Text bug - 3d tracked text and cinema4d Renderer issue

Report · Dec 21, 2019

Hello!

I'm totally new to AE and while doing some courses I stumbled into an issue wherein AE does strange things with tracked type. It looks like some kind of bug where the geometry or stroke just freaks out. I'm including screen shots. I've been on with support already and the agent fixed the issue via remote yesterday, but it came back today anyway. The only way I can "fix" this is by using "Classic 3D" renderer instead of Cinema4D. I'm not sure if this is something ideal or not, as yeah... I'm quite the novice still here (though using Photoshop and all since it started, pretty much --- dating myself) 🙂

Should I just keep it on Classic3D and move on or will I really want to keep Cinema4D renderer and figure out what's going on here? I've used helvetica font since it's well known, easy to see there's an issue. I've also included an example from yesterday using Impact and c4d renderer, since that's a well known font too.

For what it's worth I HAVE already a) removed an installtion of cinema4d full app I had, and b) uninstalled and re-installed AE.

Thanks in advance!

A

Report · Dec 21, 2019

Well, have you actually drilled into the text properties itself or for that matter the advanced comp settings (the little wrench icon)? You know, there's some critical settings for extrusions and tesseletaion buried there. Other than that it would be interesting to know if it actually works without a hitch with other fonts. This could just be a "bad" font, after all. everything beyond that will require soem actual system info, details about settings, info on your tracking results and scene scale and so on.

Mylenium

Report · Dec 21, 2019

hi tbere. thanks for taking the time to answer! let me go through this...

1. it's all fonts, not just one or two.

2. i have gone into advanced settings and messed around, nothing there fixes anything. only "fix" is using classic3d renderer. but i don't see any other c4d options besides quality scrubber

3. i can definitely share that... should have done that from the get-go, sorry. It's not a super pro mega computer, but i think it's suited just fine for basic stuff like this...

15" Macbook pro 2016 touch bar - 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7

Mojave 10.14.6

16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3

Radeon Pro 460 4 GB / Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB

over 250gb HD space

Not sure what else I can offer here, though happy to do whatever i need!

I really appreciate it 🙂

Report · Dec 21, 2019

I'll add a couple more screen shots so you can see why i think it's a super strange bug, not a setting. different letters are effected differently, within the same word and font.

I mean, ultimately if the Classic3D comp renderer setting will be fine for my beginner level user needs, and I'll never think "damn i really wish i could use the C4D renderer", then I'm fine just skipping this altogether and using the Classic3D setting. but yeah... it's frustrating to know something weird is going on that's keeping me from using AE properly.

Report · Dec 21, 2019

Could be a Mac-specific thing and/ or a known bug in the C4D integration. I have no idea beyond that. Perhaps you can work around it by actually creating the text in C4D Lite and importing it via Cineware instead of using the native comp render setting.

Mylenium

Report · Dec 21, 2019

yeah true. i'll prob just roll with the classic3d for now while i learn and then sort this out some other way. i tried to version down to AE 16 and same issue. odd one, eh?

thanks for trying to help, i really appreciate your time!

Report · Dec 21, 2019

The C4D rendering engine should only be used when you want to extrude text or shape layers or bend a footage layer into a curve. Many useful features are disabled. There are much better ways to extrude text.

Camera Tracking would have no effect on the display problems, this is strictly a GPU driver issue or a font issue. The C4D rendering engine has nothing to do at all with Cinema 4D or even the C4D Lite that comes with AE. it is totally separate rendering option for 3D layers.

If you want to do a Camera Tracking project and insert 3D text that is extruded into the scene by far the most efficient workflow is to use the Classic Rendering option, follow all good practices for Camera Tracking, verify that all of your placed layers (surfaces - I use solids for everything so I can add a grid or use a blend mode to verify the solids are stuck to the surface) are sticking to the geometry in the scene, then place your text, delete any reference layers you don't need, save the project, and then export as a C4D file. You can then import the C4D file and the reference layers and the text will be available in C4d or C4D Lite to extrude, texture and light in any way you want. The render will take less time and the results will be a lot better.

Report · Dec 23, 2019

Thanks so much! I really appreciate the thorough response and guidance. I'll switch to classic and move on with my education and trial-by-fire client gigs 😉 If I get into advanced/3D needs, I'll re-evaulate!

Thanks again and have a great holiday/New Year!