Trails is an add-on for After Effects which creates amazing, fully dynamic trails, swooshes and speed lines. You can set up a Trail in seconds, and apply dynamic effects to give even more life to your animation.
Hello OtherCubed, the script-demo don't works in the German actual AE-Version. Script-error in line 3 - "Layer" don't exist in the German Version. Here it's "Ebene" - when I replace the word the script-error is gone but nothing happens from the trail-script and animation. Jörg R. - germany
Hey - Trails creates dynamic trails that update instantly when you make changes. You can also add dynamic effects like velocity, movement etc. to the trails.
Hello Tom, I'm now a little further in my German AE version. The tail is now created on a null object in the middle of the screen. If you attach this null object to the actual object, everything is fine. However, after a few minutes I had a serious AE memory error.
Unfortunately, the expressions needed to make Trails work aren’t available before CC2018! I’d love to have it work with earlier versions but it won’t be possible.
Hello Tom, I'm now a little further in my German AE version. The tail is now created on a null object in the middle of the screen. If you attach this null object to the actual object, everything is fine. However, after a few minutes I had a serious AE memory error.
Hey, could you create a support ticket so I can try and help you further?
I used the trial version, there is issue on the trace point when I try to attach it to one layer , I found it was not adsorbed on the anchor point but always on the top left of the target layer, not sure if it is the only problem on trail version.
I used the trial version, there is issue on the trace point when I try to attach it to one layer , I found it was not adsorbed on the anchor point but always on the top left of the target layer, not sure if it is the only problem on trail version.
Hey Liben! I've just fixed this so the Trail will stick to the anchor point instead.
get's really laggy after a while, is there a way to bake the expression?
Hey - I'll look into adding a way to bake the keyframes within the script for a future update. However, for now it's worth checking that you've not raised the point samples higher than needs be, and that you've changed the trail path to rotobezier (You can see how by clicking the '?' button on the trails panel).
If you really need to bake, you can look at using 'convert expression to keyframes' within After Effects, or you can check out a script such as the excellent Easy Bake!
I'm having trouble understanding how the script calculates velocity for a 3d comp. If I have a trail that does not move then no trail shows. However if I then add a camera, set a keyframe, then move the camera right on the x axis, the trail appears and goes to the left on the x axis. It seems like no trail should appear since the Trail point is not changing value. But somehow it still is getting velocity from the camera movement (even though the position of the trail point does not change in 3D space.
Thanks for this great plugin! Saved me a lot of time with some orbiting spheres and trails merging. I do have a question/request concerning gradient strokes. There most be a way to let the start and end point of a gradient stick to the movement of the target. Do you have a suggestion to achieve this or am I not seeing the obvious
Thanks for this great plugin! Saved me a lot of time with some orbiting spheres and trails merging. I do have a question/request concerning gradient strokes. There most be a way to let the start and end point of a gradient stick to the movement of the target. Do you have a suggestion to achieve this or am I not seeing the obvious
Hope to hear from you!
Thx
Hey! Unfortunately this is a limitation with AE itself. There is a stroke plugin called 'Thicc Stroke' which allows gradients along a stroke, but I have not tried it with Trails myself!
Hello. I'm trying to make the trails work properly in 3D. Specifically, my 3D object that the trail is parented to is orbiting another 3D object (a circular layer acting as a planet) and I want the trails to be obscured by the planet when my 3D object goes behind it. The OC Trails Point Null is 3D already and I can see it moving in 3D space with my orbiting object. However, the trail is visible behind the planet even though my orbiting object is obscured by it as expected.
When I change the OC Trails shape layer to be 3D, the expression errors out.
Compatibility says it's only compatible up to cc 2021. Will it work in 2022? Are you working on a 2022 version?
Apologies - I've tested on 2022 and it should be working. I've just updated the compatibility tab! There is a trial version available for you to check before you buy if you wish.
Please can you add an option to make a "path" stay on place like a static pencil draw trail on canvas trail without any moving but initiate from the object as you plugin do.
example case:
here you can see a pink selection "trail" moving after the hand object but the path-the trail are not moving.
Hi there. Do they trails only work on the x and y axis? Or can you also add the z axis? For instance could you track an object through a real shot and then use this to add the trails?
the script-demo don't works in the German actual AE-Version. Script-error in line 3 - "Layer" don't exist in the German Version. Here it's "Ebene" - when I replace the word the script-error is gone but nothing happens from the trail-script and animation.
Jörg R. - germany
Hey! I’ll post a tutorial in the next few days. Thanks!
Hey - Trails creates dynamic trails that update instantly when you make changes. You can also add dynamic effects like velocity, movement etc. to the trails.
I'm now a little further in my German AE version. The tail is now created on a null object in the middle of the screen. If you attach this null object to the actual object, everything is fine. However, after a few minutes I had a serious AE memory error.
Unfortunately, the expressions needed to make Trails work aren’t available before CC2018! I’d love to have it work with earlier versions but it won’t be possible.
Hey, could you create a support ticket so I can try and help you further?
I'm happy to let you guys know that I've just posted a tutorial for recreating the rocket on the main page and on the video tab!
You can do that with Ouroboros 2 https://aescripts.com/ouroboros-2
When I change the OC Trails shape layer to be 3D, the expression errors out.
Thank you.
Thanks!