3D studio max r3...

[bigbadbogie]

dx...? you still havent explained how to export animations using the pandemic exporter in newer versions of 3dsmax

[Avatar]

The Pandemic exporter doesn't work with newer versions of Max.  You have to grab the new exporters, maybe made by Dummy?, that are posted on the map sites.  Sorry, I'm linkless...

The animate button in R3 is a big square one in the lower right corner of the screen.  You can't miss it... 

If someone saved the tutorial I did, and I think it used to be on Fish.xsi, then it'll show you in detail how it all works...

Ah, here it is:

http://fishdotxsi.bz2md.com/model.htm

-Av-

[Warfreak]

I have one of Dummy's remakes. Works well 'cept for the fact i jsut found out how to animate correctly.

Does the animate button have a key as the image by any chance?

{edit} WHAAA, 3ds max 7 got rid of the button..........

[TheJamsh]

i have R3 now... thanks to a certain someone being exceddingly helpful...

now when i get some time to learn the interface i can model meself!

[Avatar]

Max 7 got rid of the animate button?  Go figger...  there must be SOME way to set up an animation...  they probably just thought of a way to make it more obscure...

Actually the "Animation Rollout" is more useful than the Animate button, it allows you to set or remove keys by type (position, rotation, scale).

Looking back over this thread I see Lizard posted the link right at the beginning...  doh...  now I feel stupid.

Anyway, re-reading those animation tutorials I have two additions:

1. 1.3 and later will delete the MSH for you, IF you change the Skeleton XSI of an object.  It will NOT delete the MSH if you just change an animation...

2. I rarely apply an XFORM modifier to rescale an object anymore, instead I start out with a primitive, apply an EDIT MESH, and move the verticies myself after that.  Much more direct and easier to deal with.  I also use the primitive just to give me someplace to start, after that I build the faces directly myself.

-Av-

[Warfreak]

fund something that works like it.................... ITS THE............ *gets sniped by Autodesk employee who wants everyone to suffer *

(look down)_____\./
                        the auto key button, it works like the animate button (for those who cant read that...........auto key button)

....................me and my imagination....... the Auto key button works the way that the Animate button would.

[bigbadbogie]

i have 3dsmax 7 - i have the correct pandemic exporter - i know how to animate - when i animate an object and export it (with the animation box clicked) it will not export the animations

[Warfreak]

I used your tutorial AV, and l got was this...................

AnimationSet {
   Animation anim-left_engine {
      {frm-left_engine}
      }
   Animation anim-left_fin {
      {frm-left_fin}
      }
   Animation anim-right_engine {
      {frm-right_engine}
      }
   Animation anim-right_fin {
      {frm-right_fin}
      }


{EDIT!!!!!!!!} I added keys to the scale animation lines AND IT EXPORTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........well, sortof

AnimationSet {
   Animation anim-left_engine {
      {frm-left_engine}
      SI_AnimationKey {
         1;
         3;
         0; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         1; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         2; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;;

      }

      }
   Animation anim-left_fin {
      {frm-left_fin}
      SI_AnimationKey {
         1;
         3;
         0; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         1; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         2; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;;

      }

      }
   Animation anim-right_engine {
      {frm-right_engine}
      SI_AnimationKey {
         1;
         3;
         0; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         1; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         2; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;;

      }

      }
   Animation anim-right_fin {
      {frm-right_fin}
      SI_AnimationKey {
         1;
         3;
         0; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         1; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;,
         2; 3; 1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000;;;

      }

      }

[Warfreak]

um, dont think the exporter worked as well as it should.............. I set rotation animations and for some reason I keep getting that very animation line for every fin animatio nfor that unit every time....

[Nielk1]

I can never get animations to exposrt, even with every key on every frame on every type of animation.

Intristing note, if you import a bz2 model, you have to remove all the FRM objects and re link it all togeather or else it wont export. This is a problem when some of those parts have no mesh counterpart (walkers). I think it is because the XSI exporter wont handle dummy frames.

Can someone just write a step by step for the higher versions of max, since it is so finicky.

[Warfreak]

Ill figure out how to get this thing to work......... think im getting somewhere too.

Ill make a VIDEO tutorial when i get the chance...... (and apps).

[Avatar]

Be very careful when 'animating'...  if you make a cube and 'animate' it by rotating it there is no real animatio there...

Everything 'moves' in relation to something else.  Without that reference there is no motion.

What I'm saying is at the very least you'd:

1. Make a cube.
2. Make another cube
3. Set the second cube as a 'child' of the first.
4. Move or rotate the second cube to create an animation.

NOW there's an animation there, since the second cube is moving in relation to the first.  BZ2 will show this, where it won't show anything you do to a single cube.

That's why many models have an HP_DUMMYROOT.  That provides the engine with a 'higher level frame', and everything else can be animated in relation to that frame.

***

In Max 3 Animation is something you turn on...  the  button goes red and stays red.  THEN you move things around at various time settings.  THEN you turn animation off and export. 

The Animation Rollout, otoh, is a toggle.  You move something, then hit the 'make key' for whatever you're altering (position/rotation/scale) to make a keyframe at that point.  You can also use it to see what type of key you've made, just click on an object with the animation rollout visible and the buttons will show you what type of key is there...  too often I animate something and, when checked, the rotation isn't there as a key.  This can make walkers do some VERY cool twists...

-Av-

[Warfreak]

Thats how auto keys works............

So, a dummy root you say, will try...

THXK AV' 

[Avatar]

You don't need to use a dummyroot, just make sure that whatever you want to animate is a 'child' of something else.  Make a tank body, make it the parent of the 'wings', and then you can animate the wings.  If everything is at the same level and there's no hierarchy, well, then you can't have an animation.  At least, not animated inside the BZ2 engine.  Max will show it just fine, but BZ2 won't.

-Av-

[Warfreak]

.............................. that would have been helpfull FIVE DAYS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but, its nice for you to finally share.