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1084 Chapter 14: character studio
Physique initialization settings affect how
envelopes are created and blending is handled.
The Link Settings, Joint Intersections, and
CrossSectionsrolloutsareusedlatertochange
default settings globally. For this reason, the
Vertex-Link rollout is open when the dialog
appears. This is where you determine the
following default settings:
• Whether envelopes should be used to
manage the vertex-to-link assignments
• Whether Physique uses deformable or rigid
envelopes to manage the vertex-to-link
assignments
• Number of links considered for blending
See also
Physique Rollout (page 2–1106)
Previewing M otion
After you have attached the skin to the skeleton,
Physique deforms the skin when the skeleton is
animated. From this point on, you can preview
animation to see how the Physique skin deforms
and w hether you can use it in a finished animation
or need to correct and refine it further.
Very likely, you’ll need to adjust some of the default
envelope sett ings to ensure all vertices are being
properly handled. It’s by moving the skinned
character in the viewports that you’ll see vertex
assignment problems.
A stray vertex on the right elbow not encompassed by an
envelope.
See the Envelope Sub-Object (page 2–1130) topic
for procedures and interface.
Tip: Physique skins are usually too large for
3ds Max to play them back in real t i me at 30
frames per second. However, speed improvements
in char acter st udio will allow fluid motions of
many skinned meshes. When you attempt to
play back at 30 fps, 3ds Max may drop fr ames
during playback, which makes it hard to see
howPhysiquehasanimatedtheskin. Usethe
Time Configuration dialog to turn off real time
playback. The animation plays back more slowly
thanusual,butitplayseveryframe.
Tip: You can also spe cify which elements of the
characters not to display in the viewports, and
thereby speed up redraw. See Physique Level of
Detail Rollout (page 2–1108).
For a skin attached to a complicated skeleton
such as a biped, you will a lmost always need to
correct s ome vertex assignments before the skin
animates correctly. Most often, you’ll do so simply
by adjusting the envelope’s shape. See .