DFTG 1373: 3DS Max

Open the file ball bounce.max from last week. (If you missed last week and did not complete the practice assignment, do that first.)
Select the ball, right-click, and select Curve Editor from the menu. The Track View window opens, and you should be able to see the ball’s keyframes in the curve editor.
Select the first keyframe, then click the Set Tangents to Fast icon at the top of the window. The shape of the animation curve should change.
Do the same to the keyframes at 20, 40, 60, and 80.
Replay the animation; the ball moves faster at the bottom of the bounce and slower at the top for a more realistic motion. Save the file and keep it open.

Change the Animation by Adding or Moving a Key Using Curve Editor
Extend the Animation with Parameter Curve Out-of-Range Types

Motion panel

Understanding the Motion Panel
Create Position, Rotation, and Scale Keys from the Motion Panel
Change the Trajectory of an Object
Add and Move Position Keys along a Trajectory

Practice:

In the ball bounce.max file, select the ball in the Front view, then select Trajectories from the Motion panel to see the ball’s path.
Notice that the arcs of the trajectory are not the same size. This is because the Dummy’s tangents also need to be changed. Select the Dummy, then open the Curve Editor. Set both keyframe tangents to Linear, and see how the ball’s trajectory evens out.
Replay the animation to see the difference.
Adjust the ball’s trajectory to make each bounce a different height. Select the ball again and activate the Sub-object button in the Motion panel. Select the second upper keyframe sub-object (at frame 30) and move it down a bit. Select the next upper keyframe and move it down a bit more, then move the last upper keyframe down a bit more. The trajectory should step down from the first bounce to the last.
Replay the animation to see the difference. Save the file and keep it open.

Controlling animation

Understanding Controllers and Constraints
Control Orientation with a LookAt Constraint

Practice:

In the ball bounce.max file, create a free spotlight in the Front view
Use the LookAt constraint to make it look at the ball as it bounces.
Change the settings for both lights as necessary. Add materials, save the file, and render the animation.

Assign a Path Constraint

Practice: Move a camera along a path

Open the file Library.max.
Change the Time Configuration to 12 FPS and 100 frames.
Create a path with the line command. The path should start at the door, turn to the right down the aisle, and move around one of the tables. The path should not have hard corners. Move the path in the Front view to approximately eye level.
Create a free camera in the Front view; attach it to the path. You may need to change the orientation of the camera after attaching it. Play the animation to see the camera’s motion.

Add randomness with a Noise Controller

Practice: Create a “home movie” effect by assigning Noise to a camera’s motion.

Open the completed practice file animation practice.max from last week. It should have a camera that moves across the room.
Create a dummy object in the Top view.
Select the camera target and link it to the dummy.
Assign a Noise controller to the dummy’s position; change Strength values to 4, Frequency to 0.3. You may need to move the camera target back to the table after assigning the controller to the dummy.
Save the file and render the animation.

Assignments

1. Make sure all previous assignments are completed. We will be starting the final project next week.

2. Read Chapter 14 in the Visualization Curriculum Student Workbook.

Extra Practice – Optional Assignment

1. Open the file Houston.max and save to your H drive. Create an animation that simulates driving through downtown. Create sunlight in the scene. Get a car model from the Internet, clean it up, and insert it in the Houston scene (group it either before merging or immediately after merging). Create a path through the downtown streets, and constrain the car to the path. Create a free camera and place it either in the driver’s seat (so you have the driver’s view) or behind the car (as if you are following the car); link the camera to the car. Make the car bank correctly around turns. Render and save the animation.

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