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make an object move in a circle

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2010 12:34 am
by malkuth23
If anyone has ever taken the PB class in California you might have been challenged by Sam to make an object move in a perfect circle. This is generally a sort of punishment for learning all the curriculum too quickly.

Props to Casey for solving this in just a few minutes.

First, take the object you want to move in a circle and place it into the 4 equal-distant cardinal points, recording each position on the timeline exactly 2 (or x) seconds apart from each other. Then create the fifth position by copying from the original keyframes to complete the rough circle. Use exact numbers for x position and y position - do not try to just eyeball it.

Hint: For this exercise I find it easier to move the object to the most distant Z position rather than scaling down. This will give you more information to use in the Curve Editor.

Load the X-position into the curve editor.
Make EVERY OTHER keyframe a bezier curve. Leave the other points a standard linear curve.
Load the Y-position into the curve editor.
Make the opposite keyframes a bezier curve. Leaving the other points a standard linear curve.

You do not need to adjust the handles on the curve point at all.

Screen capture for the X-Position:
Image

Screen capture for the Y-Position:
Image

Re: make an object move in a circle

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 5:29 am
by Sam Kriemelmeyer
jolly good ! very nice write up matt.


my only add on would be to note it would be easiest to work with the parameter value readout in "centered" mode. for easy numbers!

Re: make an object move in a circle

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:44 am
by dimchaeno
T.T.....
I am invisible picture.........

Re: make an object move in a circle

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:44 am
by malkuth23
This is obsolete info.

Just set a rotation speed and use a pivot offset.