In this quick Blender 2.5 video tutorial we show you how to use the Track To constraint. Starting out we set up a basic camera control and then take it a step further with a pre-built example that makes use of multiple constraints, armatures and hooks.
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Good tip. I usually use it for setting up spotlights; It’s much easier to control the direction of the spotlights if you constrain them to track an empty, and then just move the empty around
Very cool tip jonathan. thanks
Ahh! *lightbulb*
I finally get it now. I fiddled with it a few weeks ago and found it difficult to setup. I ended up using the shortcut keys to setup my track-to.
Seeing it done properly has helped me a lot. Thanks Mr. Williamson!
I think the second ‘complicated’ one can be used for lighting? I’m not sure? Good setup, just overwhelmed a bit
Nest female part?
Nice tip. Thanks Jonathan!
it’s definitely good to understand the principals of how the track-to constraint works, especially for setting up more complicated rigs like your second example, but for people looking to just track the camera to something, a nice shortcut is selecting the camera, then selecting the target object or empty, pressing ctrl+T and selecting “track-to constraint” which automatically applies the Y up and -Z tracking axis options for you.
HAHAHA! how to make a race car that poops outs bunnies! If you’re not first, you’re LAST! Abracadabra Holmes…
Nice work!
Exactly what I need to confirm the way I would do a rigging piston scene. I am feeling in phase with CGcookie, and I like it
By the way this system with arrows will be helpful for some presentation. Thanks also for that.
Can someone think of a way to animate the relationship lines as a constant flow towards the circles?
The first part of the tutoial was great! You lost me a little on the second half. I would have prefered you walked me through the second half. I am assuming this is usfull if you need to keep a light or a camra on a specific object or multiple camrea’s on diffrent object’s. Further tutorials should Include more examples of its uses and More detail please.
P.s Keep up the good work jonathan always enjoyed and apreciate your turorial’s “this one’s just got me a little perplexed?”
thx Jonathan Williamson
faster solution:
select camera then shift select object, press control T, click “damped track to constraint”
It was helpful seeing you turn on the axis display to figure out which axes to select in the constraint panel. I always did the less elegant route of randomly clicking them till it worked.
Awesome.Thanks a lot of
Tx, I would live to see more on constraints.
Q: Is it possible to ad constraints to paricles? Then you could have thousands of arrows floating by, all pointing at the same object.
You can’t add constraints like this to particles, but you can use Force Fields to affect particles. It shouldn’t be too difficult to set up the arrow idea that you’re thinking of.
-Jonathan
That was my initial idea, but i didnt succed. Guess i have to study the Force Field even more.
May the Force be with you.
@ Morten
Use the boids Physics particle settings. set up some systems and give it some bodies and brains to create your own particle warzone. nice to play with actually…
oops…. something like this perhaps ??
http://www.vimeo.com/29457952
Dam it!
I would LOVE, not ´live´ to see more on constraints!!!!!
NICE TUTORIALS,MY ENGLISH NOT SO GOOD BUT SOME WORDS IM UNDERSTAND:)
Managed to get the arrow to point at the ring and to get a bone to point at the arrow, but not to get the ring attached to the bone so that it rotates.
Totally confused. Any good introductory tutorials on armatures??
Just parent the ring to the bone.
Great tutorials !! I’ve learned TONES from you guys.
You should do a quick tutorial on setting up that second scene. It uses some interesting techniques.
+1 for more short tutorials on more of the Transform, Tracking and Relationship constraints. Actually I would love to have access to a reference library on all the tool subsets, (such as the constraints). They could be quick tips or short tutorials. I don’t think anyone is doing that.
Do not you have cycle dependency in such a set up? The arrow is constrained to a cycle and the cycle through its bone to the arrow.
This might bring some problems with stability.
the quick way
interesting however, for the people who will read me comment, you can also track to constraint by selecting 2 objects and pressing Ctrl+T on the key board (also select track to constraint). This method will track to the secondary selection.
Very cool.
Thanks for the tip, I was looking for more info on tracking and constraints!