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Reality3D
07-16-2003, 06:50 PM
I wrote some days ago in maxscript section if there was a way to access block controller within maxcript in an attempt to do some crowd simulation with character studio's crowd(see this thread http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=71230) with non bipedal characters and objects with hierarchies(cs crowd only allows simple objects). And my question is, without something like block controller's "NLA", how would yo do a simulation that put's a complex animation(for example a spider) in a crowd system. I thougt in putting "clips"(with the same length and with the first and last frame equal in all the clips) in negative frames and put them "with love" following the simulation states(run-walk,turning around etc...), but this is not an smart/flexible solution, and is very limited

Chris Thomas did something like this with particle flow, but the system he uses is pretty nasty and limited too imho
http://support.discreet.com/webboard/wbpx.dll/~3dsmax/read?64701,133


Suggestions? :)
Nicool
07-17-2003, 03:06 PM
Do you know Mayem, a crowd manager using CS coded in maxscript. http://www.adamwatkins.com/mayhem.htm Try it ;)
Reality3D
07-17-2003, 03:33 PM
Of course, "mayhem" is the key ;) but there is not public code or methods available
BrandonD
07-17-2003, 04:35 PM
You'd be surprised what you can get away with by just using particles. However for much more detailed crowd CS Crowd makes more sense. It has its share of problems and limitations though and the quality of the results is almost purely based on the quality of the Motion Flow you develop.
Reality3D
07-17-2003, 05:22 PM
Hi Brandon

My question,rather to how solve a crowd simulation(with particles or using a crowd system) is how to manage the results of the simulation states and how put in a smart way a complex hierarchical object(not biped), how to handle this object's animation clips and so on. Cs crowd only works from what i know with biped's using motion flow or in single objects using motion synthesis with animated paremeters of modifiers

Let's say something like this:
a spider that has wings. Goes forward, stops, open the wings, start flapping, fly, turn around, go forward.

The particle or the crowd system would work with the avatar states and it's world position, there is no problem with that. But how to put the animation in a smart way(something like block controller)?

Can you do this with particle flow extension(like Chris Tomas but without ease curves and similar "nasty" tricks)?

I only searching a general answer of how to face this


Thanks! :)
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