Expert: Andre Hickman - 10/13/2003

Question
Sir,

I'm a drafter by trade, but do some 3d contract work on the side for a telerobotics firm creating 3d solids and assemblies from 2d design files in AutoCAD.  Recently the company I work for asked me to animate my completed robotic arms to simulate full motion.  I have taught myself enough 3d Studio Max v. 2.5 (that's the newest I have available to me)to animate the arms creating an .avi file, but they are asking that the arm by "dynamic" in that they want to be able to stick my 3d robotic arms on the front of a client's 3d vehicle and be able to easily manipulate the arm to check for clearances and manueverablity.  I have read that 3d Studio Max can accept input from a peripheral such as a joystick or gamepad and using motion control can simulate this.  If this is true, do you know how to do this?  I have searched in track view until I thought my eyes would pop out because I thought it would be included in there, but have found nothing.

What it boils down to is that I have very complex robotic arms with very limited axis of motion.  I need a way to define a macro, if you will, on an external device (keyboard, joystick, etc...) that will create rotation of the part assigned to that key or combination of keys.  It seems fairly simple, but it has completely escaped me.  Being self-taught, I don't have many avenues of support from which to rely on.  Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Answer
Lol.  I had to laugh when you were talking about searching the track view. You see, I myself am also self taught, and I know what you are going through trying to figure this one out!  It is not in the track view (initially).  I'm not sure what it looks like in v2.5 (I've never used that low of a version), but if you can find the motion tab (looks like a moving wheel, and is where you can assign key frames, but not the track view) then click the "assign controller" and click on rotational or translational or what ever control you are trying to manipulate.  It is probably defaulted as a TCB controller for rotation.  You can double-click and change that to a motion capture controller, in which you can assign keyboard keys and rotational limits, etc. and record your motion in realtime as you control it with the keyboard, or create a "look at" control where the rotation will follow a dummy object and you can move the dummy object in space... I know how hard this stuff is to find in 3D max for the first time, so let me try to find a simple tutorial that uses some of this function.

one is http://vw.indiana.edu/tutorials/3dstudiomax/tutorial.htm
http://www.cadenceweb.com/2001/0101/vizualization0101.html

they may help you to find your bearings in 3D max, not necessarily show you how to do exactly what you are trying to do.  With the pictures of the motion control panel, you should be able to figure it out.  If not, then give me a holler back, and I'll see if I can find some information that is closer to what you are trying to do. I know how to do it, but it will help a whole lot more if you can see pictures of the steps, buttons, etc., which is what I'm trying to show you. After you get the controller assigned, then it will appear in the trackview, and you can do a motion capture of it (motion capture is under the tab with the hammer icon)

Cheers--Andre'