Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
chapter 7
Rigging
is a term used in model creation that refers to the process of attaching a
bone system to a 3D model. It is kind of like our own bodies. We have bones and
joints that make up a skeleton. Our muscles are attached to our skeletons. By con-
tracting and relaxing a series of muscles we are able to move about.
The human skeletal system of joints, bones, and muscles has its drawbacks. We can
only run so fast, jump so high, lift so much, fall so hard, and twist so far. Yet with
all its drawbacks the system has worked fairly well for us for the last several thou-
sand years. Is it any wonder that 3ds Max would use the same type of system, or at
least one that is similar?
3ds Max has two systems for rigging and animating characters—Bones and Biped.
Biped was originally a 3ds Max plug-in called Character Studio, but in version 7 of
the software it was incorporated into the main program. This chapter will first
cover how to rig a character in Biped, and then it will explore Bones.
Biped
is a predefined system for creating skeleton hierarchies for two-legged char-
acter models. That was kind of a mouthful, wasn't it? What it really means is that
with Biped, you work with a skeleton that is already assembled instead of having
to build one yourself. Biped works great for almost all two-legged characters and
can even be used for four-legged characters with some modifications.
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