3ds max

3DS Max – Animation – Controller – Reaction

The Reaction controller is a procedural controller that lets a parameter react to changes in any other parameter in 3ds Max. You need of a master object (driver) and a slave object (driven).

GENERAL

Example: the rotation of a box resizes a sphere

1. Create a Box (it will be the master)

2. Create a Sphere (it will be the slave)

3. MAIN TOP MENU> Animation> Reaction Manager

4. Reaction Manager> click over the small icon ‘+’ (Add Master), pick the Box in the viewport> Select ‘X Rotation’

5. Reaction Manager> select the Master> click over the small icon ‘+’ (Add Slave), pick the Sphere in the viewport> Select ‘Scale’

6. This Create State001

7. Activate ‘Create Mode Button’

8. Rotate the Box and Scale the Sphere> click over small icon ‘Create State’

9. This Create State002

10. Deactivate ‘Create Mode Button’ and close ‘Reaction Manager’

ERASE REACTIONS

MAIN TOP MENU> Animation> Reaction Manager> select a Reaction> click over the small icon ‘Delete Selected’

3DS Max – Animation – Controller – Noise

The Noise controller produces random, fractal-based animation over a range of frames. Noise controllers are parametric: they work on a range of frames, but do not use keys.

GENERAL

1. Select an Object
2. RIGHT COLUMN> Motion> ‘Parameters’> Assign Controller> select in the stack ‘Scale’> click the small icon over the stack list ‘Assign Controller’> choose ‘Noise Scale’

CHANGE CONTROLLER

You can not remove all controllers, I mean, all the elements in the ‘Assign Controller’ rollout need one controller.
The default controllers are:

– Position: Position XYZ
– Rotation: Euler XYZ
– Scale: Bezier Scale

FINE TUNING

MAIN TOOLBAR> Curve Editor> Modes> Curve Editor:

– Controller> Assign
– From the stack> RMB> Assign Controller / Limit Controller

3DS Max – Animation – Controller – Limit

The Limit controller lets you specify upper and lower limits to available controller values, thus restricting the potential value range of the controlled track. For example, in a character rig you could use this to restrict rotation on finger joints so the fingers can’t bend backward. Basically, once a track is limited, and the limit is active, you can’t set a value for the track beyond the limit.

GENERAL

1. Select an Object
2. RIGHT COLUMN> Motion> ‘Parameters’> Assign Controller> select in the stack Rotation> ‘XRotation’> click the small icon over the stack list ‘Assign Controller’> choose ‘Float Limit’
3. Setup Upper Limit: 90, Lower Limit 0, close the Window
4. In the viewport Xrotation will be limited from 0 to 90 degree
5. Modify the setup: RIGHT COLUMN> Motion> ‘Parameters’> Assign Controller> select in the stack Rotation> RMB over ‘XRotation’> change parameters

ERASE CONTROLLER

MAIN TOOLBAR> Curve Editor> Modes> Curve Editor> from the stack> RMB> Limit Controller> Remove Limit

FINE TUNING

MAIN TOOLBAR> Curve Editor> Modes> Curve Editor:

– Controller> Assign
– From the stack> RMB> Assign Controller / Limit Controller

3DS Max – Animation – Controller – Audio

Use the Audio controller to drive the animation of almost any parameter in 3ds Max. The Audio controller converts the amplitude of a recorded sound file or real-time sound wave into values that can animate an object or parameter.

GENERAL

1. Select an Object
2. RIGHT COLUMN> Motion> ‘Parameters’> Assign Controller> select in the stack ‘Scale’> click the small icon over the stack list ‘Assign Controller’> choose ‘Audio Scale’
3. Audio Controller window> Choose Sound> load a .waw file, setup Base Scale Z= 10, setup target Scale=100
The controller is assigned but you can not hear the .wav file
4. BOTTOM RIGHT> ‘Time Configuration’> ‘Play Back’> check ‘Real Time’
5. BOTTOM LEFT> ‘Open Mini Curve Editor’> double LMB> Add the .wav file
Now you can hear the .wav file

CHANGE CONTROLLER

You can not remove all controllers, I mean, all the elements in the ‘Assign Controller’ rollout need one controller.
The default controllers are:

– Position: Position XYZ
– Rotation: Euler XYZ
– Scale: Bezier Scale

FINE TUNING

MAIN TOOLBAR> Curve Editor> Modes> Curve Editor:

– Controller> Assign
– From the stack> RMB> Assign Controller / Limit Controller

3DS MAX – Helpers

GENERAL

RIGHT COLUMN> Create> Helpers

LIST

Standard Helpers

– Dummy: a null object
– Point: a null object

– Grid

– Tape: to measure lenght (metro estensibile)
– Protractor: to measure angles (goniometro)

– Container

– Compass: a compass rose (rosa dei venti)

– Crowd

– Delegate

– ExposeTim