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766 Chapter 14: Character Studio
Treat the hands the same as the feet. Set planted
keys on the hands and feet, then move the
center of mass object to bend the knees and
elbows. See
Key Info Rollout (page 2–809) for
moreinformationonthethreesetkeybuttons.
• You can save3ds Max objects as part of the BIP
file. If you need additional legs (for a centipede)
or extra arms or wings you can use standard
bone objects with IK chains, and sav e all of it
w ith the BIP file.
• The Balance Factor in the Key Info rollout Body
group, is designed to sy nchronize upper body
and lower body movement. Set B alance Factor
to 0 if you find the movement of spine link s
isaffectingthebiped’shipmovementsinan
undesirable way.
See also
To learn more about animating a quadruped, see
the tutorial “Animating a Multilegged Creature”.
Animating IK Attachments
A biped can interact with other objects in the
3ds Max scene. Links b etween objects are usually
static, unless you’re using the Link controller.
In character studio, such attachments are
"animatable" as well; during the course of an
animation, the links between the hands, feet, and
objects in the scene c an change as your character
interacts with them.
This capability is useful for:
• Creating freeform motions (without footsteps
and gravit y) that require that feet or hands be
planted with IK, and then released. Examples
are climbing a ladder, riding a bike, or rowing
aboat.
• Motions that involve the temporary
manipulation of objects, such as bouncing or
kicking a ball, opening a door, or touching
another biped.
An object to which a hand or foot can be attached
is called an
IK object .Seethetutorial“Interacting
with Objects” for lessons that show you how to
make a biped iron clothing, ride a skateboard,
bounce a basketball, climb a ladder, and pick up
abriefcase.
Procedures
To ma k e a hand or foot foll ow a n object:
1.
Create the object for the hand or foot to follow.
2. Select the biped’s hand or foot.
Tip: You can select any p art of the biped’s arm
to set keys for the hand, or any part of the leg
to set keys for the foot.
3. In the Key Info rollout (page 2–809) ,expand
theIKdividertoseetheIKsectionofthe
rollout.
4. Click Set Key.
Once a key is set, the IK Blend va lue and other
IK par ameters become available.
5. Click Select IK Object, and choose the
object for the hand or foot to follow.
The object name appears in the field below the
Body and Object radio buttons.
6. On fram es where you want the hand or
foot to start following the object, set a key, set
IK Blend to 1.0 and choose the Object option
on the Key Info rollout. You can also click Set
Sliding Key to set these parameters all at once.
Note: If Object space is turned on with no IK
object specified, the IK constraints will be in
Worldspace.Ineffect,thehandorfootwillbe
attached to the world, and will not move during
the time such a key is set.