2009

Create a Biped Skeleton

Once you have a character mesh, you can create a biped skeleton to fit inside.

Use

Figure mode on page 4420 to set up your biped.

Before you position the skeleton, use controls on the

Structure rollout on page

4424 to alter the biped to match your mesh, setting the number of links for the

spine, arms, neck, or fingers, or adding props to represent weapons or tools.

TIP You can use ponytails to create animated jaws, ears, or horns.

NOTE Certain biped body parts, including fingers, tails, ponytails, props, and

clavicles, can be repositioned in Figure mode to suit different characters.

When you position the biped inside your mesh, start with the center of mass

(COM), which is the parent of all objects in the biped hierarchy. The COM

should be positioned in line with the hips of the mesh character. Scale the

pelvis so that the legs fit properly in the mesh, and then use Move and Scale

on the 3ds Max toolbar to position your biped skeleton.

NOTE In addition to the standard move, rotate, and scale operations, you can

also use modifiers to adjust the parts of the biped.

NOTE Biped body parts cannot be removed, however unwanted parts can be

hidden. If you delete a part the entire biped will be deleted.

The following list includes some tips for positioning your skeleton:

■ Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to cycle through links.

■ Use Rubber Band mode on page 8109 to move and scale the arm and leg

links on your skeleton simultaneously.

■ Use tools from the

Bend Links rollout on page 4363, such as Bend Links Mode

on page 7921 and Twist Links Mode on page 8159 to adjust tail, neck, spine,

and ponytail links.

■ The head, toes, and fingertips should extend slightly beyond the mesh

extents to fulfill the requirements of Physique.

■ Use the minimum number of fingers and toes.

You need extra fingers or links only if you are planning on complex hand

or foot animation. If your character is wearing gloves or shoes, then you

probably only need one finger or toe, with one link.

4148 | Chapter 17 character studio