Add Background Pictures and AVI’s to MikuMikudance MMD

Arizona

12 years ago

How do you add background pictures and video files to MikuMikuDance? How do you add background pictures to MikuMikuDance? How do you load video backgrounds in MMD Direct X9? Why do I get an error message whenever I load a background AVI in MMD?

How to add background pictures and AVI video backgrounds to MikuMikuDance

One of the most under-utilized features of MikuMikuDance is adding background video and pictures to the animation (Although, I’m starting to see more movies featuring up loaders dancing alongside of a model). Imagine adding Miku or any other Vocaloid to your family or vacation pictures and videos. This is something a brand new MMDer can do almost immediately after getting MikuMikuDance!

Adding Background Pictures to MMD

MikuMikuDance will open just about any common image format except GIFs (If you try to load a GIF file, you’ll get a “cannot open BMP file” error message). First, select the picture you want to use. Copy/Paste it into your Background folder in MikuMikuDance. Go to your main menu. Click on the Background tab and select load background picture file and load your photo.

If you don’t like the orientation of your photo you will have to edit the size and otherwise manipulate the image. You can use Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, or Gimp. With enough trial and error, you’ll get it to exactly how you want your background photo situated.

Some advice you should first find out your screen size (it’s one of the choices under the view tab of your main menu) and use that as a starting point for your edits. Background photos and videos are loaded dead center and MMD will not allow you to move them.

Loading AVI’s to your Background.

The steps for loading a background AVI (Audio Visual Interleave) are exactly the same as loading a background picture. The only difference is you choose the load background AVI file. Please note, no footage will actually show, or play, until you load a model and motion data and click play. You will not hear any audio from your AVI footage either. Please also note that AVI 1 is the only video format that MMD will play in the background.

I’ll be the first to admit that this feature stumped me for the longest time. I kept getting a “Cannot open AVI” error message. This message tormented me until I downloaded and installed the Windows 7 Codec Pack from cnet.com and ffdshow from Sourceforge.net. The links for these two downloads are at the bottom of the article. I would also mention that you would choose the Codec Pack appropriate for your operating system.

Whenever you load a background picture or AVI, it will always stay in the background. No matter how you change the model view or manipulate the view angle it will be locked into the background. If your animation is longer than your background footage then it will just freeze on its last frame until MikuMikuDance finishes with the motion data.

http://download.cnet.com/Windows-7-Codec-Pack/3000-13632_4-10965840.html?tag=mncol;8

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow-tryout/

Have fun with this.

Post Note:

You can use background video footage as a reference for your own animations. (See this article: https://learnmmd.com/http:/learnmmd.com/use-the-background-avi-to-make-realistic-animations-in-mmd-7-39/ ) You can also zoom in and out and reposition the background pictures by holding your keyboard’s control (ctrl) key and clicking on the zoom and position icons at the top right of the main display panel.

I found some great fractal footage at Nosro1’s YouTube account and thought it would make some great background footage. So I made a video for our YouTube Account. Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/5NteV3ni2ZQ .

Here is the link to the original Fractal footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGaio87u3A

You should just check out the other uploads in that account. Beautiful stuff.

Credits:

Models: Haku Yowane by Planty-P; MMD Default Akita Neru by Animasa.

Motion Data: Candy Candy by Yamilucy.

Leaning Tower of Pisa Image: http://www.travlang.com/blog/leaning-tower-of-pisa-a-matchless-piece-of-architecture/

Fireworks Footage from Butario’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QN-X7dgYP4

– SEE BELOW for MORE MMD TUTORIALS…

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