Pardon my stupidity... Animating clouds

[chrisshort]

I know I have done this in the past but I seem to be missing something. V3.2

I have a cloud layer that I just want to move through time on the X axis.  I assumed to set a key frame at zero of the X of the Main/ Cloud Centre (starting at 0) and then another Keyframe at 100 where I change X to a very large number (say 50000). When I change the number, the cloud pattern updates as expected.  When I scrub back to 0, the cloud pattern stays as if it was still at frame 100 but my number values of X says 0.  I also notice my Y axis changed on me but I only hit set key for X.

In the end, the cloud pattern is not moving on the X from 0 to 50000 as intended.

Am I doing this wrong and was there supposed to be a better way to move the clouds in the sky?

Thanks for all the help!  (Search function and tutorials I saw didn't cover animations, at least what I could find)..

Chris

[bigben]

Other signs that things are going right... When you set a key frame the number changes to green. In adjacent frames the number is blue. If the X value at frame 100 isn't green you may have accidentally missed selecting it? (Been there, done that).

And reading you post correctly, you're moving the cloud node, correct? From memory there's a check box to move the textures with the cloud.  I usually animate the PFs rather than the cloud node. You can get some cool effects if you are using more than one PF in your cloud setup and you animate them at different rates... E.g. Increasing Y for one and decreasing Y for the other.

[chrisshort]

Yes I get the green on the keyed frame and blue in the middle but after I set the second key, when I go back to the first key, the numbers have changed (not locked).

When you say Cloud Node, I'm selecting the cloud from the list and keying the parameters from the Cloud Center as that is the only place I saw a linear change in the texture.  I may have to do screen grabs to show what I'm seeing/doing.....

I'll try the move texture with clouds...

UPDATE: Move Texture with Clouds is the correct procedure... Will also look into the multi directional movements as well.
Thanks!

[chrisshort]

Other signs that things are going right... When you set a key frame the number changes to green. In adjacent frames the number is blue. If the X value at frame 100 isn't green you may have accidentally missed selecting it? (Been there, done that).

And reading you post correctly, you're moving the cloud node, correct? From memory there's a check box to move the textures with the cloud.  I usually animate the PFs rather than the cloud node. You can get some cool effects if you are using more than one PF in your cloud setup and you animate them at different rates... E.g. Increasing Y for one and decreasing Y for the other.

ok, ready to experiment with the Power Fractal but not sure what value would be best to animate (or how to combine two PF's additively) . I'm assuming from your suggestion that we might get a "rolling cloud effect" with the opposing motions on the fractals.  Just not sure which value to adjust.

Thanks!

[bigben]

Here's a very basic example... 4D noise turned off for demo purposes.  But basically anywhere where you're using 2 or more PFs with clouds

[chrisshort]

Great! I'll take a look and see what I can learn!
Thanks for all your help Big Ben!
Chris