Anime Studio

Anime Studio is a vector-oriented, spline -based 2D animation program that is developed and distributed by Smith Micro Software. It is under a proprietary license. Originally, the software was developed by Lost Marble Moho under the name in the years 1999 to 2006. It appears Debut and Anime Studio Pro in versions Anime Studio.

With Anime Studio einszenige animations can be created. In mehrszenigen animations require additional software, such as video editing or Tonsoftware. The software supports Windows, Macintosh, Linux and all operating systems.

• 7.1 Revision history 7.1.1 Moho
• Anime Studio 7.1.2

History of development

Developer of the original Moho program was Michael " Mike" Clifton (born 1970 in California ), founder of the one-man company Lost Marble. " Make available to all animation" With the intention, he programmed for the BeOS operating system in C and Lua within six months of the first version. The latter language is used in the tools and scripts.

On the PCExpo in 1999 in New York City presented Lost Marble Moho on 22 June for the first time to the public. Another presentation took place at the SIGGRAPH conference in Los Angeles from 10 to 12 August of the same year.

After BeOS did not find the expected distribution, Clifton ported the software on Windows and Mac OS, from 2003 on Linux. On 7 September 2006, he sold his rights to the company e frontier, because he could no longer cope alone the development and commercialization. However, he remained the sole developer of the software; Sales and marketing were taken over by the new owners.

Since 15 November 2007, the program is Anime Studio Smith Micro develops software and distributed under the name. Smith Micro Software was acquired by e Frontier also the programs Manga Studio and Poser and named Moho order to ensure that the product names fit together better.

Since June 2010, there is the latest version of Anime Studio 7.1

Functions

With Anime Studio allows you to create and export to popular video and photo formats cartoon animations. The program supports editing any pixel animations. With the Bone - technology (English bone = " bone " ) can be defined for created in the program figures a kind of skeletal structure. Wherein movement of a skeleton part of the surrounding bone and thus, the associated graphic is automatically mitanimiert, which simplifies the modeling of realistic movement. Frames are not created individually, as the software the individual frames between two by the User on the "Timeline " (english timeline = " timeline " ) given points, so-called " keyframes " (English keyframes = " keyframes " ), calculated independently, it therefore supports tweening. The timeline is divided into frames. For each change of the animation keyframe on the corresponding track will be created. For example, there is a " translation layer " track, which is marked on when a layer is moved. The keyframes can copy, move and delete within the timeline.

As a convenience of working with Anime Studio (english actions = "actions" ), select " Actions", which is available in a separate window exists. There the user can save keyframes on the timeline as an action. Later, an action can be selected and added to the current layer.

The modeling of three-dimensional objects with Anime Studio in comparison to programs that specialize in such tasks possible, but difficult. Alternatively, in programs such as Cinema 4D or Poser creates three-dimensional objects, are exported to Anime Studio and used there. Poser files can also be opened directly and used in the anime scene when a poser is installed. The restriction that only a sound file in the project is available and is played in the background, makes the synchronization between picture and sound.

Layer

Layers are an important part of the program. They are the basis of drawings and animations. The animations of a layer are stored in the timeline. One distinguishes several types, all of which have different functions:

Vector layers are the main component of an animation; with them vector animations and vector drawings can be created. Pixel animations and pixel drawings are not supported, but can be imported into an image layer. Such an image layer can embed image and video material. This material can be edited as a vector layer. However, no effect on the animation have Group Layer. They serve the clarity of the layer list, by offering the possibility to subordinate layer. If animations are made ​​with a Group -layer, it affects everyone in the Group - Layer available layers and can save you trouble. By Bone - Layer Bones can be put on a normal, the Bone Layer subordinate layer. Are the Bones moves, does that affect the linked drawing. The program calculates the use of the individual frames Bones; as a result of using this technique can be realistic animations - for example by running characters - generate. Switch layers are layers that allow the addition of language and the synchronization is made possible to a figure: it is loading an audio file with sound or speech in the layer, and the program calculated to match the tone the movements of a form, for example the mouth of a character. With special programs that are compatible with Anime Studio, for example, the free Papagayo, which also dates from Lost Marble, the audio files on individual sounds can be split, which are then stored in a separate file. In this way, the lip-sync is facilitated. Particle - Layers are a special kind of layers which can be used for example to animate explosions or rain. Are drawn as a separate vector layers and subordinate to a Particle Layer one or more pieces. By Particle -layer representation of the particles is possible. The child in Particle Layer figures appear very often, the behavior of the particle layer is adjustable. Particle layers can save work, but extend the duration of the rendering. Using 3D layers can be three-dimensional figures from different computer programs whose strength lies in the 3D modeling, import. OBJ format is supported. Such a layer is treated Anime Studio largely as a vector layers and can be edited as such. Note Layers are useful when the user wants to leave comments or notes in the project that are not visible in the final rendered sequence. Seen from this angle, this layer to the viewer of the finished project initially has no visible benefit. However, it is possible to consider a note- layer rendering. This can function as an alternative to existing Embedded font "Insert Text".

Tools

Tools ( "Tools" ) in the program can be customized and supplemented by the user. They offer character, colorization, Camera and Layer activities. Most tools can be used by pressing a key combination. There are six groups of tools.

Basic functions for drawing and shaping of figures offered by Draw tools. Fill tools, however, are used to fill forms with a configured by the user "Style". In a separate program area, the user can define such a style; Color of the surface effects, line color and thickness can be set and saved as a style. To work with Bones Bone tools are needed and offer ways to create Bones and change it. Such tools are used only in connection with Bone layers. Ways to animate the entire contents of a layer ( move, zoom or rotate, for example) offer a Layer tools. To control the camera - and in three-dimensional space - Camera tools are needed. Workspace tools, however, offer the same options as camera tools, however, relate to the display, the user sees; not the camera that offers view of the Animated.

There are also so-called script. You provide certain processes; it is because, for example, possible to include additional objects or effects. They were also developed in Lua and can be extended by the user.

Effects

Closed figures ( figures whose outline has no gaps ) can be provided with effects. There are seven such effects, of which a maximum of two may be selected for a figure simultaneously. All effects are configurable, i.e., that certain options are available, and change the appearance of the effects.

The first element of the Shaded effect appeared in a list, are listed in the Styles on. He shading a figure, and may for example be used to produce the effect of a sphere. For colorblurring within a figure to the edges of the soft-edge effect is used. Using the Splotchy effect can be brought into uneven coloring of the figure: randomly generated patterns whose scale is set by the user; a comparable result provides the spots effect, the points and lines created as a pattern within a figure. Length, width and orientation of the points are adjustable. The halo - effect is a kind of ring, the color is adjusted to be generated within the figure and blurred with the surface. The gradient effect is used to generate a transition between two colors in a figure, in which the color transition can alternatively extend from the center of the figure to the top. Images can be integrated using the image texture effect in a figure. Either they adapt to the shape or are only partially displayed in the form.

Example of soft EGDE effect using the flame of a candle (right) and the sun (left)

Example of the effect Splotchy

Example of the effect Spots

Example of the halo effect

Example of the gradient effect

Example of Image Texture Effect

Input and output formats

To be able to process external data within Anime Studio, there are several import formats available. In addition to its own file formats (. MOHO or later. ANME ), from which individual layers can be imported, the import still images in JPG, BMP, and PNG formats is possible. AVI and QuickTime can also be imported into an image layer. To add sound, WAV and AIFF files can be imported, or, as for lip sync in a switch layer. The import of 3D files is possible, if they are present in the OBJ format. It can also Poser files be imported and edited in Anime Studio, Poser if present on the system.

System

Regardless of the operating system should a computer have at least an Intel processor with 500 MHz or higher, 256 megabytes of RAM, 50 megabytes of free hard disk space, a CD -ROM drive and a 16- bit color display with 1024 x 768 pixels to Anime Studio runs. For the operation of Anime Studio Windows Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows ME, Windows 2000, requires at least Service Pack 2, Windows XP or Windows Vista. Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later is required on Mac to use Anime Studio. In addition, Anime Studio runs on all versions of Linux.

Reception

Moho / Anime Studio has praised the Bone, lip synchronization and particle system for Flash support. Was negative often criticized the strange user interface that does not correspond to the Windows standard. Animations are quickly feasible thanks to vector support. c't said in issue 22/2007: " The large version is likely to be attractive, not least through the extensibility with Lua scripts for animation professionals. On the negative side to book that none of the two versions came with a printed manual. "Kelly L. Murdock turned Anime Studio 2008 on gamedev.net before and came to the conclusion, Anime Studio is an easy to use animation program, with the quite animations on a professional level could be generated. Functions such as Bones and Particles made ​​it a unique program, the functional diversity of more professional software commands, however. However, the software is well suited for smaller projects and as an entry for amateur animators.

Distribution and Sales

From 1999 to 2006 the then English Moho was distributed by Lost Marble exclusively on their website; later more online sales channels were added. On 7 September 2006 e frontier took over the sales and put the product in the stores. Since 15 November 2007, the renamed Anime Studio Smith Micro Software belongs to and is sold since 13 October 2009, in addition to the English in the French and German languages ​​, both online and in stores. The debut version costs 49.99 euros, the Pro version 199.99 euros.

Public use

Anime Studio was used among other things for advertising and TV productions, such as for a commercial for a Spanish Picasso exhibition or for promotional films of the Belgian television.

More commercials that were produced with Anime Studio, the Ibiza Spot by Squeaky Pictures, "Traffic commercial for Madrid, Spain" by EMP SL and " Prospan Commercial", also from Squeaky Pictures. As a television production with Anime Studio MADtv is mentioned. However, the software is distributed mainly at home users. For competitive products include the products of Toon Boom such as Toon Boom Studio, which was used for many television productions, or Toon Boom Animate. Also Poser is one of the competitors, though it only works in three dimensions.

Versions

Revision history

Moho

The first version of Moho appeared in July 1999 for BeOS from operating system version 4.5. Version 2.1 introduced the shading of objects. Mac OS is supported by Moho since version 2.2. Two versions later, 2.6, and Mac OS X has been supported. Linux support was supplemented on 23 January 2003. In 3.0, useful and now quite common features have been added. Since this release, a camera control is available, for example, and also colors and shadows are animated. With Tablet PC support version 3.1 was fitted. In subsequent versions 3.2 and 3.5, two frequently used tools have been added. Big changes also came with version 4.0 on November 24, 2002: A new tool, utility sound, batch rendering, and objects could be named. The February 25, 2003 was the time of release for version 4.1, which introduced the lip synchronization, and some tools. On 19 October 2004, version 5.0 was released. On 23 March 2005 a new major version was released, 5.1. From this version Moho could also be used from the command line. The next major release was 5.2 and was released on 24 June 2005 have been added or revised some tools. ; the timeline received four new channels, and the maximum image size is set to 9000 times 9000 pixels. The 5th December of the same year was release date for 5.3. 5.3 With a new rendering engine was introduced, which improved both the speed of rendering and the quality of the result. In addition, three tools were given other functions. 5.4 was released on 12 June 2006 and allowed the use of MP3 files in QuickTime and SWF files.

Anime Studio

The next version was also 5.4, but the software was renamed in Anime Studio. On October 11, 2006 saw version 5.5; on 16 April 2008 was published 5.6. Improvements were little things like changing the order of the layers. The next version 6.0 was released on July 9, 2009. Brought you the ability to synchronize picture and sound on the timeline. Some Draw tools have been revised, also more example projects are included as in the previous versions. On 23 September 2009 published version, 6.1; Version 6.2 was released on 9 March 2010, eliminating programming errors. Other features, including a mode for beginners as well as integrated audio recording, were in the current version 7.0 (released on June 12 ) is installed.

Anime Studio Pro

Anime Studio Pro includes more features than the debut version, the version also costs 150 euros more. Differences of Anime Studio Pro against the base version include more example projects as in the normal version. Overall, this 22 3D examples, 24 2D examples, 33 2D props and 24 fully animated examples. Even more special effects and tools are available. Scripts are not available in the basic version. There is no limitation on the length to be machined and to be exported films. In the basic version, a film can have a maximum size of 768 × 768 pixels and a maximum of 3000 frames. In the Pro version, the size limit is 9000 × 9000 pixels, the number of frames is unlimited.

Demo versions

The term of the demo version of Anime Studio is 30 days. You can not export animation. The demo version of Moho, however, could be used, with the restriction that at an exported video or image watermark appeared, which could not be painted over without any time limitation with all functions.