TVP help for demo users!

[lemec]

During my live sessions with others, I've found that a lot of people are giving up on TVPaint because they don't know what to do when they're presented with the default interface - they get a little scared off by it.

I'm also finding that people don't know where to find the tutorials - I know they're available from the Support section in the main www.tvpaint.com site, but I think people who download the demo don't know this right away.

So I'd like this topic to be about some of the things that new users may want to see when firing up the program for the first time - maybe they can change some of the default settings in TVPaint to include the following:


* A simpler default layout that doesn't scare people off
* A first-time startup project that shows people where to start, contaning image frames that show some basic commands
* A welcome window that has links to the video tutorials and to the forum.


The key is to get people to just comfortable using the most basic tools well - later, through the tutorials and forum, they can find more advanced things. If anyone has suggestions for things that a person who's firing up TVP for the first time should see, post it here.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Excellent and long needed topic. I'm going to suggest something that might cause groans around the table, but think how well this can work in instant communications: The default GUI would open with a small project in progress. There would be a few frames already drawn, the last one unfinished. There would be a layer with color below the drawings; a background perhaps in three layers of color to demonstrate how the sliders work -- I'm not going to name everything that would make for an ideal default project, but you get the gist of it.

If I had had something like that when I first got Aura I would be way ahead of the game today.

[lemec]

Yes, a demo project would work just fine - the first "pages" of the project could contain the following text:

==================

"Welcome to TVP Animation"
"To flip through this tutorial project, hit the <- and -> keys"

Then there could be additional pages that explain things about the interface - specifically how to hide and show layers

Then, the demo animation can be on a second, hidden layer. The instructions on the first page should tell people how to show the layer window and unhide that layer with the animation.

==================

So essentially, it's a project that tells you how to move around itself and how to edit it.

I know that this sort of information could be contained within a separate help file, but beginners don't often know to open help files unless it pops up in front of them, and often, help files give too much information. Demo projects are well, right in TVPaint and you don't have to look away at a separate window or look away from the interface.

So that's what I'm thinking.

[malcooning]

presentation of get-up-and-running-with-it. basically a window which shows up on first use (and can be turned off), and in which there are a couple of options:
1. link to some example files (of animation, of illustration, of FX etc)
2. an introductory tutorial which is infact a moving presentation (maybe even interactive). It'll go over the interface, hoe to set up basic project. how to use the timeline. how to apply FXs etc.
3. link to the help file.
4. link to the TVP forums
5. link to video tutorials on the TVPaint website.

[lemec]

Maybe there should be multiple projects for each subject.

• Editing Drawing Tools
  • Creating custom brushes
  • Drawing modes
  • Papers & Textures
  • Saving Brush Presets
• Working with the Display
  • Panning, Zooming & Rotation
• Working with the Timeline
  • Frame Next/Prev
  • Playing an animation/flipping
  • Proxy
• Working with Layers
  • Creating/removing/Moving Layers
  • Merging Layers
  • Creating/removing/moving frames
  • Light Table/Hiding Layers/Layer Opacity
  • Sound
• Applying FX
• Output
  • Exporting stills
  • Exporting Animations

I think that those are the most essential topics that any animator must have -- I know that TVP has many more useful functions that many people can't live without, but I'd like to keep the list as short as possible. I might even suggest taking some subjects out.

For interface customization, though - that stuff should be left in the manual or for forum questions, since each setup will be different.

[malcooning]

I don't know if you got to use it, but Ableton Live has great introduction tutorials. they are all written in a side panel that remains and points you to different parts and functions for you to follow. they are very easy to follow and get you up and running with understanding of the fabric of the program. I always see Live as an exemplary software for interface, clarity and help ponters (there's a small window always open and whenever you hover your mouse over anything on the screen, the context in that help window changes accordingly. and even if you built, say, a chain of tools/FXs of your own, you can add text notes that will appear in that window whenever mouse hovers over certain function.

[Paul Fierlinger]

How ambitious is this supposed to get? I thought you were thinking of setting up a basic, user friendly introduction to lure the newbie into playing with the software and trying out some animation. In all but the most disinterested cases, it doesn't take much to get anyone who is already interested in animation started and addicted. Go whole hog super tutorial and you will be turning them away again.

[lemec]

Exactly - I'm thinking that each subject should be covered by just a small tutorial project - not one giant tutorial!

One project just to handle drawing and working with the drawing tools.

Another project just to handle moving the display around.

Another project/tutorial just to handle working with the timeline.

Etc.

AND... at the end of each project, it should let you play around as much as you want afterwards with whatever you've learnt.
They're definitely not supposed to all be viewed in one sitting!

The thing is, the welcome window should allow you to choose between these subjects.

[lemec]

Ok, here's what I had in mind. It's just a start. I've attached the TVP file in case anyone wants to add to it.

tutorialproject.gif (54.46 KiB) Viewed 29593 times

[Peter Wassink]

Hey nice work Marc! i like it, its a very simple solution to guide first time users.

pointing out the most used and usefull shortcut keys like that is a good idea.
Don't forget one very important point is to explain how erasing can be done in TVP! its one of the big ear scratchers for beginners.
also don't let them click the freehand line because i think its the default so clicking it again would get them in trouble with the freehand fill.....ehh i realise the buttons function has changed so this is no problem anymore....so i guess it won't hurt to let them click it.
but...i would not start with explaining the auto hide. its not very essential.

actually i'm just thinking it would be fun to have the whole manual in this form, so that people are reading the manual and can at the same time try out the functions that are being described...
on second thought maybe its not such a good idea.
well maybe just a very condensed version with only the basic principles of the TVP interface and tools.

with version 9.5 we can have the different chapters in seperate scenes!

[Elodie]

Very great work Marc ! It's a very good idea and we really need it =)

[malcooning]

Nice going Marc. it's exactly what I had mind. simple walkthroughs. I was thinking that once the user goes through all tutorials, it is possible to present a couple of recorded drawing sessions, or better, screen capture of the whole interface in order for the user to understand what tool is selected at each given moment, and what are the processes being done.

[KenC]

Perhaps a couple keyboard layouts for people used to other programs like photoshop. That was my biggest hurdle. After I got the keys changed to something I was used to, everything else was pretty easy.

[trobador88]

Yes, I'm at this stage of TVpaint experience! I know it's silly, but I used to buy software without testing it first, just because it looked great. That's how I got Anime Studio Pro, to name one (installed, tried a few tutorials but never got charmed by it and have never opened it since). Now, with TVpaint, I've just downloaded the demo version and quite to be honest, it seems fairly self-explanatory. It's relativelt easy to figure out many functions and sutff, if you have previous experience with computer animation, like Toon Boom. However, some simple features that even license-free software like Pencil do have, don't appear at glance. I'm talking about onion skin and eraser buttons. When drawing, I got amazed by how well TVpaint emulates brushes and pencils, but I haven't found how to erase lines (I don't mean to clear the whole image out, just a trace). And, since TVpaint works like traditional animation, I thought that an onion skin feature would appear with the default working space. I've tried every button and nothing! I draw the first frame, and when I go to the second one, I have no previous image nor the slightest hint on how to activate that function. Perhaps those functions are very well hidden in some window, but not a wise choice from programmers. Or maybe It's me and that's not exactly the way Tvpaint works (bezier lines instead?).
Knowing that the trial version is crucial, I'm just about to buy Tvpaint, but would go for another choice if I don't manage to solve those basic issues, which I use a lot in my animations.
Just another question: does TVpaint become slower as the animation increases? I'm asking this beacuse I want a software that would avoid that problem which I deal a lot with on ToonBoom (it becomes obscenely slow after 100 frames, only with pencil tool!!)
Thanks, hopefully, a future Tvpaint user.

[lemec]

Hi Trobador,

In TVP Animation, "onion skin" is known as "light table".

The Light Table is the LT button found next to the opacity slider on each layer. You can right-click the LT button to access the paper opacity levels.

Also, TVP's performance doesn't seem to be affected by long animations as much as working on really really high resolutions and tons of layers.

You should split long animations into clips (like whenever you cut to another shot) so that your animations don't get too long, and so that you can use a different layer setup for background layouts that change during the cut. Also, the proxy system will only update and maintain the frames belonging to the clip you're working on while on the Layer Tab. To play all your clips together, use the Project Tab.