automating a propellor animationin max 5.1

[jlelievre]

All you have to in order to make the propellar rotate constantly is to set your Parameter Curve Out of range controller types to 'cycle'. (just look it up in th help files if you're unsure of what this is) Make sure that your animation curves are not set to 'ease in' or 'ease out', otherwise you will get a slowing and speeding up thing. I have included a simple file for you to look at...hopefully it will help. :)

[schmoron13]

Intrinsia,

thanks for the quick reply. The good news is that I got the propellor to spin. The bad news is that I made a mess: I'm really inexperienced when it comes to animations so be forewarned: I detached the propellor from the plane, then linked it to a dummy object and rotated that. Went to the Parameter Curve and got it all straightened out, :applause: BUT now I can't get it to animate while still following the plane. If I attach the dummy or the propellor to the plane, then nothing happens, and I get the same result if I link it to the plane. i'm afraid that i'm not experienced enough to see a workaround. Any thoughts on how to make the propellor follow the plane but remain animated?

Thanks a lot for your help.

By the way, I saw your demo reel...great stuff. That mountain villa looks familiar. Do you also post on www.cgarchitect.com?

thanks again,

Doron

[jlelievre]

You can use dummies if you want to but simply animating the propellar geometry, then linking that to the plane, then animating the plane should work. I gave it a try and it seems to work fine. :)

[schmoron13]

i feel like a retard, but I'm trying it, and I'm getting strange results. I animated the propellor, then linked it to the plane, but now the propellor starts animating at a weird angle. :cry: I should note that the prop. is a merged object (not sure if that matters).

[mrapelje]

Propeller should be a seperate object, and not part of any groups. Thats how I have done things like this. If you start over (recomend... break links seperate object ungroup groups...) Make sure you reset your xforms.

[schmoron13]

mrapelje,

If I make it it's own object from scratch, then how do I link it to the plane? I'm not sure I understand your workflow.

[Bobo]

Originally posted by schmoron13
i feel like a retard, but I'm trying it, and I'm getting strange results. I animated the propellor, then linked it to the plane, but now the propellor starts animating at a weird angle. :cry: I should note that the prop. is a merged object (not sure if that matters).


Weird angle?
Select the plane, right-click the Scale icon in the Main Toolbar - in the Transform Type-In dialog, are all 3 Scaling values 100.0 ?
Just a shot in the dark.

[schmoron13]

Originally posted by Bobo
Weird angle?
Select the plane, right-click the Scale icon in the Main Toolbar - in the Transform Type-In dialog, are all 3 Scaling values 100.0 ?
Just a shot in the dark.

they're all 100%...

[schmoron13]

and it works well until I try and attach/link/etc the prop. to the plane

[Bobo]

Originally posted by schmoron13
and it works well until I try and attach/link/etc the prop. to the plane


"Attach" is not "Link".
You are supposed to Link it.

Can you describe step by step what you do?
(which buttons you press where and what the results are)

Can you post a sample file so we can SEE the problem?

Cheers,
Bobo

[schmoron13]

1. create a plane for the propellor, setting the length segs to 8.
2. change the shape to an edit.poly
3. in verex subedit, "shape" the outline of the prop.
4. change to poly subgroup, and extrude faces
5. in vertex, shape the depth outline
6 adjust the pivot point to be the middle of the propellor housing (the cone), using the Pivot > Affect Pivot Only tool
7. Shift rotate the prop 120 deg x2 copies, setting the object to instance
8. using soft selection, I rotated the blade to make them more aerodynamic
9. I selected the 3 blades, and using auto key, rotated them 360 degrees on the z axis (relative to the front view) at keyframe 10
10.in the curve editor, I hit Q to filter only animation tacks
11. I set the parameter curve out of range types to Cycle
12. close the curve editor window
13. scroll through the clip to see that the prop rotates correctly
14. link the prop (using the button on the main toolbar) to the plane
15. scroll through the clip to see that the prop rotates correctly
BUT NOW, it looks like the xyz axis has rotated to where the z axis is now "dept," ie away from the viewer (in the front viewport)

Note: I can't seem to include the file as the max size is too big (even after deleting materials, and the symmetry and HSDS modifiers)...I can email to whomever wishes to see what i've butchered

-doron

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