8
Understanding Controllers 285
Note:
If you load in files made in earlier versions
of the software, their existing con trollers will be
maintained.
Wa rn in g : Be aware that Euler rotations behave
differently than TCB rotations. If you are used to using
TCB controllers, you can reassign TCB Rotation as the
controller and you will get the same beh avior you are
used to.
3ds Max has a specialized type of controller,
called a
constraint
,thatiscommonlyusedtohelp
automate the animation process. A constraint c an
be used to control an object’s position, rotat ion, or
scale through a binding relationship with another
object.
You apply constraints and controllers using
commandsontheAnimationmenu. Whenyou
assignacontrollerfromthismenu,aweighted
list controller is automatically applied, with the
controller you’ve selected appearing first in the list.
The weighted list controller gives you the ability to
blend controllers, similar to a nonlinear animation
system. If you assign a controller through the
Motion panel or Track View, it replaces the existing
controller, rather than creating a list controller.
Youcandothatmanuallyifyouareworkinginthe
Motion panel or Track View.
This section explains techniques for working
with controllers. For details about the parameters
and use of each controller type, see
Animation
Cont rollers (page 2–302)
.
Understanding Controllers
Controllers are plug-ins that handle all of the
animation tasks in 3ds Max, including:
• Storing animation key values.
• Storing procedural animation settings.
• Interpolating between animation key values.
Most animatable par ameters don’t receive a
controller until you animate them. As soon as
youchangeananimatableparameteratanyframe
other than 0 with the Auto Key button on, or click
in its track using Curve Editor > Add Keys, a
default controller is assigned to the parameter.
Accessing Controllers
There are two places where you work directly with
controllers:
•
Tr a ck Vie w: Controllers are
indicated in the Hierarchy list by the various
controller icons. Each controller has its own
individual ico n. Using Track View, in either
CurveEditororDopeSheetmode,youcanview
and work with the controllers for all objects and
all parameters. See
Tr ack View (page 2–483)
.
•
Motion panel: Cont ains special tools
for working with transform controllers. The
Motion panel contains many of the same
controllerfunctionsastheCurveEditor,plus
controls necessary for working with special
controllers such as IK Solvers. Using the
Motion panel you can view and work with the
transform controllers of a single selected object.
See
Motion Panel (page 3–817)
.
Categories of Controllers
There are two main categories of controllers.
These categories are easy to identify when lo oking
at the Track V iew - Curve Editor Hierarchy list.
Sin gle-Par a m et er Cont rol l ers : Control
animation values of a single parameter. Regardless
of w hether the p a rameter has a single component,
such as the number of sides of a cylinder, or
multiple components, such as the RGB values of a
color, the controller is handling a single parameter.
Compound Controll ers: Combine or manage
multiple controllers. Compound controllers