Having successfully completed the first example of montage theme programing, here is a second on a little more difficult to achieve... but you'll succeed without problems if you follow the lesson step by step as for of the first example.
To begin this tutorial, start by downloading the theme Template with one of the 2 possible installation methods :
Theme Template loaded times
self-installing .exe File (simpler!)
.zip File to decompress (Vista and 7) in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Pinnacle\Content\ IMG-Templates (instructions here )
The subject
In this example we will create a transition theme. This means that the theme opens with a scene in full screen, and it ends with another scene also in full screen.
Opening sequence (drop zone 1), initially in full screen, will be reduced using a zoom out, then the 5 other drop zones will appear from behind the first one in a rotational movement to constitute the first ring, which will then start to rotate ...
After a full rotation, a second ring will appear in magnifying while rotating in the opposite direction to form a constellation of windows. After 2 additional laps, the theme will focus on drop zone 6 for the ending sequence.
Here is an overview of what you will create:
Step 1: Hide the 2nd group
In order to better assimilate this lesson, I will let you more autonomous to define source code to modify, I invite you to regularly view your montage theme in Studio to verify that youwhat you are programing looks like the video above !
Firstly, to get a better view about what you are doing, it will be more convinient to hide the 2nd group of windows (which later will be used to constitute the second ring) by setting its Scale to 0 along the 3 axes X, Y, and Z. This will be achieved by adjusting the parameters ScaleX, ScaleY, and ScaleZ to 0 in the object ID ="201" which manages the group.
Step 2: adjust the rotation settings window
To build a crown, we will move the center of rotation of the various windows in their back. For this, we must adjust parameter PivotZ, for example with value 320, for each of the objects 110,120,130,140,150 and 160.
Step 3: Opening Sequence
Adjusting first group of windows rotation center will have as side effect to make them closer to the observation point. Thus they will appear larger on screen...
Experimentally, this magnification effect can be compensated by a scaling factor of 0.24 on the X, Y and Z. This scale factor can be adjusted at different level of objects nested inside each other (global view, the first group, or object by object ...). The simplest is here to act on the global view by setting the parameters ScaleX, ScaleY and ScaleZ to 0.24 for Time = 0 in the object ID ="31" We will stay focussed on the opening sequence during the first second of the montage theme, then we will zoom out down to a scale factor of 0.13. Doing so will enable other windows to take place in the visible part of the scene. In the object ID ="31" add 2 lines to build this movement :
Step 4: first ring
Everything is ready to constitute the first ring. The 6 windows are placed exactly in the same place their pivot point is the future center of the crown, so, we have just to apply a rotation along the Y axis spaced of 60 ° from each other to built the crown.
To save energy, we will create both the animation forming the crown, and its further rotational movement. Window containing the drop zone 6 (ID ="161") will be the first to move. Start the moving at Time = 2, and then schedule a rotation of 4 laps (just remenber that each lap equal to 360°, so 4 laps equal 1440°) Rotation speed will be adjusted to 60° per second and we will ask Studio a constant rotation speed using parameter Type = "cktLinear" on each line of this Keyframer object, and remove parameters C0 and C2 as shown in the illustration below.
Note that drop zone 6 will orbit for 4 laps, so at the end of the movement, this window will be located in front of the observation point, which will be useful to built our ending sequence... Other windows will be set in motion each following seconds, and for each of them, their rotation will be reduced of 60° compared with the previous one in order to maintain the geometry of the ring until the end (all rotations ending at the same time Time ="26")
Step 5: inclination of the crown
We will now give an inclination to the crown to make a perspective effect. We can do this in the object ID ="101" which controls movement of the first group by placing the value RotationX = -25 and RotationZ = 20. However, in order any interaction with the opening sequence, these two parameters remain to 0 until time Time ="2", then go to their target value at time = Time" 7", ie when the first ring is fully deployed.
Step 6: Keeping windows facing the viewpoint
We will now ensure that the windows in their rotation, always face the viewpoint. To achieve this, we will have to rotate windows on themselves at the same speed they rotate around the center of the crown, but in reverse. The pivot point for each window is controled in objects #110, #120, ... which are containers. Windows themselves (objects #112, #122, etc.) keep a pivot point located in their center. We'll apply the inverse rotation directly on each windows, not on the container. It is the purpose of objects #114, #124, #134, #144, #154 and #164. For each of these objects, we will copy/paste RotationY movement from respectively objects #111, #121, #131, #141, #151 and #161, but by reversing the direction of rotation (just change the sign in front of angles values). At this stage, display your montage theme, you should normally see the formation of this first crown and see it rotating on itself, each windows still facing you.
Step 7: The second crown
We will now use the second group of windows to create a second crown. To vary the effects, we will magnify that crown from the infinite.
Firstly, build the crown with following method :
Set PivotZ values to 320 for items #210, #220, #230, #240, #250, #260 to define the center of this future crown of windows.
Program a rotation around the Y axis for each windows of the second group (modifying objects #211, #221, #231, #241, #251, #261). The movement starts at Time 12.5 and will last 13 seconds. Starting time is shifted of 0.5 seconds from the first crown and will result in a shift of 30 ° in the rotation of the two crowns, thus avoiding too many collisions ...
be sure to use a constant speed for the movement to provide good cohesion of your montage theme.
To get the desired effect, ypu should have for object ID ="211" at Time ="0", Value="0", then at Time ="12.5" value 0 (no mode for window between time 0 sec and 12.5 sec), and finally for Time ="25.5" value 780 (ie 2 laps plus 60°)
object ID ="221" will be shifted of 60° from object #211, meaning for time ="0" value 60, Time ="12.5" value 60 (no move for this window between 0 sec and 12.5 sec), and then for Time ="25.5" value 840 (ie 2 rounds and 60 ° from the initial value of 60 °)
then increment corresponding values of 60° for the other objects of this second crowns (#231, #241, #251, and #261).
The crown is now created, we have still to set windows rotion rotation in opposition of phase to keep them face to the viewpoint. To do so, we have to set a rotation around Y axis for object #214, #224, #234, #244, #254, and #264, using same parameters as above, but reversing the direction of rotation.
Step 8: Magnify the crown
The second ring is now created, We must now make it appear. I suggest you do so from the Time ="13" using a zoom with a duration of 1 second. Thus the crown appear already in motion, since we have programmed its rotation from Time ="12.5". This will be achieved by adjusting the parameters ScaleX, ScaleY, and ScaleZ on object ID ="201" which controls second group movement. Like with the first crown, just tilt it, but using reverse angle. We will therefore give an inclination of 25° around the X axis, and -20° about the Z axis.
Step 9: Ending Sequence
This theme is a transition, we must end on a drop zone in full screen. It is an unwritten rule to take the last drop zone for ending sequence, so we'll end with Drop Zone 6 in full screen. In our example, 2 windows contain an instance of drop zone 6, one in the first group, the other in the second group. Let's take for example the second group one. We must first remove all tilting settings we made to the second crown during step 8 in object ID ="201", this between Time ="25" and "26" We will then restore initial zoom conditions using object #31 which controls the overall view, settings ScaleX, ScaleY, and ScaleZ value from 0.13 to 0.24 between Time "25" and "26"
Step 10: Titles
The theme Template can manage 2 titles, we will take the opportunity to use them. The first one appear from the bottom right of the screen, and will camp at mid distance between the edge and center. It will appear for example at Time = 7 with a move lasting one second, stay there for six seconds and then will go back from where it came. Keep in mind the fact that the 2 titles areas are also managed by the global view zoom, curently set to 0.13 ! It must be taken into account to adjust the various parameters of the title in objects ID ="271" (Title 1) and ID ="281" (track 2) to balance this effect.
The second title will appear 10 seconds later from the top of the screen.
Step 11: Last details
The Hardest part is done !
We'll now set that the drop zone drop zone 1 is used for start, and the drop zone 6 is used for ending.
This is controlled in object ID ="11", where we must add the option |mtStart to parameter Modifiable to get : mtDrop| mtAudio|mtStart ... and |mtEnd in the object ID ="16" to get mtDrop|mtAudio|mtEnd
Finally we will shorten the theme at 27 seconds. For this, we must do 2 things:
Replace End ="30" with End ="27" in all the object of the theme (eg with the command Replace in Notepad, which avoid forgetting any ...
change in object ID ="1" parameter SceneDuration to give value 27:
<imgParm Name="SceneDuration" Value="27"/>
In this object ID ="1", also remove the line:
<imgParm Name="SceneTimeMode">tmStretch</imgParm>
This line is there to give possibility to stretch the montage theme when on the time line, which is incompatible with presence of opening or ending drop zone.
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