3ds Max® 2012 Bible

CHAPTER 35

Using Animation Layers, Modifiers, and Complex Controllers

IN THIS CHAPTER

Using animation layers

Saving and loading animation files

Using the Point Cache modifier

Using the Morpher modifier

Adding secondary animation with the Flex modifier

Animating geometry deformations

Using other animation modifiers

Examining controllers

Just as layers can be used to organize a scene by placing unique objects on different layers, you also can separate the various animation motions into different layers. This gives you great control over how motions are organized and blended together.

If you've worked to animate some Max object and are pleased with the result, you can save the animation clip and reuse it. Several animation clips can be mixed together to create an entirely new animation sequence.

Modifiers can be used to deform and otherwise alter the geometry of objects, but they also can be used to affect other aspects of an object, including animated changes. One such important animation modifier is the Point Cache modifier. This modifier lets the movement of each vertex in the scene be saved to a cached file for immediate recall and for animating multiple objects simultaneously.

The Modifiers menu also includes an Animation submenu that contains many such modifiers. These modifiers are unique in that each of them changes with time. They can be useful as an alternate to controllers, but their resulting effects are very specific. Included with this submenu are modifiers such as ...