Introduction to the New Autodesk Animation Academy - Using 3ds Max (Part 2)

11/30/2005-1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Room:Osprey 2 [Lab] (Swan) Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort Orlando, Florida Introduction to the New Autodesk Animation Academy - Using 3ds Max (Part 2) Pia Maffei - Applied IDEAS, Inc. and Roger Cusson (Assistant); Luke Ward (Assistant) ED33-1L Come attend Part 2 of the Autodesk Animation Academy. This is a continuation from Part 1 and is a hands-on training session. This new curriculum combines art and academics in an exciting learning environment for comprehensive, secondary education. Employing the same 3ds Max animation technology the professionals use to design film special effects and computer games, this district-wide visual communication curriculum immerses students in science, math, language arts, and technology. About the Speaker: Pia is co-owner of Applied IDEAS, Inc. and is recognized as one of the leading instructors for 3ds Max and Character Studio. She is one of only two people in the world designated as a "Master Trainer" for 3ds Max. Over the years she has written and contributed to numerous books on 3ds Max and has delivered specialized training courses at the Game Developers' Conference and Siggraph. She also routinely trains artists at Electronic Arts, Boeing, and for the U.S. military in both fundamental and advanced 3D design concepts. Pia began her 3D graphics career 13 years ago using the first DOS version for video and multimedia productions. Over the years she has developed an impressive training portfolio that includes videotapes, CDs, DVDs, and books. She now produces most of the highly respected 3ds Max courseware published by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. Recently she developed the successful Discreet Design Academy (DDA), an extensive five-part Scientific Visualization curriculum for secondary and post-secondary schools. She also conceived, and helped develop Discreet's world-class Trainer Certification program, responsible for certifying instructors of the highest caliber. pia.maffei@applied-ideas.com

Goal: To discover how you can use the fundamental workflows, such as modeling, materials and animation, inside 3ds Max to help teach language arts, math, science and technology. Objectives Use Procedural modeling to build the Small Intestine and Box modeling to build the Mouth and Esophagus. Create a Target Camera Render a Single Image Merge the remaining parts of the Digestive System and Lights Create a Path animation Create a Preview animation Render the Final animation 2

Understanding Box Modeling Box modeling is a modeling technique that allows you to use either mesh or poly surfaces. The differences between the surface types are the options at the sub-object level. This lesson focuses on the options available at the Poly sub-object level. There are many approaches to box modeling, here s an example of its most basic form. 1. Start with a basic 3D object such as a box, sphere, cylinder etc. This object should represent the main object you are trying to build. If you want to create a cartoon hand, the box should represent the palm and you will extrude polygons to create the fingers. If you want to create an airplane, the box or cylinder would represent the fuselage and you would extrude out the wings. If you want to build a body, then a box would represent the torso and you d extrude the arms and the legs. 3

Tip: You usually build one half of the object and use a modifier called Symmetry to build the other side. 2. Make sure to adjust the number of segments to a low amount since you will be adding detail by extruding, beveling, cutting, etc. 3. Add either an Edit Mesh or Edit Poly modifier. Alternatively, you can convert your object to Editable Mesh or Editable Poly object types. 4. Use a combination of Extrude, Bevel, Cut, Weld, etc. to manipulate the object. 4

5. Add either a Mesh Smooth or a Turbo Smooth modifier, and adjust the Iterations to round out the corner edges and add geometry. Understanding these basic concepts will help you understand the construction of the objects found in the digestive system. In this presentation, you explore the modeling for the small intestine and the mouth and espophagus. The small intestine uses procedural modeling, including a modifier called PathDeform. The PathDeform modifier allows you to set up a path and have a 3D object follow along the path. The mouth and esophagus object uses basic box modeling. 1. Open the file ED33-1L_small intestine.max. 5

2. On the command panels, choose Create > Box. 3. In the Top viewport, create a Box with Length = 0 0.875, Width = 0 0.875, and Height = 20 1.0. Also set Length Segs = 1, Width Segs = 1, and Height Segs = 200. 4. In the Name and Color rollout, enter Small Intestine. 5. In the viewport navigation controls, choose Zoom Extents Selected All. 6. On the command panels, choose Modify. 7. On the Modify panel > Modifier List drop-down, choose MeshSmooth. 8. In the Subdivision Amount rollout, set Iterations = 2. 9. In the Modifier List drop-down, choose PathDeform (WSM). 10. In the Parameters rollout, choose Pick Path, press H, and choose the Small Intestine Path. 11. Choose the Move to Path. 6

12. In the viewport navigation controls, choose Zoom Extents Selected All. 13. In the Front viewport, choose Small Intestine Path. 14. In the viewport navigation controls, choose Arc-rotate Selected. 15. In the Perspective viewport, look at the small intestine. 16. In the Front viewport, choose Small Intestine. 17. In the Modify Stack display, choose MeshSmooth. 18. In the Modifier List drop-down, choose Noise. This adds the Noise modifier above the MeshSmooth modifier. 19. In the Parameters rollout > Strength group, set X, Y, Z = 0 0.125. 20. Set Scale = 1.0, turn on Fractal, and set Roughness = 0.5. 7

This finishes the small intestine. 8

Box Modeling 1. Open the file ED33-1L_Mouth and Esophagus_Start.max. Note: Both the Parthenon and digestive system files have reference images to help during the modeling process. 2. On the command panels, choose Modify > Modifier List drop-down, choose Edit Poly. 3. In the Selection rollout, choose Polygon. 4. In the Perspective viewport, choose the nine polygons at the back of the throat. 5. In the Edit Polygons rollout, choose the Settings button next to Extrude. 6. You eventually will extrude a total of five times. Each time you extrude, rotate the polygons to follow the esophagus. Note: Once you have extruded the amount you desire, then choose Apply to accept the extrusion and start the next one. This image displays the second extrusion. 9

This image displays the last extrusion. Note: After you have finished extruding, you may return to Vertex mode and adjust the vertices if necessary. When you are finished, return to Polygon mode for the next step. 7. At the end of the esophagus, use the Bevel dialog to make a small opening that will go into the stomach. 8. If you want to, you can also use Bevel to add the larynx in the front of the esophagus. 10

9. Delete the polygons so the end of the esophagus is open. 10. On the Modify panel > Modifier List drop-down, choose MeshSmooth. 11. In the Subdivision Amount rollout, set Iterations = 1. 11

Note: In the Local Control rollout, there is an option called Isoline Display. When Isoline is on, it displays the geometry in its simplest form. At 0 iterations, however, the model is rounded in the viewport. When it is turned off, the full complexity of the geometry is displayed in the viewport. This finishes the mouth and esophagus. Create a Camera and Render The quickest way to create a Camera is to edit the Persepctive viewport and then choose CTRL + C. This creates a Target Camera this means there are two separate objects; a camera and a target. You can move the target and camera separately, but the camera will always look at the target. You can also create a Camera by choosing Create > Cameras from the command panels. Using this option, you will notice there are two cameras available; Free and Target. Both types of camera have identical options. The difference is the free camera doesn t have a separate target object. It s like having a handheld camera and is ideal for animated walkthroughs. You use both methods so you can render from several camera views. 1. Continue from the previous exercise. 2. Use the options in the viewport navigation controls to edit your Perspective viewport. 12

3. Choose CTRL + C to create a target camera. Note: The viewport navigation controls update to become your camera controls. 4. On the command panels, choose Create > Cameras > Target. 5. In the Top viewport, create a Target Camera with its target near the mouth. 6. Select a viewport and press C to switch to the Camera s view. 7. In the Camera Navigation controls, use Dolly, Truck, and Orbit to get a good view from the camera. 8. On the main toolbar, choose Quick Render. 9. Select the object Map Layout Front. 13

10. Right-click and choose Hide Selected from the quad menu. Introduction to Autodesk Animation Academy Part 2 11. Save your scene as Mouth and Esophagus.max. Create several cameras and render several images of the mouth and esophagus. Merging Objects Next, you merge the rest of the digestive system into your scene. One of the objects you merge is a space warp named Displace01 that represents a food bolus (chewed up food mixed with saliva) being swallowed. After merging the objects in the scene, you bind the space warp to the esophagus. The space warp will then push the esophagus out while it is moving, making it look like food is being swallowed. Here is some information you might want to know about Space Warps: Space warps are non-renderable objects; only their effect on the object is rendered. Space warps are different than modifiers because they affect objects based on world space rather than object space, which is how modifiers affect objects. You create space warps by choosing Create > Space Warps, and then choosing the type of space warp from the drop-down list. For objects to be affected by Space Warps they must be bound to the space warp. To do this, you must use the Bind to Space Warp icon found on the main toolbar. Space warps can affect different object types, for example Gravity is a space warp that affects particles. Space warps are always displayed at the top of the stack. 1. Continue working where you left off, or open the file ED33-1L_Start_Merge.max. 2. On the menu bar, choose File > Merge. 3. Navigate to the file ED33-1L_Merge_Scene.max, and open it. 4. In the Merge dialog, choose all the objects and click OK. This adds the rest of the digestive system to your scene, including two lights. 5. In the viewport navigation controls, choose Zoom Extents All. The scene is no longer lit by 3ds Max s default lighting, it is now being lit by the two spot lights. 14

All the objects that have been merged come in with their default materials. The only object that does not have a material is the mouth and esophagus that you created. You assign that material next. 6. Press H and choose the Mouth and Esophagus. 7. Press M to open the Material Editor. 8. In the Material Editor, choose the Mouth and Esophagus sample window and drag and drop it onto the object in the scene. Note: Answer Yes to the dialog indicating that the Material is being used in the scene. The liver tube objects have the same material and the mouth and espophagus object. 9. Close the Material Editor. Binding the Space Warp There is an object in the scene called Displace01. It is an animated spacewarp that is meant to make the mouth and esophagus look like it is swallowing food. You use Bind to Space Warp in the next procedure. 1. Continue from the previous exercise. 2. Press H and choose Displace 01. 3. Press ALT + Q to go into isolation mode. 4. Scrub the time slider to see the animation. 5. Choose Exit Isolation Mode 6. In the Camera viewport, choose the Mouth and Esophagus. 7. On the main toolbar, choose Bind to Space Warp. 8. Press H and select Displace01. 9. Zoom into the Front viewport. 10. Scrub the time slider. Watch the animation. It looks like food is being swallowed. 15

11. Save your scene as Digestive System.max. Path Animation In this section, you set up a path animation. Before you start animating, you need to first understand the following terms: Animation Controller Animation Constraints Animation Controllers/Constraints Every object in 3ds Max can be animated because they have animation controllers/constraints assigned to them. For instance, you can transform (move, rotate, scale) all objects in 3ds Max. The very act of transforming an object means that object has a controller assigned. The behavior in which an object transforms from one location to another over time is based on the default animation controller assigned to that transform. For example, the way you animate the Position of an object and the options later available to edit the keyframes is based on the default Position XYZ animation controller that is assigned to the Position track. In the Digestive System animation, instead of turning on Auto Key and changing the object over time to set keyframes, you are going to use the Path Constraint. The difference between a controller and a constraint is that a constraint requires another object to determine its behavior. For example, to animate the position of an object, instead of moving the object manually at specific frames in the animation, you create a 2D object (which is referred to as a path) to assign the animation of the object. Let s take text as an example. If you want text to go around in a circle for 300 frames, you would create a circle to be used as the animation path; you would then assign the text s position track to be a Path Constraint, so it knows to follow the circle for the time you have allowed. When you assign one of the many constraints available to an object, the initial editing occurs on the Motion panel. The constraint you assign contains specific rollouts to control the behavior of the object for that track. 16

The object you animate is the target camera. You create a line to be used as the path. Then you have the camera follow that path. 1. Open the file ED33-1L_Start_Path Animation.max. 2. In the Time Controls, choose Time Configuration. 3. In the Animation group, set Length = 300. Then click OK. 4. On the command panels, choose Create > Shapes > Line. 5. In the Top viewport, use the Line tool to create a path for the camera to follow through your scene. The first place is called the first vertex. The Camera will automatically get assigned to the first vertex for the first frame in the animation once the Path Constraint is assigned. 6. On the Modify panel > Selection rollout, choose Vertex. 7. Edit the line using all of the viewports, especially Front and Left. Tip: You might find it useful to select the vertex from the Top viewport, and then move it from the Left or Front viewports. 8. Select the Camera. 9. If you don t have a Camera viewport, change one of the viewports to this camera s view by pressing C. 10. On the menu bar, choose Animation > Constraints > Path Constraint. 17

A dashed line is attached to your camera. 11. Choose the animation path. The camera jumps to the beginning of the line and the command panels display Motion. Make sure Parameters is chosen and not Trajectory. 12. On the Motion panel, pan up to display the Parameters for the Path Constraint. 13. In the Path Options group, notice the %Along Path Spinner. 18

Tip: The red spinner indicates that parameter is animated. 14. Scrub the time slider; the camera animates along the path and the spinner updates. 15. Go to frame 300 and notice the % Along the Path displays 100, for 100%. Note: Since you animated a target camera, the camera is always looking at its target, you can animate the target independent from the camera, and you ll try that next. 16. Turn on Auto Key. 17. Move the time slider to frame 300. 18. In the Left viewport, move the target into a position that looks good through the camera view. 19

Camera and target on frame 300. When you re finished, turn off AutoKey. 19. Save your scene as Digestive Animation.max. Finish Animation, Preview, Render, View The final rendering will take from 10 to 15 minutes. In every AAA class, it is the students goal to produce several animations and final renderings to be used in a presentation. Make a Preview Before making a final rendering of an animation, it is a good idea to make a preview. The preview will allow you to check various aspects of your animation, without it taking as long as a final rendering. 1. Continue from the previous exercise, or open the file ED33-1L_Final.max. 2. On the menu bar, choose Animation > Make Preview. 3. Keep the settings at their defaults and click Create. 20

4. In the Video Compression dialog, use the Cinepak Codec by Radius and set the Compression Quality to 80. Then, click OK. The preview will be created in about one and a half minutes. When it is finished, the Windows Media Player will open up and play the preview. Note: If you close the Windows Media Player and want to see the preview again, on the menu bar, choose Animation > View Preview. 5. When you are finished, close the Windows Media Player. Render Your animation is done, and it is time to render. You can check approximately how long your animation will take to render after it renders the first frame. The Last Frame Time, Elapsed Time, and Time Remaining are shown on the right, and the total time to render should be from 10 to 15 minutes. 1. Continue from the previous exercise. 2. On the main toolbar, choose Render Scene. 21

3. In the Render Scene dialog > Common tab > Time Output group, choose Active Time Segment. 4. In the Output Size group, choose 320x240. 5. In the Render Output group, choose Files. 6. In the Render Output dialog, name your file and set Files of Type to AVI. Remember where you are saving your file so you can find it to play it later. 7. Click Save. 8. If the AVI File Compression dialog displays, choose Intel Indeo Video or the Cinepak Codec by Radius. Set the Quality to 85, and then click OK. 9. At the bottom of the Render Scene dialog, make sure the Camera viewport is selected, and then choose Render. Note: It will now take a while to render your animation. View Once the animations are finished rendering, you can do any one of the following: Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the directory the movie was saved in and double-click the AVI file. In 3ds Max, choose File > View Image File from the menu bar and open the AVI file. In 3ds Max, choose Asset Browser from the Utility panel and open the AVI file. 22

In 3ds Max, choose Rendering > Ram Player from the menu bar and open the AVI file. Wrap-up I trust you have enjoyed this presentation, and now have an idea how you can use one or more of the modules found in the Autodesk Animation Academy s curriculum to help you teach your specific subject matter. If you have any questions, please don t hesitate to ask. 23