8

1066 Glossary
MAXScr ipt
MAXScript is the general-purpose scripting
language for 3ds Max and related products. While
it works the same for all products, some functions
are specific to each. You can use MAXScript
to automate many tasks, including modeling,
animation, material construction, and rendering.
You can also use MAXScript to add custom
command-panel rollouts to the user interface.
The interface to MAXScript is on both the
MAXScript menu (page 3–823) and the Utilities
panel (page 3–821)
.
Meshes
A mesh is the “skin” geometry that Physique
(page 2–927)
deforms. Ph ysique will work on
any point-based object, including geometric
primit ives, editable meshes, patch-based objects,
NURBS, and
FFD space warps (page 3–1031) .For
NURBS and FFDs, Physique deforms the control
points (control vertices), which in turn deform
the model.
Metaballs
Atypeofobjectthatjoinsitselftootherobjects
with a connecting surface. When one metaball
objectmoveswithinacertaindistanceofanother,
a connecting surface is formed between the two.
Metaballs are ideal for simulating liquids and
thick,viscoussubstancessuchasmud,softfoods,
or molten metal.
Yo u c a n c r e a t e m e t a b a l l s w i t h t h e
BlobMesh
compound object (page 1–326)
.
MFE Files
AMFEfilecontainsa motion flow graph (page
2–897)
and any scripts created for the graph. See
Saving, Loading, and Appending Motion Flow
Graphs (page 2–883)
.
MI Files
TheMIfile(. mi) contains a mental ray scene
description that a mental ray renderer can use to
render your 3ds Max scene. When you render
w ith the menta l ray renderer, you can export to a
text (ASCII) .
mi file. (There is a binary . mi format
as well. The mental ray renderer in 3ds Max does
not generate this format.) The exporter always
generatesmi3(mentalrayversion3)format. It
does not support mental ray version 1 (mi1).
You specify a name and location for the .
mi file
on the R ender Scene dialog > Processing panel >
Translator Options rollout (page 3–115) .
See t he mental ray manual,
Programming mental
ray,
for a complete description of the mental ray
scene description language.
Mirroring
When working with a biped (page 2–701) ,the
Mirror control in the
Keyframing Tools rollout
(page 2–816)
allows you to mirror the entire biped
animation.
Mix
Data in the Motion Mixer (page 2–581) for a single
biped. The term
mix refers to the arrangement of
elements in M otion Mixer (
clips (page 3–1069) ,
transitions (page 3–1121) , balance information
(page 3–1008)
)aswellastheresultofthe