2009

To save a either type of file, click Save File in the Biped rollout. Choose
the desired file type from the Save as type pulldown.
For more detailed information on these file formats and how to work with
them, see
Loading and Saving BIP Animation on page 4300 and Loading and
Saving STP Files
on page 4308.
Footstep and Freeform Animation
character studio provides two distinct modes of animation, footstep and
freeform.
Footstep animation on page 7986 was originally designed for bipedal characters,
that is, characters that walk on two legs. It uses a structured system of dynamics
and balance to create secondary motion in the upper body, including arm
swinging and tail swaying that is automatically applied when footsteps are
used. By using default footsteps, you are assured that the biped's foot doesn't
slide or pass through the ground, and that the foot easily rolls from heel to
the ball of the foot as is common in a typical walk.
Freeform animation on page 7986 provides a more traditional method of
animating to those familiar with 3ds Max, or other character animation
systems. Keys are set by using the character studio Set Key tools found in the
Key Info rollout on page 4367, or by turning on Auto Key mode, moving the
time slider and transforming the biped parts.
Freeform animation includes preset key types called planted, sliding, and free
keys; these make it very quick to lock a biped's foot or hand in space and get
results similar to those of footstep animation.
You can add freeform animation to footstep animation during airborne periods,
making it possible to use both footstep and freeform animation on the same
biped.
Freeform animation is particularly useful for:
Animating a character with more than two legs.
Animating a biped switching between foot-based motion and freeform
motion, such as a biped doing handstands, jumping into a swimming pool,
or leaping up to begin flying through the air.
4226 | Chapter 17 character studio