Facial Rigging - Eyeballs & Lids Specifically

[MegaPixel]

http://www.hobson-eds.com/graphics/facialproject.jpg

The above Image shows a simple mechanical head with a 1 axis Jaw and 2 multi axis Eyeballs & Lids. I have never attempted to actually rig a character before so I'm looking for any help or suggestions as to how I go about this. I am assuming that I need to Constrain the Eyball to the Eye Socket aswell as the Eye Lids to the Eyeball and naturally the Jaw to the Head. Then I probably need "on-screen" controllers for each moving part right? I'm scared!

Thanks in advance for any help you may have to offer - Bill

[MegaPixel]

Ok, I'll try to be a bit more specific then. Please look at the following Image:

http://www.hobson-eds.com/graphics/EyeballHelp.jpg

My area of Focus right now is the Eyes and Eye Lids. Trying to rig them to be easily animatable is the problem here. I don't understand yet how to get the constraints to work properly, let alone which constraints to use. I'd also like to work a few onscreen controllers for the Lids, Jaws, Etc. Does anyone have Constraint and Rigging Experience here? Thanks again - Mega

[primal]

what program are u using? telling us might speed up the help process.

[3dflasher]

You could wire the rotations to sliders.

[MegaPixel]

Program: 3DS MAX 6 SP1

3dflasher: As far as wiring the rotators to the sliders goes, could you elaborate on that process? Should I create a Manipulator Slider from the Helpers list and somehow link it to the Eye Lid Object? Thanks for responding so soon - MegaPixel

[3dflasher]

Yeah

Make a slider and right click on it

Go to wire parameters

Then go to object(parameters) and go to value

Your cursor will have a dotted line wating for you to bind it to your object ...click on the object you want to wire

Then go to tranform - rotation

Choose the axis you want it to rotate...for example x

In the next menu that pops up you will see 3 buttons going down the middle of the menu...you will choose the first one... the one that has the arrows pointing to both of the items.

Click connect to wire the object.

The object is now wired----

Click on the slider and go to its menu on the right so you can set the min and max value of the objects rotation for the slider. I have it set at min -1.0 and max 1.6

Remember you can only move the slider when you have the maipulator button pressed ..(next to the tranform gizmos, up top.)

Hope that helped...Im attatching a file so you can reverse enginere it or something...Its max 5 though.

http://www.aldenfilion.com/eye_wire.max

Good Luck!

[MegaPixel]

3Dflasher: Thanks. You Rock!

That was a very helpful tidbit of info their. I actually got my Lids to work on one axis with a slider. So naturally, My follow up question is: "Should I use the same process for an additional Axis of movement with the Same controller or should I create a unique controller for every subtle movement i wish to make?" My Lids need to pitch up into the eye socket as well as roll side to side to create the range of expression I'm looking for. What do you think the best way to do this is? Is creating wired controllers a common way to do something like this or do proficient people just start keyframing eveything and manage it all in the Curve editor?