3dsMax/html/animation.html

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<h1>Animation</h1>
<p>This chapter describes procedures and precautions regarding the use of 3ds Max to create animations for NintendoWare.</p>
<p>
<a href="#common">Animation Overview</a><br /> <a href="#chara_anim">Character Animation</a><br /> <a href="#vis_anim">Visibility Animation</a><br /> <a href="#color_anim">Color Animation</a><br /> <a href="#tex_pat_anim">Texture Pattern Animation</a><br /> <a href="#tex_srt_anim">Texture SRT Animation</a><br />

<a href="#scene_anim">Scene Animation</a><br>
</p>

<h2><a name="common">Animation Overview</a></h2>

<h3><a name="make_curve">Automatically Creating Animation Data</a></h3>
<p>When exporting, animation curve data for output is created automatically from baked data from frame values.<br> The animation curves from 3ds Max cannot be output without modification.</p>

<p>The rotational value automatically generates animation curve data after adjusting the baked data so that it is continuous and has a small absolute value.</p>


<h3><a name="cmdl_attr">Values Output to CMDL Files</a></h3>
<p>
If attributes are being animated, values for the start frame specified with the Export option are output to the CMDL file. However, the Translate, Rotate, and Scale values of nodes which affect skinning are output in the skinning-configured state.<br> Be aware that what are being output are not the current values for the frames in 3ds Max.
</p>


<h2><a name="chara_anim">Character Animation</a></h2>
<p> Character animations are configured by animating the <B>Translate</B>, <B>Rotate</B>, and <B>Scale</B> values of nodes (these nodes may be objects or bones, Bipeds, or dummies).
</p>
<p>
We recommend setting the axis array to &quot;<B>XYZ</B>&quot; using the <B>Euler Parameters</B> combo box in the <B>Motion</B> panel.<br> If the axis array is set to something other than XYZ, the volume of animation data could become very large.
</p>
<p>Animation curves are always baked inside the Export plug-in before being output.</p>
<br>


<h2><a name="vis_anim">Visibility animation</a></h2>
<p>
The animation set in the rendering control <strong>display</strong> is reflected in the visibility animation.<br> 0.0 is interpreted as invisible. Values greater than 0.0 are interpreted as visible.<br> Interactive invisibility settings are not reflected in the intermediate file.
</p>
<center><img src="./images/visibility.gif"></center>
<br>
<p>
For visibility animation, animation curve data is always automatically created and output from baked data.
</p>
<table border="1" class="arguments"><tbody><tr><td>
When the Export option <a href="export.html#options_compress_node">Compress Node</a> has been set to <B>Cull Useless Node</B> or <B>Cull Uninfluential Node</B>, make sure nodes which have visibility animations configured are not compressed, since visibility animation is set on a node basis. (You can set the compression disable flag using the <a href="data_plugins.html#no_compress_node">NW4C Set No Compress Node Plug-in</a>).<br> When using visibility animation, do not set <CODE>Compress Node</CODE> to <strong>Unite Compressible Node</strong>, <strong>Unite All Node</strong> or <strong>Unite Below Node</strong>.<br>

</td></tr></tbody></table>


<h2><a name="color_anim">Color Animation</a></h2>
<p>
Color animation is set by animating a material's <strong>diffuse reflected light</strong>, <strong>specular reflected light</strong>, <strong>transparency</strong> and <B>self-illumination</B>.
</p>
<center><img src="./images/material_setting.gif"></center><br>


<h2><a name="tex_pat_anim">Texture Pattern Animation</a></h2>

<p>
Texture pattern animations are created using IFL files.
</p>
<h3>The IFL file</h3>
<p>
The IFL file is the standard text format file supported by 3ds Max.  In 3ds Max, image files can be substituted in every frame for viewing. Specify the IFL files in the same way you use bitmaps to allocate image files to a material's diffuse reflection light.
</p>
<p>
Texture names are recorded inside the IFL file in the order of substitution.
</p>

<p>
In the example below, the IFL file has been configured to play animation in the order p1, p2, p3, p1, p2, p3, ....
</p>
<pre>
p1.tga
p2.tga
p3.tga
</pre>
<p>
In this second example, the IFL file has been configured to play animations in the order p1, p1, p2, p3, p3, p1, p1, p2, p3, p3....
</p>
<pre>
p1.tga 2
p2.tga 1
p3.tga 2
</pre>
<p>
When registering image files in the IFL file, do not register a mix of color index format textures and non-color index format textures. An error will result if the file contains a mix of textures.
</p>
<p>
The 3ds Max IFL Manager is a useful tool when creating IFL files.<br> To read about IFL files in more detail, see the 3ds Max Help.
</p>

<h3>Controlling Repetition</h3>
<p>
You can use the Material Editor's <I>Time</I> category to control how IFL files get played on 3ds Max.<br>
</p>
<center><img src="./images/tex_time.gif"></center>
<br>
<p>
All items in the <B>Time</B> category other than <STRONG>Synchronize frame to particle edge</STRONG> are reflected to the .cmata file.</p>

<h3>Notes</h3>
<ul>
<li>
SPACE is the only valid delimiter in IFL files.
</li>
</ul>

<br />


<h2><a name="tex_srt_anim">Texture SRT Animation</a></h2>
<p>
Animations with coordinates set to <B>Offset U,V</B>, <B>Tiling U,V</B>, or <B>Angle W</B> can be output as texture SRT animations. No other parameters are supported.
</p>
<p>Animation curves are always baked inside the Export plug-in before being output.</p>
<center><img src="./images/tex_srt.gif"></center>
<br />


<h2><a name="scene_anim">Scene Animation</a></h2>
<p>Scene animations are configured by animating the camera and light attributes.</p>
<h3><a name="camera_anim">Camera</a></h3>
<ul>

<li><strong>Attributes For Which Animation Can be Set</strong>
  <p>
The following is a list of attributes that can be configured with animation:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Common
    <ul>
      <li>Camera's <strong>Translate</strong></li>
      <li>Camera's View / Clipping planes (Near/Far)</li>
      <li>Height of orthogonal projection (if camera is orthographic camera)</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>Free Camera
    <ul>
      <li>Camera's <strong>Rotate</strong></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>Target Camera
    <ul>
      <li>Target's <strong>Translate</strong></li>
      <li>Camera's roll angle</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>

<p><STRONG>Global coordinate space</STRONG> values are output for the camera position and direction. If camera or target (equivalent to <CODE>Aim</CODE>) nodes have parent nodes, the Translate and Rotate settings of the parent node are also applied.</p>
  </li>

</ul>

<h3><a name="light_anim">Lights</a></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Light Types</strong>
<p>Output of standard lighting is supported as shown below.<br>
<ul>
<li>Omni-light</li>
<li>Spot light (Target Spot Light or Free Spot Light)</li>
<li>Directional light (Directional Light or Target Directional Light)</li>
<li>Environment: ambient light (Ambient Light on the Environment dialog)</li>
</ul>
</li>


<li><strong>Attributes For Which Animation Can be Set</strong>
<p>
The following is a list of attributes that can be configured with animation:</p>
<ul>
<li><STRONG>Position</STRONG> and <STRONG>Rotate</STRONG> (For all cases other than Environment: Ambient Light)</li>

<li><B>Color</B> (The value that gets output is the color multiplied by the intensity)</li>

</ul>
<br>
<p><STRONG>Global coordinate space</STRONG> values are output for the light position and direction. If a light has a parent node, the Position and Rotate for the parent node are also applied.</p>
</li>


</ul>


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