| Impossible to animate in 3DStudioMax? |
 vice05 |
hi,
now here's a challenge in animating an object in 3DstudioMax that I just can't figure out:
In the image below I tried to explain a fairly simple movement of an object. The problem arises when one single object has to rotate over multiple pivot points. This is very easy to do, but obviously impossible to animate, because the animation in 3DStudioMax always evolves around the pivot point of an object, and this pivot-point is not animatable.
I came across "animating pivot-points" in the biped object, where the foot of the biped hits the ground plane, rotates over the "heel" pivot point, then the "ball" pivot point, and then the "toe" pivot point, but this mechanism is embedded in the biped...
Since I plan to animate numerous of these objects to create structures like shown in the top left corner, I'ld really need an easy sollution.
If someone knows of any other 3D application where this would be possible, I would also like to know.
Thanks alot!!
read 1915 times
5/28/2007 11:59:48 AM (last edit: 5/28/2007 12:00:36 PM)
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| mattymoose |
that looks like it could be a freakin sweet animation. Whats it for?
Don't give up on 3ds Max so quickly, I'm confident there is a way to accomplish what you want.
try this thread
http://www.maxforums.org/thread.aspx?tid=330961
read 1900 times
5/28/2007 12:10:21 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 12:14:56 PM)
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| Muzzwezz |
i agree with him
will be truly amazing :D
read 1898 times
5/28/2007 12:11:37 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 12:11:37 PM)
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| K'tonne |
have you tried linking the pieces to be moved to a dummy object?
read 1889 times
5/28/2007 12:19:06 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 12:19:06 PM)
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| Idiotforaliving |
why wouldnt you use bones? multiple dummy's?
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read 1881 times
5/28/2007 12:24:27 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 12:24:27 PM)
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| vice05 |
hi and thanks for the quick help,
in case you're interested, I'm a architect student and this is my masterproject in the field of explorative architectural design. Some previews:
http://users.telenet.be/pjsvs/R/
I'll look into the Xform modifier, there seems to be a great deal of potential there.
With dummies and linking the objects I run into parent/child dependency issues...
I tried to solve this problem with bones but I could figure that one out on my own...(not much expirience in that field...)
Thanks alot!
read 1862 times
5/28/2007 1:11:34 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 1:12:26 PM)
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| Cosmic Fool |
-You could use a linked series of Dummy objects or Point Helpers
-You could create several copies of the object, each with it's own pivot point animate them, then just animate their visibility
-You could use an animated Link Constraint
All three will work for what you need.
- The Shiny New Machine -
read 1848 times
5/28/2007 2:27:00 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 2:27:17 PM)
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| mrgrotey |
cosmic was on the right path with linking to dummies but the proper way to do it is to use a link constraint.
-create a dummy object at each indiviual pivot point,
-add the link constraint to the white object (found in the animation menu)
-click on the first dummy
-turn on auto key
-go to frame 10 (or whatever)
-rotate the first dummy and the white object will follow.
-then in the moton panel (this should have opened when you added the link constraint) click on 'add link'
-click on the next dummy this removes the link from the first dummy so it takes over at frame ten.
-rotate the second dummy
-add next dummy to the list and so on
easy when you get used to it
heres a little gif to show that it does work with no need to clone any objects (watch the dummies)
read 1839 times
5/28/2007 2:50:06 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 3:05:18 PM)
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| VKotek |
waw grotey you seem to know everything
read 1828 times
5/28/2007 3:01:08 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 3:01:08 PM)
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| horizon |
Grotey, can you sign my boob
read 1793 times
5/28/2007 7:30:25 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 7:30:25 PM)
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| Sir_Manfred |
Grotey, sign my noob
Marrry Xmas, me hearties!
http://www.Freds3D.com
read 1788 times
5/28/2007 7:42:08 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 7:42:08 PM)
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| HANZZ |
You don't have to animate pivot points. Instead of trying to get one pivot to do all the work, think about what exactly you are trying to achieve. You can put as many dummy objects as you want over the course of a hierarchy in any rig, provided you are aware of how each connection between child and parent will affect the outcome. I haven't as yet tried to duplicate your scenario in max, but it is likely a very simple solution. The hard part will come from whether or not you want every single one of these things to animate like this.
read 1774 times
5/28/2007 8:28:20 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 8:28:20 PM)
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| Dub. |
Grotey, can you sign HANZZ's boobs?
read 1771 times
5/28/2007 8:34:28 PM (last edit: 5/28/2007 8:34:28 PM)
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| mrgrotey |
*throws up*
read 1739 times
5/29/2007 1:22:04 AM (last edit: 5/29/2007 1:22:04 AM)
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| vice05 |
@ Grotey, nice solution, but a bit complicated when alot of objects have to travel a long way and cross each others path, thus using dummies in the same location. With the link contraint in animation, one dummy can not be linked to 2 different objects, so i'ld have my entire scene filled with several 3D grids of dummies, one 3Dgrid for each object.
Here I animated the dummy (linked to the object so it functions as pivot) and counter-animated the object. you can see the pivot 'switching' location
example:
frame1: dummy (0,0,0)/object(50,50,0)
frame2: dummy (50,50,0)/object(0,0,0)
This seems to work quite well, untill this nasty side effect came along:
This happens only when the object's animation reaches a certain complexity
(i.e.10 to 15 rotations and a couple of pivot/dummy swithes)
strange...
Greetings!
read 1688 times
5/29/2007 12:01:51 PM (last edit: 5/29/2007 12:01:51 PM)
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