nmn,
Okay I too have been trying to solve this 'problem' or issue I think is a better word to use. Here is what I know.
BIPED is Character Shops fast way of doing this job, but I have yet to find out how to export it correctly for Blitz yet.
DO NOT USE BIPED unless you use the SMD2 exporter route - there are tutorials on BlitzCoder or on this forum - can't remember where...
BUT To get a result using Pipeline, use Max's Bone Tool as follows:
(1) Make your character in Max 5.x
(2) Go to Front viewport, ensure your character is positioned centrally and pull up the 'bone tools' menu, which is under Character - Bone Tools
(3) Click 'Create Bone' and follow any of the normal bone tutorials. You put bones into the character manually and adjust each position using all the viewports to make sure they are placed correctly. Edit the bones where necessary.
(4) Then I think you have to apply an IK Solver called HI Solver - which is under Animation - IK Solver - HI Solver You join the top bone to the last bone in the chain.
(5) Then go to the Modifiers menu and apply the Skin modifier to your character (select the character first then apply the SKIN mod).
(7) Use the Skin menu to Add and Edit bone envelopes, watch the colours of the skin to ensure the bones control only the skin around the bones which should be moving them.
(8)Fiddle until done
(9) Animate using key frames
(10) Export using Pipeline to get a B3D animating Character - with no bones showing!
You may have to look through the Max tutorials for a better/clearer explanation of this method of animation.
NOW...I am not an expert, these are only guidelines, but I have managed this week to make some progress in this area so most of this is correct Im just a little hazy on the details.
TEST it with a simple example rather than waste a lot of time. When you have it 'down' then do the whole model again from scratch.
When you export the B3d and place it into Blitz3D I was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked, my effort looked pathetic but hey it did work.
Hope this helps,
IPete2.
Okay I too have been trying to solve this 'problem' or issue I think is a better word to use. Here is what I know.
BIPED is Character Shops fast way of doing this job, but I have yet to find out how to export it correctly for Blitz yet.
DO NOT USE BIPED unless you use the SMD2 exporter route - there are tutorials on BlitzCoder or on this forum - can't remember where...
BUT To get a result using Pipeline, use Max's Bone Tool as follows:
(1) Make your character in Max 5.x
(2) Go to Front viewport, ensure your character is positioned centrally and pull up the 'bone tools' menu, which is under Character - Bone Tools
(3) Click 'Create Bone' and follow any of the normal bone tutorials. You put bones into the character manually and adjust each position using all the viewports to make sure they are placed correctly. Edit the bones where necessary.
(4) Then I think you have to apply an IK Solver called HI Solver - which is under Animation - IK Solver - HI Solver You join the top bone to the last bone in the chain.
(5) Then go to the Modifiers menu and apply the Skin modifier to your character (select the character first then apply the SKIN mod).
(7) Use the Skin menu to Add and Edit bone envelopes, watch the colours of the skin to ensure the bones control only the skin around the bones which should be moving them.
(8)Fiddle until done
(9) Animate using key frames
(10) Export using Pipeline to get a B3D animating Character - with no bones showing!
You may have to look through the Max tutorials for a better/clearer explanation of this method of animation.
NOW...I am not an expert, these are only guidelines, but I have managed this week to make some progress in this area so most of this is correct Im just a little hazy on the details.
TEST it with a simple example rather than waste a lot of time. When you have it 'down' then do the whole model again from scratch.
When you export the B3d and place it into Blitz3D I was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked, my effort looked pathetic but hey it did work.
Hope this helps,
IPete2.