend as one. I understand what your saying I just need some more detail if you could im new using DLP.

[tinker]

There is an icon bar under the menu once you insert your motion video in.
One icon is "Add new cell", once you click on it new triangle will be set at the end of a motion bar. Drag it to the point where you want to be, than click on second cell and add button highlights. You have to Render Motion once done otherwise the buttons will not be there after compile
Your second question.
Yes, after motion menu ends in first menu it will automatically go to second if you make a link from end of motion menu to beginning of static menu. No rendering is required in this case.

[guns1inger]

Also have a read of the help file - look up delayed cell menus - and then have a read through the forums at mediachance as well.

[ckurowsk]

thanks all that helps

[ckurowsk]

Ok so I tried the two different menus and it didnt work. Once the motion for the first menu was done it just stayed there and didnt go to the static menu. Also with the split cells since the motion menu is the main cell that all other cells lay over do I just make a cell with a static menu at the end of the motion menu? I guess I am just having trouble seeing how the motion menu transitions into the static menu.

[guns1inger]

This is how I do it, other may have different methods that suit them.

First, I create my video in Vegas (but any editor will do). This includes the transition from the motion intro through to the "static" section, and also includes the transition in of the menu text, through the the end of the menu loop point. Your video should have three clear 'scenes' - the intro motion, a transition, and the menu section. The menu section may be static, or may be a looped video. I render this as DVD compliant mpeg 2 and AC3 audio elementary streams.

I import the the streams into DLP and drop them onto the menu. I add the cells to the menu. Usually I only need 2 cells, so the split point is after the transition, at the start of the menu section of the clip. If I play back just cell one I get the intro and transition, and cell two is just the menu section.

In cell 2 I add the sub-pictures that indicate what menu item I am on. These are usually simple lines or symbols (gotta love wing ding fonts) that appear next to, or under, the menu items. Finally, make sure you set the looping for the second cell so that the whole menu doesn't repeat. You do this by right-clicking on Cell 2 (or which ever cell your actual menu is in) and selecting Loop Cell from the menu.

That is all that is needed for a simple, two cell motion menu.

The two trickier parts are

1. Returning only to cell 2 when you come back to the menu, so you don't force the viewer to go through the entire menu intro every time

2. Remembering which menu item you were on when you left the menu, so you can return with the same menu highlighted after the item has played, or if the viewer presses the Menu button during play back.

If I remember rightly (and it has been a little while since I made one), returning to cell 2 isn't that hard. Remembering which item you were on at the time you left the menu requires programming though. There are several posts in the DLP forums at mediachance that explain it all very clearly though.

[tinker]

I am not sure what you are doing wrong, but one thing is certain. You cannot insert two different videos in each cell, you can only split one into cells.
So if you want to have a motion and static picture in one menu, split into cells, you will have to use method described by guns1inger.
Otherwise with two menus and end link works fine.
It may help if you post a picture of the connection window.