Anim8or_AnimationPrep

=Anim8or Animation Prep= include component="page" page="menu-animation" editable="1" BEFORE you begin ANIMATING in 3D, it's CRUCIAL that you set things up properly. Failing to do so can waste tons of time, and may force you to start all over again!

> //(High Polycounts slow the screen display and rendering process - look for inefficiencies before you start animating!)// >>> //It can take FAR LESS time to fix, or even REBUILD a model than to try animating an inefficient HIGH POLYCOUNT model.// > //(It will become VERY important that you access elements through the timeline - appropriate names make this simple)// >>> (You can double click the TRACK NAME at the bottom of the scene to change element names > //(Animation IS Timing - if you don't set this properly, you'll get timing errors later when you try to import your animations into editing programs like Premiere Elements)//
 * 1) **Keep your POLYCOUNT LOW**
 * 1) In OBJECT Mode
 * 2) Don't add more detail than will show up on the screen
 * 3) Adjust "segments" of primitives so you don't create more layers than you need
 * 4) Adjust "latitude" and "longitude" to control the polycount of spheres and cylinders before building them into mesh
 * 1) **NAME Your Materials, Objects and Scenes**
 * 1) In SCENE Mode
 * 2) Double click and appropriately NAME any element (object, light etc) simply and meaningfully
 * 1) Use SETTINGS | SCENE and give the scene a meaningful name - you may be making MANY scenes
 * 2) **Set your FRAMERATE and SCENE LENGTH** 
 * 1) In SCENE Mode
 * 2) Use VIEW | PREFERENCES and set your framerate to 30fps, and "Limit Playback"[[image:Anim8or_Framesettings01.png align="right"]]
 * 3) Use SETTINGS | SCENE and extend your scene length appropriately (ie 150 frames for 5 secs, 300 frames for 10 secs...)