FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » Children's Animating Software recommendations

   
Author Topic: Children's Animating Software recommendations
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm looking for some kid's software that would allow them to create simple animated movies fairly easily. Not too complicated. We're dealing with children, after all, with short attention spans, and if it's too complicated he'll give up too easily.

Something that is simple to middle of the road. Fairly easy to get set up and use, a good library of stock animation, back drops, etc, sounds, and a simple graphic creation program. Ideally, it'd be nice to import graphics from other formats (i.e.; import a picture of an x-wing or tie-fighter into the animation and do stuff with it.)

I tried to looking briefly and didn't see anything that jumped out at me. Just wondering if hatrack had any suggestions.

Thanks.

Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
cheiros do ender
Member
Member # 8849

 - posted      Profile for cheiros do ender   Email cheiros do ender         Edit/Delete Post 
How about game making software? There seems to be a lot more of that available than movie animation software. Sorry but I can't think of any examples. There's RPG Maker but I find that too complicated at 16 years old. [Dont Know]
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
Maybe. I used to have Stuart Smith's Adventure Construction Set (by EA), back in 1985. It was truly awesome, especially back then. Let you create RPGs. I actually found a copy of it online about 5 years ago and played with it for a few months. Still cool, but very limited.

Might be complicated for a 7 year old. I don't know. I'm looing for something that lets a kid make animated comics (even South Park style). Importing graphics would be most cool, though. I am seeing him wanting to create dog-fights with spaceships (without all the fancy banking and spinning and stuff.)

Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Zeugma
Member
Member # 6636

 - posted      Profile for Zeugma   Email Zeugma         Edit/Delete Post 
Did someone say... animation? [Wink]

http://www.2simpleusa.com/2animate/

Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
Looks exactly like what I am looking for.

though I wish the exhibition's button worked, so I could look at some samples.

Thanks

Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
dkw
Member
Member # 3264

 - posted      Profile for dkw   Email dkw         Edit/Delete Post 
Oooooooooo . . .
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Zeugma
Member
Member # 6636

 - posted      Profile for Zeugma   Email Zeugma         Edit/Delete Post 
Have you introduced him to plain old flipbooks? I used to love making those when I was a kid. And claymation, if you have an old video camera or webcam laying around. Lots of ways to fly spaceships around with those. [Smile]
Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
No. Nor do I have a video camera or web cam.

I like the 2Animate. Down side is that there is no inclusion for sound. I'm going to keep looking.

Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
human_2.0
Member
Member # 6006

 - posted      Profile for human_2.0   Email human_2.0         Edit/Delete Post 
If you have a Mac and a camera, iStopMotion is very popular.
Posts: 1209 | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
don't have a mac. Any other recommendations?
Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
human_2.0
Member
Member # 6006

 - posted      Profile for human_2.0   Email human_2.0         Edit/Delete Post 
AnimatorDV
http://animatordv.wmmedia.com/index.htm

It is *really* expensive though: $100 or $200 depending on which version you get. I have no idea how good this app is.

Posts: 1209 | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Sterling
Member
Member # 8096

 - posted      Profile for Sterling   Email Sterling         Edit/Delete Post 
You might try Clickteam's Games Factory or Klik & Play. They don't make "movie files", per se, but they can make self-sufficient executables that contain animations, and they support the import of several graphic formats.

www.clickteam.com

Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
IanO
Member
Member # 186

 - posted      Profile for IanO   Email IanO         Edit/Delete Post 
thanks, everyone. Flipbook looks cool but seems a bit complicated.

I just want to let him create cartoons simply, with sound, and the ability to import graphics (for sprites and backgrounds.) And to be able to same them, preferably in a movie format. Though Flash should be ok.

Thanks again.

Ian

Posts: 1346 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
breyerchic04
Member
Member # 6423

 - posted      Profile for breyerchic04   Email breyerchic04         Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know if it still exists, but I used kidpix from about 89 (I was born in 86) to 97 and it was good, the later version had fun animation.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2