Post by Anthony on May 10, 2015 17:03:28 GMT
You start creating bones by clicking the Create Bones button on the Bone Editing Tools rollout, or by clicking the Bones button in the Systems category on the Create panel.
To create bones, do the following.
Your first click in a viewport defines the start joint of the first bone.
The second click in a viewport defines the start joint of the next bone. Visually only one bone is drawn at this point because bones are visual aids drawn between two pivot points. It is the actual pivot point’s placement that is important.
Each subsequent click defines a new bone as a child of the previous bone. The result of multiple clicks is a single chain of bones.
Right-click to exit bone creation.
This creates a small “nub” bone at the end of the hierarchy, which is used when assigning an IK chain. If you are not going to assign an IK chain to the hierarchy, you can delete the small nub bone.
3ds Max lets you create a branching hierarchy of bones. To create a branching hierarchy, such as legs branching from a pelvis, do the following:
Create a chain of bones, and then right-click to exit bone creation.
Click Bones (or Create Bones) again, and then click the bone where you want to begin branching. The new chain of bones branches from the bone you click.
Warning: The behavior of a branching bone hierarchy is not always intuitive.
Note: You can also use Select And Link to connect one bone hierarchy to its branches. However, except for this one special case, using Select And Link with bones is not recommended. To edit an existing bone structure, whether branching or not, use the Bone Tools instead.
Assigning IK Controllers to Bones
By default, bones are not assigned inverse kinematics (IK). Assigning an IK solver can be done in one of two ways. Typically, you create a bone hierarchy, then manually assign an IK solver. This allows for very precise control over where IK chains are defined.
The other way to assign an IK solver is more automatic. When you create bones, choose IK solver from the list in the IK Chain Assignment rollout, and then turn on Assign To Children. When you exit bone creation, the chosen IK solver is automatically applied to the hierarchy. The solver extends from the first bone in the hierarchy to the last.
For more information about IK, see Introduction to Inverse Kinematics.
Setting the Initial Position of Bones
When you first create a bones system, the position of the bones is the initial state. Before you assign an IK solver or method, you can change the initial state of the bones by moving, rotating, or stretching the bones individually.
Bone Color
By default, bones are assigned the color specified for Bones in the Colors panel of the Customize User Interface dialog. Choose Object as the Element and then choose Bones in the list. You can change the color of individual bones by selecting the bone, clicking the active color swatch next to the bone’s name in the Create panel or Modify panel, and then selecting a color in the Object Color dialog.
You can also use the Bone Tools to assign bone colors, or to assign a color gradient to a bone hierarchy.
Bone Fins
Fins are visual aids that help you clearly see a bone’s orientation. Fins can also be used to approximate a character's shape. Bones have three sets of fins: side, front, and back. By default, fins are turned off.
Renderable Bones
Bones can be renderable, though by default, they are not. To make a bone renderable, turn on the Renderable check box in the bone’s Object Properties dialog.
Object Properties for Bones
In addition to visual properties, bones have behavioral properties. The controls for these are located on the Bone Tools floater.
You can use these controls to turn other kinds of objects into bones.
Using Constraints with Bones
You can apply constraints to bones as long as an IK solver or method is not controlling the bones. If the bones have an assigned IK controller, you can constrain only the root of the hierarchy or chain. However, applying position controllers or constraints to a linked bone can cause undesirable effects, such as breaking
To avoid this problem, don't apply position controllers directly to child bones. Instead, create an IK chain and apply the controller to the IK chain's end effector.
Constraints and controllers that affect orientation only, such as Orientation or Look At, do not present this problem when applied to child bones.
To create bones, do the following.
Your first click in a viewport defines the start joint of the first bone.
The second click in a viewport defines the start joint of the next bone. Visually only one bone is drawn at this point because bones are visual aids drawn between two pivot points. It is the actual pivot point’s placement that is important.
Each subsequent click defines a new bone as a child of the previous bone. The result of multiple clicks is a single chain of bones.
Right-click to exit bone creation.
This creates a small “nub” bone at the end of the hierarchy, which is used when assigning an IK chain. If you are not going to assign an IK chain to the hierarchy, you can delete the small nub bone.
3ds Max lets you create a branching hierarchy of bones. To create a branching hierarchy, such as legs branching from a pelvis, do the following:
Create a chain of bones, and then right-click to exit bone creation.
Click Bones (or Create Bones) again, and then click the bone where you want to begin branching. The new chain of bones branches from the bone you click.
Warning: The behavior of a branching bone hierarchy is not always intuitive.
Note: You can also use Select And Link to connect one bone hierarchy to its branches. However, except for this one special case, using Select And Link with bones is not recommended. To edit an existing bone structure, whether branching or not, use the Bone Tools instead.
Assigning IK Controllers to Bones
By default, bones are not assigned inverse kinematics (IK). Assigning an IK solver can be done in one of two ways. Typically, you create a bone hierarchy, then manually assign an IK solver. This allows for very precise control over where IK chains are defined.
The other way to assign an IK solver is more automatic. When you create bones, choose IK solver from the list in the IK Chain Assignment rollout, and then turn on Assign To Children. When you exit bone creation, the chosen IK solver is automatically applied to the hierarchy. The solver extends from the first bone in the hierarchy to the last.
For more information about IK, see Introduction to Inverse Kinematics.
Setting the Initial Position of Bones
When you first create a bones system, the position of the bones is the initial state. Before you assign an IK solver or method, you can change the initial state of the bones by moving, rotating, or stretching the bones individually.
Bone Color
By default, bones are assigned the color specified for Bones in the Colors panel of the Customize User Interface dialog. Choose Object as the Element and then choose Bones in the list. You can change the color of individual bones by selecting the bone, clicking the active color swatch next to the bone’s name in the Create panel or Modify panel, and then selecting a color in the Object Color dialog.
You can also use the Bone Tools to assign bone colors, or to assign a color gradient to a bone hierarchy.
Bone Fins
Fins are visual aids that help you clearly see a bone’s orientation. Fins can also be used to approximate a character's shape. Bones have three sets of fins: side, front, and back. By default, fins are turned off.
Renderable Bones
Bones can be renderable, though by default, they are not. To make a bone renderable, turn on the Renderable check box in the bone’s Object Properties dialog.
Object Properties for Bones
In addition to visual properties, bones have behavioral properties. The controls for these are located on the Bone Tools floater.
You can use these controls to turn other kinds of objects into bones.
Using Constraints with Bones
You can apply constraints to bones as long as an IK solver or method is not controlling the bones. If the bones have an assigned IK controller, you can constrain only the root of the hierarchy or chain. However, applying position controllers or constraints to a linked bone can cause undesirable effects, such as breaking
To avoid this problem, don't apply position controllers directly to child bones. Instead, create an IK chain and apply the controller to the IK chain's end effector.
Constraints and controllers that affect orientation only, such as Orientation or Look At, do not present this problem when applied to child bones.