[3ds Max] [Skyrim] Video: Animation Tutorial

[doan77]

@pornphile : you made a mistake in your first post :

 

1. 4/ Set up proper annotations.
2. 5/ Unhide/unfreeze all layers. Ctrl+A to select everything in the scene.

You need to unhide and unfreeze everything before the annotation.

 

[pornphile]

The order doesn't matter when setting up annotations. I did it slightly different in the video. But I'll change the outline to be consistent with the video.

[Guffel]

I know this is not really the right place to ask, but I can't think of a better one.

 

How do I make an animation containing funiture that pop into existence when the animation starts?

 

It that basically how the Estrus animations are made? The tentacles also just come from the ground with the only diffrence that they move by themself.

[pornphile]

FNIS for Modders Documentation should cover animobjects and furniture animations. Don't know about Estrus

[D_ManXX2]

 

I know this is not really the right place to ask, but I can't think of a better one.

 

How do I make an animation containing funiture that pop into existence when the animation starts?

 

It that basically how the Estrus animations are made? The tentacles also just come from the ground with the only diffrence that they move by themself.

 

Not sure how to do it in 3dmax but in blender it is actually just more like smoke and mirrors. if you have seen one handed attacks how they put pull out there weapons and afterds sheath there weapons again ?? i think Estrus is also making use of this. it is the transition where you will see the weapons again. the weapons where always in the hands but you can make use of visual keying to make stuff visible and then hide them again. So when you see the tentackles pop out of the floor that means that they started invisible then became visible after a short time.

[pornphile]

 I gave up trying to even get an animation exported much less converted to hkx. I need a tutorial for dummies with step by step and slowly. not click click click (no vocal) that's how it's done LOL. 

Hi Mogie

Feedback is always welcome.

 

Just some comments: All tutorials will assume the user has some prerequisite knowledge. In this case, knowing their way around 3ds Max. Else you get into the position of 'just how far at the beginning do you start?' How to navigate in 3ds Max? How to import with Niftools? How to unzip files? etc... I won't troubleshoot someone's setup.

 

I'm showing and telling you exactly what you need to do to export an animation. If it's too fast, pause and reread. You don't need to perform some tribal ritualistic orgy to make an animation(you should be doing this regardless). And yes, it can be boiled down to a few clicks and done.

 

However, if you prefer the sound of a soothing voice done at a leisurely 2 hour pace, I recommend Bergzore's tutorials.

 

And as a final act of desperation, you can also ask for help. Like what issues did you have? Valar Dohaeris.

[pornphile]

My biggest problem was getting the rigs to actually work, meaning only the rig/body would move but no matter what I did I could not get arms, hands, legs to move independently only the skeletal rig itself would move as if it were not attached to the limbs but the center ring would move the center of the body slowly pulling the rest with it in which ever direction you push or pulled it. so I figured I would just stick with conversions and lets those that know there way around that portion of 3dsmax do the animations. and I wasn't saying anything about your tutorial it is just that the ones I've seen that are supposed to be "The basics" are a bit more then advanced. I have much less patience then I did 30 years ago so it was nothing personal just a bit of frustration on my part. it was much easier with MS3D many years ago, modeling and animating.

To make sure we're on the same page, re-download the latest archive. Open the F+M scene and move either one of the rigs off to the side. Establish what you can and cannot do:

 

1. Click the Move tool, click on the foot object thing(should be pink), what happens when you try to drag XYZ gizmo around?

   

 

2. Do the same for this pink cross object. What happens when you try to move this around?

   

 

The center pink ring is working like it should to move the center of mass. Have you watched the rig walkthrough video? It shows how to interact with the rig. Additionally, the rig Usage section goes into more detail about all of the functions.

[pornphile]

Glad you got it sorted. Feel free to ask questions

[Bergzore]

For me the controllers are not linked to the skeleton. I move/rotate the controllers but the skeleton does not move. It's been some time since I've used Max so it could be something very simple I'm missing lol. Anyone have any ideas?

[pornphile]

For me the controllers are not linked to the skeleton. I move/rotate the controllers but the skeleton does not move. It's been some time since I've used Max so it could be something very simple I'm missing lol. Anyone have any ideas?

Have you read the Usage section and understand the concepts of FK/IK? The rig default behavior is IK and so some controllers have no effect. If this is not your case, post screenshot of what you're trying for.

 

Can you move the foot controller?

[Bergzore]

It is working. Not sure what was going on yesterday. Thanks.

[parzysty]

Havok Content Tools links are dead.

 

Do I need Max 2012 specifically or can I use the newest version?

[pornphile]

Havok Content Tools links are dead.

 

Do I need Max 2012 specifically or can I use the newest version?

Try this: https://software.intel.com/sites/havok/en/

You need the appropriate HCT for your version of Max. 2010,2011,2012 are the ones known to work. You're on your own using 2013+

[parzysty]

 

Havok Content Tools links are dead.

 

Do I need Max 2012 specifically or can I use the newest version?

Try this: https://software.intel.com/sites/havok/en/

You need the appropriate HCT for your version of Max. 2010,2011,2012 are the ones known to work. You're on your own using 2013+

 

 

What do I need this for exactly? I thought with HDT we don't need it anymore.

[pornphile]

 

What do I need this for exactly? I thought with HDT we don't need it anymore.

 

HCT is a Max plugin needed to export custom animations. HDT is in game physics

 

[Serithi]

Alrighty, question. Working on my first pose, it's just a static one-key animation akin to Halo's poses and the like. In the Dope Sheet, do i add "end" to the same key, or do i need to make two keys to get it to work?

[pornphile]

Alrighty, question. Working on my first pose, it's just a static one-key animation akin to Halo's poses and the like. In the Dope Sheet, do i add "end" to the same key, or do i need to make two keys to get it to work?

You don't have to add any keys at all for static poses. The keys are for sound events or something.

You may need to remove Loop Animation filter and set the frame range as 0 - 0.

[Serithi]

 

Alrighty, question. Working on my first pose, it's just a static one-key animation akin to Halo's poses and the like. In the Dope Sheet, do i add "end" to the same key, or do i need to make two keys to get it to work?

You don't have to add any keys at all for static poses. The keys are for sound events or something.

You may need to remove Loop Animation filter and set the frame range as 0 - 0.

loop.JPG

 

Ahh. So basically i don't even need to open up the Dope Sheet, just pose and export?

[pornphile]

Ahh. So basically i don't even need to open up the Dope Sheet, just pose and export?

 

ya

[Serithi]

 

Ahh. So basically i don't even need to open up the Dope Sheet, just pose and export?

ya

 

Alrighty, thanks.

 

Also since i'm here. I'm guessing 3ds Max 2014 is pretty much incompatible? I've followed all the steps as closely as possible and yet i'm getting T-poses with my animation. Or is there someone doing just fine with 2014 and i'm missing something?

[pornphile]

2010,2011,2012 are the ones known to work. You're on your own using 2013+.

[Serithi]

2010,2011,2012 are the ones known to work. You're on your own using 2013+.

Damn. And pre-2014's no longer available on the student site.

[Serithi]

Double-post woo. I'm having a look through all the settings to make sure it's not because i'm doing something wrong. In the Havok Content Tools > Export part, i had to make the configuration manually since there was none available in the drop-down, and i copied all the setting i saw in the video. There's just a couple of things that weren't shown in the video, one/both of which might not even be available on your end depending on what your setup is.

 

Under "Create Skeletons", is there a "Create Partitions..." button? If so, do you know if i need to do anything there?

 

Under "Extract Motion", down the bottom there's "Reference Frame Type" with "Default" (selected by default), "Move/turn" and "Directional movement". Anything needing changing?

 

For that matter, other than not needing to go into the Dope Sheet at all, is there anything else that needs to be done for static poses that's out of the norm for animated poses? Anything i need to change or set up anywhere?

[pornphile]

Double-post woo. I'm having a look through all the settings to make sure it's not because i'm doing something wrong. In the Havok Content Tools > Export part, i had to make the configuration manually since there was none available in the drop-down, and i copied all the setting i saw in the video. There's just a couple of things that weren't shown in the video, one/both of which might not even be available on your end depending on what your setup is.

 

Under "Create Skeletons", is there a "Create Partitions..." button? If so, do you know if i need to do anything there?

 

Under "Extract Motion", down the bottom there's "Reference Frame Type" with "Default" (selected by default), "Move/turn" and "Directional movement". Anything needing changing?

 

For that matter, other than not needing to go into the Dope Sheet at all, is there anything else that needs to be done for static poses that's out of the norm for animated poses? Anything i need to change or set up anywhere?

If you're using my rig, the havok filters are already set up. You need only specify the frame range and use export method for 2010 or 2012. Unless newer HCT can't load older versions?

 

2012 HCT filters:

I guess 'Reference Frame Type' corresponds to 'Allowed Motions'. Match em best you can(maybe leave at default?).

No difference making static pose vs animation.

 

What Max/HCT version are you using?

[Serithi]

If you're using my rig, the havok filters are already set up. You need only specify the frame range and use export method for 2010 or 2012. Unless newer HCT can't load older versions?

 

2012 HCT filters:

cs.JPGextract.JPG

I guess 'Reference Frame Type' corresponds to 'Allowed Motions'. Match em best you can(maybe leave at default?).

No difference making static pose vs animation.

 

What Max/HCT version are you using?

2014, HCT's latest from what i saw (file name has 2014-1-0_20140830_64Bit if that tells you anything :v).