Wk_8

 Setting up a Hierarchy

Open the robo_start.max file
  

1_Open the Coordinate dropdown list and check out the names. The ones used most are  world, view, local and parent.

2_Examine each unit of the construction to check its pivot point. With each selected in the Hierarchy panel press the affect pivot only button. Set each pivot at an appropriate place for that object with rotate in mind.

3_Starting from the two claws link to the upper arm. Then link the upper arm to the  lower arm, then the lowerarm to the turntable and the turntable to the base.


The schematic (Graph Editor>New Schematic view) should be as below.

4_Rotate the turntable>local coordinates>z-axis. Turn 45deg and release. Note the x-  type-in at the bottom status bar reads 45deg then zero.The reason for this is that  each part is the child of the next part of the chain.The base is the parent of the  turntable, turntable is the parent of the lower arm, the lower arm is the parent of the  upper arm and so up the chain. You rotate the turntable and is reading is relative to  the next link up the chain - the lower arm. So to keep the reading in the z-axis  status at the bottom of the max screen the coordinate needs to be set at parent.
5_select the turntable and set the coordinate to parent and rotate in the perspective  view, the turntable with angle snap on 45deg, release and the z-axis  type-in on the  baseline status bar. Type 0 and the turntable returns to its former setting.
6_Point to remember that in 3dsmax. In a hierarchy the transforms of position, rotation and scale are calculated RELATIVE to that objects parent

LOCK the transforms_Working in local coordinate system

1_Starting with the base, in the hierarchy panel open the 'locked' tab and lock  everything move, rotate and scale, except the rotate in y lock.
2_moving up the chain, all move and all scale will be locked. Source the axis of rotation for each level and lock all others.
3_Test all the parts for correct rotation.
Example below is for the upper arm

Set-up the animation
1_Set the time to SMTE at 10sec no frames
2_Set the start pose and rotate the turntable, then the lower arm, then the upper arm to be as shown below
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1_To start first animation choose set rotation in Key Filters
2_Select all three parts: turntable-lower arm-upper arm press set key button and at frame=0 click create key symbol. This creates a key at frame 0 for all three objects.
3_Use scroll bar to test
4_Rotate the turntable at 2secs to be in a position shown
5_Rotate the lowerarm to drop the claws to be near the floor at 4secs
6_Use scroll bar to examine
7_With lower arm selected move the key at 0-frame to 2-secs. So now the arm only goes  down 2secs to 4secs
8_Add a bit more variation to the move by putting a bit of upward tilt to the arm.  At frame 0:4:5 (4sec,5frame - its SMPTE and NTSC so =30f/s) rotate the upper arm a bit and hit the create keyframe button.

Fine tune an animation in the Track View - Dope Sheet
Here you see the full potential of being able to vary or fine tune the animated moves.
1_Select the whole construction. Open the Track View-Dope sheet and because all parts are selected the relevant keys are shown
2_Open a level say the lower arm and source out that the relevant active sector is the rotation in the transform sector. The keys can be fine-tuned in this dope sheet
3_Click on the world at the top of the dope sheet and also the modify child key to the far right
4_That shows the total keys in the animations world. A very useful possibility here is the edit range. That is the key 2nd from the top-left in the dope sheet. With edit range in use drag the range to 8sec. Play and see that its a much slower move. Drag the range back to 4sec
5_Other detail that can be added is via the Track View-curve editor. Here the curve function of movement could be say changed to linear. So instead of slow-in and slow- out at any rate of change you could set the keys to straight line abrupt change as in mechanical movement.