3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [261]
As a simple example of animating objects using the Auto Key button, you'll animate several darts hitting a dartboard.
To animate darts hitting a dartboard, follow these steps:
1. Open the Dart and dartboard.max file from the Chap 21 directory on the CD.
This file includes a dart and dartboard objects created by Zygote Media.
2. Click the Auto Key button (or press the N key) to enable animation mode. Drag the Time Slider to frame 25, and click the Select and Move button on the main toolbar (or press the W key).
3. Select the first dart in the Left viewport, and drag it to the left until its tip just touches the dartboard.
This step creates a key in the Track Bar for frames 0 and 25.
4. Click the Select and Rotate button on the main toolbar, set the reference coordinate system to Local, and constrain the rotation to the Y-axis. Then drag the selected dart in the Front viewport to rotate it about its local Y-axis.
This step also sets a key in the Track Bar.
5. Select the second dart, and click the Select and Move button again. Right-click the Time Slider to make the Create Key dialog box appear. Make sure that the check boxes for Position and Rotation are selected, and click OK.
This step creates a key that keeps the second dart from moving before it's ready.
6. With the second dart still selected, drag the Time Slider to frame 50 and move the dart to the dartboard as shown in Step 3. Then repeat Step 4 to set the rotation key for the second dart.
7. Repeat Steps 3, 4, and 5 for the last two darts.
8. Click the Auto Key button (or press the N key) again to disable animation mode, maximize the Perspective viewport, and click the Play Animation button to see the animation. Figure 21.13 shows the darts as they're flying toward the dartboard.
FIGURE 21.13
One frame of the dart animation
Animating lights
The process for animating lights includes many of the same techniques as those for animating cameras. For moving lights, use a Free Spot light or attach a Target Spot light to a Dummy object. You can also use the Look At and Path controllers with lights.
Cross-Reference
If you need to animate the Sun at different times in the day, use the Daylight or Sunlight systems, which are discussed in Chapter 20, “Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques.” •
To flash lights on and off, enable and disable the On parameter at different frames and assign a Step Tangent. To dim lights, just alter the Multiplier value over several frames.
Animating materials
Materials can be animated if their properties are altered while the Auto Key button is active. Max interpolates between the values as the animation progresses. The material must be consistent for the entire animation: You cannot change materials at different keys; you can only alter the existing material parameters.
If you want to change materials as the animation progresses, you can use a material that combines multiple materials, such as the Blend material. This material includes a Mix Amount value that can change at different keyframes. The next tutorial shows how to use the Blend material in this manner.
Several maps include a Phase value, including all maps that have a Noise rollout. This value provides the means to animate the map. For example, using a Noise map and changing the Phase value over many keys animates the noise effect.
Note
Another common way to animate materials is with the Controller nodes that are applied in the Slate Material Editor. Using these Controller nodes, you can alter material parameters for different frames and even access the Curve Editor for these controllers. •
A useful way to view animated materials is to click the Make Preview button (the sixth button from the top) in the Compact Material Editor to open the Create Material Preview dialog box, shown in Figure 21.14. Select the Active Time Segment option, and click OK. The material renders every frame and automatically opens and plays the material preview.
FIGURE 21.14
The Create Material Preview dialog box can render the entire range