HELP: Robot Tread Rigging

#1

Hey! I’m rigging a robot, which travels on treads, and I was wondering how to accomplish this while still being able to manipulate it all as an attribute (like having a value between -10 and 10) so I could animate the left and right treads independently.

I’ve tried animating all separate treads using “attach to curve”, but don’t know how to reuse that data (I’ve tried saving it as a clip in the Trax Editor). I’ve also entered in all the translation and rotation info as seperate keyframes in each tread. Maybe this could work by using Expressions? I’m just not sure how to go about that… Please Help!!

THANK YOU!

#2

Try using this script.
AS_TreadsCreation 2.2.0 -http://www.creativecrash.com/maya/downloads/scripts-plugins/c/as_treadscreation–2

#3

-Thanks Mandozza! Do you know if there is a way to make the curve able to change? like if the wheels inside the treads track change position, so the curve would follow?

#4

You should be able to animate the individual control points of the CV curve you use for the treads. Also I’m not sure if it’s possible but you might want to see if you can parent constraint the control point to the wheel that moves so it will follow. If that doesn’t work I’m sure there is a technique out there that will do what you need.

#5

Just a heads up about that script…I was a big fan when I used it on a couple of treads that moved at a constant rate. BUT, if you animate the speed changing the tread movement doesn’t animate smoothly.
It was a bummer when I discovered this because it is a simple script to use.
If anyone figures this out though drop a line!

#6

I have heard and tried about as_tread, its good.
but i do it by using follicles…i feel its very easy (if u dont want to use others scripts)

#7

maybe skin the curve to the wheels for tread/wheel interaction

#8

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