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Animation (Gmax) Tutorials?
- Thread starter OleBoy
- Start date
gMax Animation can drive you crazy. This should help.
http://www.flightsimonline.com/C162/anim/index.htm
http://www.flightsimonline.com/C162/anim/index.htm
Make sure you label items correctly as per the SDK, this will sort things easily like Ailerons, Flaps(simple hinged variety) elevators & rudder. Also the headache can be getting the axes for each item correct - I always align to world as I find the 'Local' setting will not compile to an .mdl, unfortunately it means making sure you have the movement correct in all 3 planes.
For undercarts & windows within opening doors make sure the linking is correct between the various parts.
You can also find in Gmax that it looks OK in gmax, but when exported the movements is up the creek! - Thats usually caused by not having the axes correct or items not linked correctly.
Good Luck - HTH
Keith
For undercarts & windows within opening doors make sure the linking is correct between the various parts.
You can also find in Gmax that it looks OK in gmax, but when exported the movements is up the creek! - Thats usually caused by not having the axes correct or items not linked correctly.
Good Luck - HTH
Keith
For FSX, I would try FSDeveloper, and scan youtube for any videos.
Sorry that I can help you with the FSX side. :-/
Sorry that I can help you with the FSX side. :-/
Kidding!!
TuFun
Charter Member
Now if there was something like this for modeling FSX aircraft...
I've downloaded these books and it's fascinating how it's done in Blender.
http://airplanes3d.net/model-p40_e.xml
http://airplanes3d.net/wm-000_e.xml
I've downloaded these books and it's fascinating how it's done in Blender.
http://airplanes3d.net/model-p40_e.xml
http://airplanes3d.net/wm-000_e.xml
A precaution worth taking
Since you're animating first and mapping later, before animating an object apply a Reset XForm to each object in turn and then collapse the stack for each. This will save headaches when you come to mapping. Reset XForm is on the Tools tab of the command panel to the right of the viewports in gmax.
Since you're animating first and mapping later, before animating an object apply a Reset XForm to each object in turn and then collapse the stack for each. This will save headaches when you come to mapping. Reset XForm is on the Tools tab of the command panel to the right of the viewports in gmax.
I don't understand the problem Keith, I've never had trouble animating using Local RCS and then exporting to FS. The apparent headache is to align an object's pivot accurately so the animation works accurately, but in fact Gmax already has the tools to do that and it's pretty easy to get right using Helper objects, especially Tape objects. Feel free to ask if you want to know more.
After further thought, here's the method in the hope others find it useful. My thanks especially to Mathias who shared this a while back.
Select the aileron and set Affect Pivot Only in the Hierarchy panel before using the Align tool:–
Snaps and Helper objects are HUGELY useful for aligning things precisely. Hope this helps!
Select the aileron and set Affect Pivot Only in the Hierarchy panel before using the Align tool:–
Snaps and Helper objects are HUGELY useful for aligning things precisely. Hope this helps!
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Tom,
At top of thread, select Thread Tools/Show Printable Version.
Copy paste to a word processor including the links.
Of course you can open the links there or open and copy paste the pics into the WP replacing the links.
Reset XForm condenses all your scale, rotation and other operations on an object, sets scale on the object to 1 and aligns the object's pivot to the Gmax world. If you like, it lets Gmax get an accurate handle on the object's size etc after we've been knocking it into the shape we want. Collapse the stack and you've got editable mesh or poly ready for animating or mapping.
Without this you can get really odd mapping problems, even if you use Reset Scale or Reset Transform buttons on the Command Panel (Hierarchy tab). It's also possible for Gmax to 'lose track' of the object's shape while we're altering it to the extent that a rotation animation on a flap will actually distort the object, not rotate it. I've had both these problems happen and only Reset XForm got the thing back under control.
Just do it before animating or linking other objects to it in a hierarchy.
Without this you can get really odd mapping problems, even if you use Reset Scale or Reset Transform buttons on the Command Panel (Hierarchy tab). It's also possible for Gmax to 'lose track' of the object's shape while we're altering it to the extent that a rotation animation on a flap will actually distort the object, not rotate it. I've had both these problems happen and only Reset XForm got the thing back under control.
Just do it before animating or linking other objects to it in a hierarchy.
HS, does this affect in any way, the mapping? Where as, if I have things already mapped. Mainly for hind sight is why I ask.
Some things were a headache to get "linked" correctly. Once sorted out a sigh of relief. At this stage I'm willing to go with the way I did things and animate.
My Gmax "goto" book arrived yesterday. I'm hopeful I can get a better understanding of what needs to be done in the animation areas.
Some things were a headache to get "linked" correctly. Once sorted out a sigh of relief. At this stage I'm willing to go with the way I did things and animate.
My Gmax "goto" book arrived yesterday. I'm hopeful I can get a better understanding of what needs to be done in the animation areas.
Once an object is mapped, it's mapped until you re-map or edit the mapping via Unwrap UVW. Reset Xform won't affect that at all.
Where I had a problem was objects I applied a mapping of equal length and breadth to but it showed as oblong. (yes, I had clicked View Align...) Played merry hell with the paint kit! Something like this:-
Once a Reset XForm had been applied a square mapping was square, no arguments.
Where I had a problem was objects I applied a mapping of equal length and breadth to but it showed as oblong. (yes, I had clicked View Align...) Played merry hell with the paint kit! Something like this:-
Once a Reset XForm had been applied a square mapping was square, no arguments.
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This one has me scratching my head
Upon re-creating my wing, aileron and controls for a third time (and the fact that all my previous was knocked out of adjustment) I seem to be having an issue that I can't resolve. Everything was built square and level. I then had to add 2 deg of rise to the wing. Once the wing was in place I reset "transform" and "scale" on each part of the control surfaces, and then reset xForm. I then rotated each part the needed 2 degrees so they would all slip into place neatly. This part all went (what seemed) well. I went through the motions of linking everything together and testing rotation as I went. All was fine until I linked the aileron to the control horn. The pivot was off which caused the aileron to pivot crooked. I checked the pivot point to be sure I reset it to the 2 degree offset (which I already set) and I notice that no matter how much I rotate the pivot adjustment, it stays where it was.
This doesn't look like I "think" it should. I'm thinking when I reset xForm that the box should align to the part and not the world to have the pivot reset.
All alignments are spot on. Pivot points are all set X,Y,Z. I'm getting impatient here.
I'm open for suggestion
To confirm all settings were done (and after having everything linked) I reset xForm to see if anything blasted apart. All was fine.
Upon re-creating my wing, aileron and controls for a third time (and the fact that all my previous was knocked out of adjustment) I seem to be having an issue that I can't resolve. Everything was built square and level. I then had to add 2 deg of rise to the wing. Once the wing was in place I reset "transform" and "scale" on each part of the control surfaces, and then reset xForm. I then rotated each part the needed 2 degrees so they would all slip into place neatly. This part all went (what seemed) well. I went through the motions of linking everything together and testing rotation as I went. All was fine until I linked the aileron to the control horn. The pivot was off which caused the aileron to pivot crooked. I checked the pivot point to be sure I reset it to the 2 degree offset (which I already set) and I notice that no matter how much I rotate the pivot adjustment, it stays where it was.
This doesn't look like I "think" it should. I'm thinking when I reset xForm that the box should align to the part and not the world to have the pivot reset.
All alignments are spot on. Pivot points are all set X,Y,Z. I'm getting impatient here.
I'm open for suggestion
To confirm all settings were done (and after having everything linked) I reset xForm to see if anything blasted apart. All was fine.