Bones

I'm trying to use bones for the first time in Gmax, and I can't seem to get them to work. The tutorial I'm following says that all you have to do is put the envelope around the mesh until it turns red. Do they mean the whole mesh or the part you want to move with the bone? I've tried both and it wont work either way.

Also, is that all you have to do and the mesh will follow the bone's movement, or if there something else you need to do?


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||\ Kajenx
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make sure you separate the parts of your mesh first and assign bones accordingly to what part it is
select a mesh, press the link button, click and drag it to the bone you want it assigned to. if done correctly, it should blink white. to check, click on the bone and move it, the mesh should follow

Hes not using 3ds max therefore he shouldnt disconnect parts, because he cant assign them in user property editor cause he doesnt have user property editor!
i think he should use skin, im not sure if dex or watever he uses supports it but.... i dunno!

Skin is what I'm using, but it doesn't seem to work. I move the bones and the model just sits there...

I think it'll work with dex, because the tutorial is for Gmax and dex.

Tutorial


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||\ Kajenx
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I use max 5 , but gmax is similiar.

after i create all bones:

-i select the mesh to be animated
-i add skin modifier to it
-i click add (add bone in your case)
-i select all bones and click ok
-then i click edit envelopes, and edit them to fit the mesh

That isn't working for me...

Are the envelopes for all the bones supposed to cover the whole mesh, or only the part they are supposed to affect?


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||\ Kajenx
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hmm have u enlarged all envelopes??

part of the mesh that is affected by envelope should turn red when u in "edit envelopes" mode. If it is still blue, it means that you need to enlarge envelope.

make sure u have "show colored vertices" and "show colored faces" in display rollout turned on.

EDIT:

only the part of mesh.

I. E. Envelope of bone_Leftleg shoul should only cover the left leg. Envelopes should be same length as their bones, but should be wide enough to fit the mesh(basically they are as wide as bones are)

I get it with the bones but when they move they split out eachother and when i link it they move like ****...

All the envelopes are enlarged to fit the area they are supposed to move and it isn't moving at all. I'll move the bones and the mesh will just sit there. once I got the back fin (I'm making a shark) to move, but that's the most success I've had, and I didn't do anything different that time, I just enlarged the envelope to fit over the tail...

:(


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||\ Kajenx
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Ehh if only filetypes of max and gmax were compatible.....
Are u sure the mesh turned red ?? Try to repeat what u have done to make the tail moving.


I can prepare demonstration for u, just tell me what file types gmax can import.

If it cannot import any types, ill try to ilustrate the whole process

I discovered the problem! I forgot to convert it to an editable mesh! o_O

That's why the back fin worked, it was an editable mesh, I just never did it for the body.

Thanks for all the help!


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||\ Kajenx
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strange but i just tested it on simple box, not converted just 3 segmented box and it worked

That is strange... Mine worked right away after I converted it.


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||\ Kajenx
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can you post a screenie? i may be able to see whats wrong...

Ok, new problem.

I got the animations to work in gmax, but they are messed up in warcraft. I tried remaping the skin onto the bones like the tutorial said to do if the problem happened, but it didn't work.


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