Create Animations on Paths with Rakka and Wiggle Stroke
Cycore FX CFX Path Tools contains two powerful plug-ins, Rakka and Wiggle Stroke, targeted at creating animations based on mask paths. Rakka needs an additional layer to “rack up”, or repeat, along the selected mask path.
From these basic requirements, both filters offer controls that allow for almost endless combinations to create anything from very basic animations to highly unique effects and background elements. PathTools supports 32 bpc color (float) and is Universal Binaries for Mac OS X.
Rakka
Rakka offers a broad range of uses. In its most basic form, Rakka functions as a timesaver. Create repeated path animations with an offset for each instance, without writing complex expressions or a lot of manual work. No need to duplicate a layer several times. No offsets by hand.
For example, if you need five corn flakes packages, or a logo, flowing along a path, Rakka makes that a no-brainer. You get full control over scale, rotation, twist, etc. This only scratches the surface of Rakka’s potential. Use Rakka to create a swirling line. Or how about bands of pearls from a caterpillar moving across the screen to highly organic “HR Giger-like” animations. Thanks to controls for random scale, offset and rotation, transfer modes, scale-in/out, fade-in/out, for example, create stunning animations with minimal effort. In other words, create animations you only thought possible with complicated particle generators.
Wiggle Stroke
The possibilities with Wiggle Stroke are numerous. You can do anything from the basic “wiggling” of frames to completely crazy-looking thread or geometric wire animations, all from a single mask path. To create the wiggling effect, Wiggle Stroke uses three types of modifiers to displace the stroke from the original mask path, basic noise, wave noise, and wave functions. Each type has a variety of options to vary the appearance. In fact, apply wiggling to position, radius, and opacity individually. Be truly amazed at what can be created from just an ellipse or straight line mask path.