3ds Max stylised walk cycle with footsteps

Tutorial of how to give 3Ds Max's dull walk cycle some character in footsteps, how to create a biped and footsteps plus some useful tips.
When I say Keyframing tools - what I meant to say is key info tools, same when I say show select track range, again I mean show selection range. Just make sure you have the same boxes checked and you'll be fine.
I'm using Max 2010, but this will work in older versions.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• 3DS Max
• Animation
• biped
• footsteps
• stylised
• walk cycle
• character animation
• 3D digital design
• University of Greenwich
• sleep walking
• tutorial
• cartoon
• animated

[Echosphere88]

Can I use this for custom characters and do they have to be bone or rig or can the parts just be linked together parent child style??

[aliekiddo]

@Echosphere88 These are keys using the biped rollout so this particular method with set, sliding and free keys works only for the biped, however you can apply the same techniques better than this method with native animation layers in Max for custom rigs and bones, and CAT layers for CAT rigs which utilise Absolute, Adjustment and motion preset layers which can also use footsteps

[G33D4v3]

I was always under the impression that animators strayed away from angle snaps, especially with human/organic rigs. Is there any reason why you prefer to use them?

Also, slightly stalker-esque question but I noticed you're studying at the University of Greenwich, that's London I assume? Games course? Is it any good?

[aliekiddo]

@G33D4v3 yes, well this is a simple beginner setup, the angle snaps is only cos I don't want 2 deal with decimal values, trying to repeat the same motion over a cycle, but there are many ways to achieve the same thing; which I now prefer to this method.

Yes it's Greenwich, London, it's not games specifically, they do have a BSc games course, mine donesn't really get into much programming.

It's nice, it gives a good opening & covers a broad range, there'll be a new MA in 3D anim as well soon.

[G33D4v3]

@aliekiddo Ah I see, well fair enough. Have you looked at CAT rigs or custom built stuff yet? Personally I hate biped! Even in a pinch I refuse to use it. I've done a few tutorials over the years, one of them is how to create a custom rig straight from a biped (cheating-ish), you may find it interesting:

garydave.com/tutorials/jings/r­iganim.php

I work in London myself, as a 3d Artist for a place called Curve Studios, so it's good to see "local" 3d folk about!

[aliekiddo]

@G33D4v3 ah, thanks, haven't looked at CAT rigs in detail yet (I really need 2 cos it looks really cool) Yeah, biped is a bit of a pain esp footsteps. some friends & I did get 2 do some mocap recently 4 a project - great fun, but not enough data points to get really fluid motion; & then only had about a week to implament & animate on top of it between 2 of us.

I have 2 say i'm surprised at the scope of the industry, 2 yrs ago I was planning 2 be an accountant & kinda fell into 3D by accident :)

[HighFiveExplosion]

Most people just seem to make things over complicated on purpose but this really helped, thank you!

[neme1l]

thanks

[G33D4v3]

@aliekiddo An accountant turned 3d artist eh? That's a new one. I recommend checking out CAT for sure. You'll soon forget about Biped when you do!

MoCap stuff sounds awesome, though I've always wondered if it required a lot of tidying up afterwards?

Also, I think this is the first time I've ever actually seen a 'conversation' in youtube comments.

[mechanoid11]

WOW!! that only took about 2 minutes. the rest is just full of details. thanks dudette!