3ds max

3DS MAX – Micro Reference Manual – MassFX – Basics

MassFX is a rigid body dynamic simulation tool.
MassFX is powered by NVIDIA(c) PhysX(c) technology.

MassFX has:
– Static Rigid Body, rigid immovable objects (ground, walls…)
– Dynamic Rigid Body, animatable objects (balls, ninepins…)

GENERAL

1. Create a sphere (BALL) 1 meter over the viewport grid
2. Select BALL> TOP MAIN MENU> Animation> Simulation-MassFX> Rigid Bodies> Set Selected as Dynamic Rigid Body
3. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Physical Material> Preset> Rubber
4. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Rigid Body Properties> ‘Bake’ (inforna – cuoci)

NOTICE: the BALL collides with the viewport grid!

ERASE THE KEYFRAMES

Select the object baked> RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Rigid Body Properties> ‘Unbake’

COLLISION MANAGEMENT

5. Create a plane (FLOOR) under the BALL
6. Select FLOOR> TOP MAIN MENU> Animation> Simulation-MassFX> Rigid Bodies> Set Selected as Static Rigid Body
7. Select BALL> TOP MAIN MENU> Animation> Simulation-MassFX> Utilities> Show MassFX Tool> World> uncheck ‘Use Ground Plane’ to remove the collision with viewport grid
8. Select BALL> TOP MAIN MENU> Animation> Simulation-MassFX> Utilities> Show MassFX Tool> Edit> check ‘Collide with Rigid Bodies’ to activate collision with FLOOR

MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE OBJECTS

TOP MAIN MENU> Animation> Simulation-MassFX> Utilities

– Show MassFX Tool
– Open MassFX Explorer

RMB an empty area on the main toolbar> MassFX Toolbar

3DS MAX – Micro Reference Manual – Insert External References

Inserting External References lets you quickly replace one or more objects with another in the viewports or at render time.

XREF SCENES / OBJECTS

MAIN TOP LEFT BUTTON> References> XRef Scenes>

MAIN TOP LEFT BUTTON> References> XRef Objects>

LINK MANAGER

Insert a link to a DWG, DXF, FBX

MAIN TOP LEFT BUTTON> References> File Link Manager>

INHERIT CONTAINER

(container ereditato)

MAIN TOP LEFT BUTTON> References> Inherit Container>

SUBSTITUTE MODIFIER

1. Create an object
2. Select the object, RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Substitute
3. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Substitute> Parameters> Substitute Assignements> ‘Pick Scene object’ or ‘Select XRef Object…’

3DS MAX – Micro Reference Manual – Animation – Basics

SETUP SCENE

BOTTOM RIGHT MENU:

Time Configuration button> Frame Rate
Time Configuration button> Animation> Start Time – End time
Time Configuration button> Playback> Direction> Forward – Reverse – Ping-Pong

SET KEY

BOTTOM RIGHT MENU:

1. Activate ‘Set Key’
2. Move over the Timeline over frame 50
3. Move an object
4. click the quare button ‘Set Key’ to set a keyframe

AUTO KEY

BOTTOM RIGHT MENU:

1. Activate ‘Auto Key’
2. Move over the Timeline over frame 50
3. Move an object to set a keyframe

EDIT MULTIPLE KEY FRAMES

1. TIMELINE> select keyframe with SHIFT+click or DRAG a Selection Region
2. Left click over a selected keyframe (white highlight) and DRAG it over the time

FINE TUNING KEYFRAMES

Select an animated object> RIGHT COLUMN> Motion, here setup:

– Parameters
– Trajectories

Select an animated object> BOTTOM LEFT BUTTON> Open Mini Curve Editor

Select an animated object> MAIN TOOLBAR> Curve Editor

RESCALE ALL ANIMATION

BOTTOM RIGHT MENU:

Time Configuration button> Frame Rate
Time Configuration button> Animation> Start Time – End time

SCALE KEYFRAMES

CURVE EDITOR:

Modes> Dope Sheet> Edit Ranges> DRAG the handles (you can see in the timeline how the keys are changing)

OR

Modes> Dope Sheet> Edit Keys> Select Time (the clock icon)> DRAG to select keys> Scale Time (clock icon with scale)> DRAG over the yellow line to scale

REDUCE KEYFRAMES

CURVE EDITOR:

Modes> Curve Editor…> DRAG a Selection Region to select multiple keyframes> Keys (menu)> Reduce Keys

EDIT CURVES

CURVE EDITOR:

Modes> Curve Editor…> DRAG a Selection Region to select multiple keyframes, now you can:

– Move Keys

– Draw Curves

– Zoom Horizontal Extends
– Zoom Value Extends
– Zoom
– Zoom Region
– Pan

– Set Tangents to Spline (2 tangents controls for every point)

– Set Tangents to Fast
– Set Tangents to Slow

– Set Tangents to Stepped (stepped robotic movement)
– Set Tangents to Linear
– Set Tangents to Smoot

– Break tangents
– Unify Tangents

3DS MAX – Micro Reference Manual – Modifiers – Slice

The Slice modifier lets you create a cutting plane that slices through a mesh, creating new vertices, edges and faces based on the location of the slice plane gizmo. It can remove top or bottom mesh.

With this modifier you can:

– model a geometry
– animate a geometry

GENERAL

1. Create an object
2. Select the object, RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Slice
3. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Slice> Parameters
4. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Slice> Slice plane> move the slice plane

ERASE THE MODIFIER

RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> LMB over the modifier (blu highlight)> RMB over the modifier> Delete

3DS MAX – Micro Reference Manual – Modifiers – Shell

The Shell modifier “solidifies” or gives thickness to an object by adding an extra set of faces facing the opposite direction of existing faces, plus edges connecting the inner and outer surfaces wherever faces are missing in the original object.

With this modifier you can:

– model a geometry
– animate a geometry

GENERAL

1. Create an object
2. Select the object, RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Shell
3. RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> Modifier List> OBJECT-SPACE MODIFIERS> Shell> Parameters

ERASE THE MODIFIER

RIGHT COLUMN> Modify> LMB over the modifier (blu highlight)> RMB over the modifier> Delete