9

Point Cache Modifier 761
usingthisoptionpreventseachobjectfrom
thrashing the disk on playback.
Be conservative in using this, as it can consume
a great deal of memory. However, if one cache
file is used by several objects, the cache is
loaded into memory only once.
Slave—These options apply if 3ds Max is running
as a network-rendering client; see the preceding
for details. In this situation, only Per-Sample and
Pre-Load are available, and the default option is
Per-Sample, so the clients don’t lock files.
[la bel]—This read-only field displays the size of the
pre-loaded data w hen Local is set to Pre-Load.
Playback Options gro up
Strength—Affects the motion relative to the
original animation. Applies only when Rela tiv e
Offset is on. Default=1.0. Range=-10.0 to 10.0.
At 1.0, the animation plays back the same as
recorded. W ith strengths between 0.0 and 1.0, the
animation is relatively restrained. A t strengths
greater t han 1, the animation is exaggerated. With
negative Strength settings, the motion is reversed.
Relative Offset—Enables offsetting the animated
vertex positions relative to their positions
as recorded, based on the Strength setting.
Default=off.
Note: WhenyouturnonRelativeOffsetandplay
back a cached animat ion with the modifiers turned
on, the cached vertex positions are calculated
relative to their positions as calculated by the
modifiers. For example, if you record a Bend
animation to a cache fi le, and t hen play it back
w ith both Relative Offset and the Bend modifier
on and Strength=1.0, all vertex positions are
doubled, resulting in exaggerated motion.
Apply To Whole Object—When off, only the active
vertex selec tion is animated. In this case, for the
cacheanimationtobevisible,theselectionmust
includeatleastsomeoftheoriginallyanimated
vertices.
Playback Type group
Play ba ck Type—Specifies how playback occurs:
•
Original R ange—Plays back the cache over
the range it was originally recorded, so the
animation will always be the same as the
original.
•
Custom Start—Plays back the cache from a
custom start time, set by Star t Frame, but the
animation length and play back speed w i ll be
the same as the orig ina l animation.
•
Custom Range— Lets you set start and end
fra mes within which the current cache plays
back. Using a range th at is smaller than the
original record r a nge plays the cache back
faster, while specifying a larger range plays the
cache back slower.
•
Playback Gr aph—Lets you animate which cache
frame is played at any given time.
For example, if you record a cache from frames
0 to 100 and then want it to play back twice
as fast forward and then in reverse, choose
thisoption,turnonAutoKey,settheFrame
parameter to 0.0 at fr ame 0, 100.0 at frame 50,
and then back to 0.0 at frame 100. The function
curve of this parameter in Track View shows
how the cache is played back. Animating the
Frame value lets you achieve unusual effects
such as slowing a cache down over time,
creating a ping-pong effect during playback,
etc.
Start Frame—The frame number at which the
cached anima tion starts playing back. U sing
decimal fractions lets you start at a sub-frame
setting when using a Frame:Ticks time display.
Available only when Playback Ty pe is set to
Custom Start or Custom Range. Default=0.0.