path constraint in 3DS Max 2011

[caboddie1]

hi I am trying to get my bike to follow a line i have made using path constraint but my bike is in multiple parts due to conflicts with materials and with me wanted to animate the pedals and wheels spinning. when i try doing it, it jumbles it all up. can anyone help me sort this problem. I am using 3DS Max 2011 and i am fairly new.


Shot at 2012-04-12

Shot at 2012-04-12

[needse]

select the bike and group it together. then group the pedals and wheels as separate objects. animate them spinning for the duration of your animation then select and link the pedals and wheels to the bike frame then attach the bike frame to the path constraint and all should work anymore probs let s us know

[caboddie1]

thankyou for the help i will let you know how i get on

[caboddie1]

also what is the best way to draw my line, view ect. i want it to go over a series of jumps

[rocneasta]

draw it in 2D view (not orthographic/user or perspective) from the view where you can make the most of the line shape

that way you have less to modify after

if you can try thinking about where will verticies go, and add a few so you can later move then, or simply Refine the spline as you go

[caboddie1]

thanks for the help. I don't know if it's just my poor laptop (3ds max runs very slow) but while testing it the bike just jolts from position to position is there something i need to change or just my laptop lagging.

[rocneasta]

depends on the effect you are seeing

you can always watch the playback in 1/2 of speed, or perhaps you need to increase the interpolation of the spline that he is running along

[caboddie1]

it's just my laptop its running fine now. how do I edit his posture while going down ramps and up ramps without making it that way the whole time. sorry for the noobish questions I am new to 3ds max and need to finish this for a uni project.

[rocneasta]

just animate him, let the animation run up to a point, get a keyframe in and adjust his pose, after a few more frames change him up again adding a new keyframe.

rinse and repeat

[caboddie1]

ok thank you

[rocneasta]

np, glad it works out as you want it

[needse]

so the bike is going along the path ok now ?

[caboddie1]

ye. but my cog is stuck on the path and i don't know how to unlink it. other than it's going good so far.

[poopipe]

if you want to stop it following the path you need to change its controllers back to normal to get it off the path
- you want to put positionXYZ in the position controller and EulerXYZ in rotation controller

if you want it's position offset from the path then you're doing ti wrong

make a point helper or dummy , constrain that to the path and link the bike to it - then you'll be able to move the bike around while it's still following the path


fwiw, it's usually not a great idea to animate groups - better to build a proper linked hierarchy.

[caboddie1]

i tried changing it to them settins but my cog is stuck still stuck to the line thats the only problem the bike is fine