3ds Max Animation with Biped

Using Freeform Mode

Creating a freeform animation is easy—just turn on the Auto Key button and start animating the biped, or select a biped body part and click Set Key. After you’ve started a freeform animation, all the biped parts are still linked and can be animated, but the Footstep Mode button is grayed out, and all footstep operations are disabled. You are now working in freeform mode.

In the following exercise, you’ll see that freeform animation takes a little more effort and knowledge of animation concepts. But it also allows you to construct a wider variety of animations than what you can do with footstep animation alone.