Unit animation setup for 3DMax5-7

I whipped this up to help Thorgrimm, but figured I might as well post it to help anyone else out using max. This scene was made in 3DMax5, but can be opened up and used in Max6 & 7 as well. This scene contains a Target Camera, Target, Camera Light, Omni Light and a Dummy. The Dummy, and Omni light are set at x-0 and y-0 with arbitrary z coordinates coordinates, the Camera Target is set at x-0,y-0,z-0 coordinates. The Target Camera is linked to the Dummy, and the Camera Light is linked to the Camera. To rotate views, select the dummy and the rotate option, at the bottom of the screen are boxes to type in values. To rotate the dummy to change angles (ex 45, 90,135, etc), type in the desired rotation angle in the z box. The Camera is set with a FOV of one to eliminate any warpage. You will have to adjust it's height and distance from your unit to get the desired camera angle looking down at the unit and unit size appearance. The lighting values are arbitrary as well, and you can adjust the intensity to whatever lighting you desire. Do not mess with the side to side motion of any of the objects. The Camrea should be restricted to up and down and in and out (from object), the Camera Light should be restricted to height and in & out motion from object. The Omni light should be restricted to height movement. Do not change the Camera Target's coordinates. The Dummy should be okay where it's at, also it will not show up in the rendering.

To set up your unit for animation, center your unit's pivot point/center. Then center your unit to x-0,y-0,z-0. You will have to add a plane underneath your unit. I think I covered everything, anyway, here's the file:

Joe, thank you very much for the setup file. I do have a question though, How Do I use it and how do I set up the pivot point? Since I am a total newb to Max could you do a step by step procedure for setting up the unit for animation? If not I can understand as I am sure it involves a lot of steps and procedures.



Cheers Thorgrimm

To center unit's pivot point. Select the object, go to the menu on the right and select the heiarchy tab, then click on 'Affect Pivot Only' tab then click "Center to Object". Click on 'Affect Pivot Only' to turn it off.

Now ,to center your unit, click on the cross-hair tab at the top of your screen then right click it. This will bring up the type-in transform command, this is good for precise movement. Have your unit selected (and pivot centered), and type in 0.0 for all the x,y,z boxes. This will center your unit. Like I said, you will have to move the camera up and down and toward and away from your unit to get the desired angle and size appearance. Do Not move the camera side to side. Try to get the camera so it's pointed toward your unit at a 45 degree angle to the vertical.

Thanks Joe, I will try that, one question though, Do i have to move each and evey item? As on the Sec Bot, it has 5 items in each leg. Is there any way to get the program to link them and move them together, like a real leg moving?



Cheers Thorgrimm

Yes, you can link parts. Select all the parts you want to link to the main body, then select the link button, upper left hand side of screen. Third button form the left, it has two boxes, with a chain between them. Then just select the main body and move it. A good way to select parts is to hit the H key, this will list all the objects in the scene.

Thanks for the advice joe, and sorry for asking so many questions.



Cheers Thorgrimm

Joe, I am probably going to sound like an idiot, but I tried to figure out how to do what you said, and it took me 30 minutes just to figure out that you need to merge, not open the unit file once you have the scene loaded, and the camera keeps diving into the center of the model. I do not know the interface or how to use this program beyond applying textures. I hate to ask again, but do you think you could do a step by step procedure for animating units. As I have only been using this program for 4 or 5 days and I am a complete newb.


Cheers Thorgrimm

Make sure to have one of the viewports in the 'camera' view. That will be the view you animate. To do this, select what viewport you want as the camera viewport. In the upper left hand corner of each viewport is the label, identifying which view it is. Right click on the label, then chose view from the drop down menu, then select camera.

Joe, I have done that and that is when the camera dove into the center of the model and just showed a blob of color. That is why I was confused as to what was happening.




Cheers Thorgrimm

It sounds like the camera is too close to your unit right now. Okay, select the camera object in one of the other viewports and move it back, and away from your unit, adjust the height of the camera as well to keep the angle close to 45 degrees looking down at your unit. That should bring your unit into focus.

Hi

I have a noob question.

How on earth do i save them as flcs from 3dsmax ?

Heretic_Cata said:

Hi

I have a noob question.

How on earth do i save them as flcs from 3dsmax ?

Click to expand...

You do not.

You do the same as you do with every other 3d app (Poser, Bryce, Cinema 4d, POVRay, etc,etc)

You save off the animation in a series of BMPs. These are sorted in to folders based on facing N,NE,E etc.. you then use Steph's SBB tool to convert these BMPs into a storyboard, and after fixing the palete and making edits to the storyboard, you create a PCX storyboard with either Civ3FLCEdit or Flicster. You then use the same program (Civ3FlcEdit or Flicster) to turn the PCX in to a FLC.

Bjornlo said:

You do not.

You do the same as you do with every other 3d app (Poser, Bryce, Cinema 4d, POVRay, etc,etc)

You save off the animation in a series of BMPs. These are sorted in to folders based on facing N,NE,E etc.. you then use Steph's SBB tool to convert these BMPs into a storyboard, and after fixing the palete and making edits to the storyboard, you create a PCX storyboard with either Civ3FLCEdit or Flicster. You then use the same program (Civ3FlcEdit or Flicster) to turn the PCX in to a FLC.

Click to expand...

I didn't know that. Thank you!