2009

TIP For fast access to key info or controller parameters, double-click a controller
track name on the Motion panel or Track View hierarchy window . This productivity
enhancement can help speed your work when fine-tuning animation.
Although 3ds Max has many different types of controllers, much of the
animation is handled by the Bezier controller on page 3138. Bezier controllers
interpolate between keyframes in a smooth curve. You can adjust the key
interpolation of these interpolations through the keys on the track bar or in
Track View. This is how you can control acceleration, hesitation and other
types of motion.
The default controller for Rotation is Euler XYZ, which breaks the rotation
down into three individual Bezier Float tracks. The default controller for
Position is Position X,Y,Z. The Scale controller default is Bezier.
NOTE If you load files made in earlier versions of the software, their existing
controllers will be maintained.
WARNING Be aware that Euler rotations behave differently than TCB rotations.
If you are used to using TCB controllers, you can reassign TCB Rotation as the
controller and you will get the same behavior you are used to.
3ds Max has a specialized type of controller, called a constraint, that is
commonly used to help automate the animation process. A constraint can be
used to control an object’s position, rotation, or scale through a binding
relationship with another object.
You apply constraints and controllers using commands on the Animation
menu. When you assign a controller from this menu, a weighted list controller
is automatically applied, with the controller you've selected appearing first in
the list. The weighted list controller gives you the ability to blend controllers,
similar to a nonlinear animation system. If you assign a controller through
the Motion panel or Track View, it replaces the existing controller, rather than
creating a list controller. You can do that manually if you are working in the
Motion panel or Track View.
This section explains techniques for working with controllers. For details about
the parameters and use of each controller type, see
Animation Controllers on
page 3133.
3102 | Chapter 15 Animation