Reactor quick start

Autodesk released 3 quick start guides with the same description in their Services & Support Knowledge Base section. Well, first 2 is about Reactor, but the third is not.

Description:
Learn to quickly create a basic Reactor Rigid Body phsyical simulation in 3ds max. In this quick start guide you will see how to setup a scene that consists of 2 boxes and a sphere which collide with each other as solid rigid objects.

Reactor Soft Bodies
Video (MP4 19.4 MB):
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/max_sup_reactorsoftbodies.mp4

Reactor Rigid Bodies
Video (MP4 16.7 MB):
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/max_sup_ReactorRigidBodies.mp4

Crop Border Solution
Video (MP4 10.3 MB):
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/max_sup_cropborder.mp4

Procedural Array

This is a ScriptSpot form topic which I recommend not only to coders of course. Here the folks discuss how to control array of objects. Well, the topic was open by user who wants to do this by modifier. But why exactly this way is not clear. Briefly, wiring params is enough for this kind of tasks. Also cotroller instances do great job on this point.

Just read the topic and comment if you have something useful to share about.

Applying Color to Lights

Always nice to meet fellow countryman. Dimitar Nenov (new coder on ScriptSpot.com) is my fellow citizen too. He is form Sofia, Bulgaria. Ok, It might not be interesting for you.

Dimitar works on script converter "Kelvin T to Light Color" and he accepts comments and advice, so I wrote a code snippet to help him. Maybe other max-coders will be interested about the code:

on applybutton pressed do
(
 for obj in lights where obj.isSelected do
  if isProperty obj #rgb do
   obj.rgb = rgbcolor.color
)

...but it is better if you read the comments on site and to interpret the content of the script. Well, "applybutton" is the name of the button, and the snippet is inside its handler. Also "rgbcolor" here is the ColorPicker's name. If I clear the code as independent function, it will look like this:

fn applyLightsColor clr = (
 for obj in lights where obj.isSelected do
  if isProperty obj #rgb do obj.rgb = clr
)

Maybe this enouth, but if you like mapped functions, there you go:

mapped function applyLightsColor obj clr = (
 if (superClassOf obj == lights) and \
 if (obj.isSelected) and \
 if (isProperty obj #rgb) do obj.rgb = clr
)

MaxScript Snippets

Another source for 3ds Max coders:
http://snipplr.com/all/language/maxscript

Flex Modifier

Paul Neale’s quick examples of what can be done with flex.

Using Splines to Add Detail

Using Splines to Add Detail to Your High-Poly Model in 3ds Max by Ben Bolton

Description:

Splines are an often-overlooked aspect of 3ds max when it comes to game art. Most people know that you can use a spline for a wire - but you can also use it for things like grooves, whole objects like handles, and even text! In this tutorial, we'll take a look at some of these advanced ways that splines can be used to save a lot of time on tasks that would otherwise have to be done by hand.

"Splines are an often-overlooked aspect of 3ds max". I completely agree with this. People use only a percentage of the magic of Splines. This is a step in the right direction. Finally somebody (game artist!) bothered to show piece of the spline power. Think about Spline like a "super extended custom primitive" and you will enjoy modeling in 3ds Max :)

Convey human emotion

A free PDF tutorial with some quick tips about human emotions by Nick Savy.

Bake Transform

Bake animation transform keys to chosen object with specified interval and sample frame step.

Plus reduce keys for chosen object with specified interval, sample frame step and threshold.


I think you know, but keep in mind that there is no universal baking method that is suitable for all possible cases. This is my way that I use most often. Now I added UI to my function and ups it here.


Enjoy!