3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [264]
At the bottom of the dialog box is a Render Viewport drop-down list, where you can select which viewport to use to create your preview file. The Create button starts the rendering process. When a preview is being rendered, the viewports are replaced with a single image of the current render frame, and the Status bar is replaced by a Progress bar and a Cancel button.
Tip
You can use the Esc key on your keyboard to cancel a rendering job. •
If you cancel the rendering, the Make Preview alert box offers the options Stop and Play; Stop and Don't Play; and Don't Stop.
Viewing previews
When a preview file is finished rendering, the default Media Player for your system loads and displays the preview file. You can disable this autoplay feature using the Autoplay Preview File option in the General panel of the Preference Settings dialog box.
At any time, you can replay the preview file using the Tools⇒Views: Grab Viewport⇒View Animated Sequence File menu command. This command loads the latest preview file and displays it in the Media Player.
Renaming previews
The preview file is actually saved as a file named scene.avi and is saved by default in the previews subdirectory. Be aware that this file is automatically overwritten when a new preview is created. To save a preview file by renaming it, choose Tools⇒Views: Grab Viewport⇒Rename Animated Sequence File. This command opens the Save Preview As dialog box, where you can give the preview file a name.
Summary
This chapter covered the basics of animating objects in Max, including working with time and keys. You also learned about the two key creation modes and editing keys. Several animation helps are available, such as trajectories and ghosting. This chapter also discussed how to animate materials and how to create preview animations. In this chapter, you learned how to do the following:
• Control time and work with keys
• Use the two key creation modes
• Work with the Track Bar and the Motion panel
• View and edit key values
• Use trajectories and ghosting
• Animate materials and use IFL files
• Create preview animations
The next chapter shows how to automate the creation of animation keys with constraints and controllers.
Chapter 22: Animating with Constraints and Simple Controllers
IN THIS CHAPTER
Using constraints
Attaching an object to the surface of an object
Making an object travel along a path with the Path constraint
Controlling the weighted position and orientation of objects
Shifting between two controlling objects using the Link constraint
Following objects with the LookAt constraint
Understanding the controller types
Assigning controllers using the Motion panel and the Track View
Setting default controllers
When you first begin animating and working with keys, having Max figure out all the frames between the start and end keys seems amazing, especially if you've ever animated in 2D by drawing every frame. But soon you realize that animating with keys can be time-consuming for complex realistic motions, and again, Max comes to the rescue. You can use animation constraints and controllers to automate the creation of keys for certain types of motions.
Constraints and controllers store and manage the key values for all animations in Max. When you animate an object using the Auto Key button, the default controller is automatically assigned. You can change the assigned controller or alter its parameters using the Motion panel or the Track View.
This chapter explains how to work with constraints and some simple controllers. For example, you can use the Noise controller to add random motion to a flag blowing in the wind or use the Surface constraint to keep a bumper car moving over