9

Set Start Frames Dialog 1237
successively farther delegate i s assigned the next
highest priority.
For any delegates that are equidistant f rom the
object, the software assigns priorities randomly.
Proximity to a Gr id—Lets you assig n priorities
based on delegates distance from an infinite plane
defined by a specific grid object. To specify the
gr id object , click the None button, and then select
the grid object on which priorities are to be based.
Lastly, click the Assign button to compute and
assign priorities. The delegate closest to the grid
object is assigned t he Start Pr iority value, and each
successively farther delegate i s assigned the next
highest priority.
For any delegates that are equidistant f rom the
plane, the software assigns priorities randomly.
Assign R andom Pr iorities—Assigns random
priorities to the selected delegates. The range of
priority values assigned lies between the Star t
Priorit y value and that value plus the number of
selected delega tes.
Mak e Prior ities Unique—Ensures that a ll delegates
have unique priority values. If two delegates shar e
thesamepriority,oneofthemwillbegivenanew
priority value that differs from the rest.
Increment Pr i ori ties Increments the priorities of
all selected delegates by the Increment value.
Increment—Sets the value by which the Increment
Priorit ies button adjusts delegate priorities. Use a
negative Increment value to decrement priorities.
Default=0.
Set Star t Frames—Opens the Set Start Frames
dialog (page 2–1237), for setting start frames based
on assigned priorities.
Display Prior ities—Enables the display of assigned
priority values as black numerals attached to the
delegates. Default=off.
Display Sta r t Frames—Enables the display of
assigned start frame values as black numerals
attached to the delegates. Default=off.
When both Display Priorities and Display Start
Frames are on, the two values are displayed side by
side, separated by a slash symbol (/). The priorit y
appears to the lef t of the slash and the star t frame
appears to the right.
Set Start Frames Dialog
Create panel > Helpers > Object Type rollout > Crowd >
Priority rollout > Set Start Frames button
Select a Crowd object. > Modify panel > Prior i ty rollout
>SetStartFramesbutton
Whenyouincludebipedsinacrowdsimulation
using a shared motion flow, you usually don’t want
them all walking in lockstep formation. You can
avoid this by setting different start frames to vary
the animation f r ame at w hich each biped starts
moving using its initial motion clip. In most cases,
you would set start fr ames in the same order as
priority, so you don’t get bipeds with earlier s tart
fram es stuck behind bipeds with later start frames.
TheSetStartFramesdialogletsyouautomatically
assign star t frames to delegates in the same order
as priority.
This dialog assigns start frames to the delegates
selected via the Delegates To Prioritize control.
In general, you should first use a non-random
method to assign priorities in the Priority rollout
(page 2–1235), such as the Pick/Assign button or
one of the Proximit y options, and then assign st art
frames with this dialog . You can use the dia log to
set a start frame for the hig hest-priority delegate
(that is, the delegate with the lowest Priority
setting), and then have star t frames incremented
randomly b etween two limits for t he remaining
delegates, based on priority order.