To Whom... is Ch Intended for?

[Guest]

I've been working my way slowly through the written support files and a few things are obvious!

The documents are written by,  and for, those that already know about animation, so this leads me to the question, to whom is Ch intended for?

If you wanted to study Animation, I assume you would look at using and developing your skills with Animator CC. Ch on the other hand, seems like it's intended as a program to get people dabbling in animation... by this I don't mean superficially, but in a way that is accessible by the everyday body, like me!? Those that want to use Animation within a project that they are working on, but don't want to spend weeks, months, or years learning the ins and outs of another program to achieve it.

Most skills and jobs have their own language built it and the more you develop those skills, or remain in a particular job, the more that language becomes apart of your daily routine. It is at this point that when a person starts to teach, explain, or describe that skill, or job, the language they use, will be the language they use daily as a part of the skill, or job. This is great when the person you are talking to is on the same level and can converse in the same language, but if not... both sides can be getting no where fast!

Words that I've come across here and had to stop and think... what?

cononical

torsion

parralax

subpuppet

single skin

siblings

and statements like: Soloing of Hide Siblings can not be done....

I know that this isn't a major problem, I mean it's easy enough to google a word these days, but that takes you of the task of learning. My suggestion is when you come are writing documents and you come to use a word that is particular to do with the skill, job, or App,  then think, will everyone understand what I'm saying? Try and use a word, or words that simplify the statement.  A glossary that list the words and meanings used, could help, or a simple diagram showing the meaning... A picture says a thousand words!? This is being used, such as:

However, this is scarce and when it used, it can be just as bad... Too much information in one statement!

Most of my time seems to be spent on trying to decipher what is written, before I have any hope of understanding it and using that information in learning Ch. I seem to be coming back to the forum for answers that should be easily found in the documentation!?

I'm only at the first stage, Creating your first puppet and the second document... Editing Puppet Structure... but it seems like a lot of effort for little reward!

Learning should be fun and although it will, and should, require effort and practice to master a new skill, it should be a challenge without being chore!

Please don't think I having-a-go at those that write these documents.. I know how much effort is required and often time isn't on your side, but if it isn't readily accessible then is it really worth all that time and effort!?

I would like to hear what others think... it could just be me!?

[oksamurai]

We're in the process of rewriting many of these help docs. Several of those terms, like subpuppets and skins and siblings, we have changed to simpler stuff in the latest version.

In general though, help docs / instruction manuals are always going to be a little more dry and detailed. I would turn to YouTube tutorials (and not just mine, there are quite a few CH ones out there now) to help translate these into more visual, walkthrough-based terms.

[Guest]

Hi Dave...

Hope you didn't mind me going on a bit... I do have a tendency to ramble on.

I certainly agree about the quality of the YouTube tutorials and I'm soaking them up as fast as I can. It is when I want to delve a little deeper, that I turn to the text.... Dry and detailed...

Thank for you time!

[El Wombat]

When I first read a Character Animator (Chan) Support file I thought that I might never learn this software proper, so you are not the only one. And I strongly support your request and Dave's assertion that those help files will be rewritten. Plus I've also suggested to include more screenshots in those helpfiles.

They aren't up to date at the moment, either, due to the vast array of changes and improvements that has been going on in Chan.

But! After watching all of the tutorials available and playing around with the software, creating own puppets, etc., I realized that those helpfiles suddenly weren't in Chinese (Chanese 😉 any more, but that I knew what they were talking about.

And I also think that it is very hard to compose those files in a way that they are both complete and fast as well as intelligible for everyone at every moment immediately.

Personally I use them as a reference for or deepening of stuff that I learned through the tutorial and by practicing rather than when I want to learn something new.

Maybe, on the long run, different kinds of helpdocs - NEWBIE, PRO - would be an idea? For I know that some people just don't like to learn with videos, and what about them?

Since Chan seems to be trying to be a tool both for newbies as well as for animation pros this may be a good reflection.

[Guest]

Hi El.. Wombat and thanks for input!

I think you're right.. at the moment the best way is to play with the App... check out the tutorials and then use the helpdocs..... makes more sense!