3dsmax \ pipeline question

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Jams(Posted 2005) [#1]
how do you export animated modifiers from 3dsmax using b3d pipeline?

I have a simple animated bird, it follows a path constraint for it's flight path, this is all working fine...

The bird has flapping wings, which are accomplished with a bend modifier, with a waveform controller (sin wave) controlling the bend angle, this is not showing up in b3d...

I have also experimented with trying to export a plane with ripple modifier applied, with a simple animation on ripple phase... it also didnt work...

How is it possible to export an animated modifier with b3d pipeline? I have tried all different export options, and also collapsing the animation controllers, still nothing! Perhaps i'm overlooking something obvious?

Any help appreciated!


AdrianT(Posted 2005) [#2]
the bend modifier and waveform are procedural and require vertex animation. Some things can be vertex animated, but not all.

The basic vertex anim in pipeline adds a bone for every vertex that is animated, so its only useful for very specific things. Bird wing animations not being one of them.

Bird wings only require 2 or 3 bones per wing to get fairly convincing animation, and its very easily done.

Otherwise you will be using 10's or Hundreds if your using vertex animation, and every extra bone uses up more CPU.


Jams(Posted 2005) [#3]
Thanks for your great explanation! I think i can make it work now