9

Importing and Exporting Animation Data 921
Anything done in Figure mode changes the
basic shape and structu re of the biped. When
Figure mode is turned off, the Load File tool
loads BIP files, which animat e the figure.
3. In the file dialog, choose the B IP motion file to
load, and then click OK.
4. The biped repositions itself in the scene, as it
assumes the initial position of the animation
file. You might need to use Z oom Extents to see
the biped after it is repositioned.
Tip: The Biped keyboard shortcut Alt +R sets
theanimationrangetothatofthecurrently
selected biped. Since the length of the
animation can change af ter loading a BIP file,
this keystroke can be useful. To use it, make
sure that the Keyboard Shortcut Override
To g g le i s a c t ive .
To save animation you have created or imported to a
BIP f ile:
1.
Animate the biped with footsteps and/or
freeform animation.
2. Select the biped that has the animation
you want to save, and go to t he Motion panel.
3. On the Biped rollout, make sure you are
not in Figure mode, and click Save File.
4. Inthefiledialog,enteranameforthemotion
file, and then click OK.
Importing a nd E x por ti ng
Animation Data
Yo u c a n u s e char acter s tudio with 3ds Max FBX
import/export support to simplify the animation
of 3ds Max bones. To transform an animated
bipedintoasetofanimatedbones,exportitto
FBX (page 3–558) and then import your file.
Click the Help button on the FBX dialog to view
the latest 3ds Max FBX Plug-in Guide.
Motion M apping: Retargeting
Biped Motion
One of the more powerful features of Biped is the
ability to retarget or map the motion of an y biped
onto any other biped. If you map the motion of
abipedwithoutatailontoabipedwithatail,
defaulttailmotionforthebipedwithatailwillbe
computed. Default motion will also be computed
when mapping the motion of a biped with fewer
links in the legs, spine, or neck onto a biped with
more links in the legs, spine, or neck. There are a
few wa ys to perform motion mapping. You can:
• GointoFiguremodeandchangethestructure
of your biped. When you exit Figure mode,
thenewstructureofthebipedwilladapttothe
existing animation.
• Save a BIP or STP file from one biped, and load
it onto another biped of a different structure
and size.
• Copy footsteps from one biped, and paste them
onto the footsteps of a differently structured
andscaledbiped.
ScaleStrideMode
ScaleStridemodegivesyoucontroloverwhether
or not certain aspects of motion mapping occur.
IfScaleStridemodeisactive(thedefault):
• When yo u exit Figure mode after loading a FIG
file or changing the biped’s leg length, pelv is
width, or height, the locations of the footsteps
will be scaled to match the leg length and pelvis
width, and gravit y will be changed to match the
new height of the biped.
•WhenyouloadaBIPorSTPfile,thelocations
ofthefootstepsinthefilewillbescaledto
matchtheleglengthandpelviswidthofthe