Train moving down an infinite amount of track

[64bit_Dude]

Hi,

In my video I want the train to be moving down a strait track in full speed the whole time with the camera being pretty close. The train is rigged and ready to go for animation and everything. But how do you move a train down an infinite amout of track?

Thanks,

[LenDoublet]

The easiest way I can think of is to apply an out of range type to linear which will continue the value Infinitely - or if you want certain operations looped you can choose loop on those tracks. Remember to change the values on your keyframes to linear as well or you will have your ease in and outs in the animation which may not be what you want.

Len

[64bit_Dude]

Hi LenDoublet,

How would I apply an "out of range type to linear" on the track?

thanks,

[MonicaZetlin]

Say you have an object moving along the x axis 100 units from frames 1 to 100.

Right click the object and seclect "curve editor" which will open the curve editor and hopefully dislpay the animated track. Select the x position track which in this case has the animation select the keys so that they turn white and in the curve type select the icon which looks like a straight line, either that or right click the whhite dot keys and change the in and out to linear. This will make sure that the motion is constant.

You will notice that the dotted line before the first keyframe and after the last will continue horizontally, we have to fix this to continue by the same amount as your animation. To do this make sure you have the x track selected (or whichever track your animation is on, but it will be x in this case) and in the curve editor which you have open select Edit:Controller:Out of Range Types and choose either the Linear or Relative repeat types by clicking the arrows below the icon which will aplly the out or range effect before the first key you have set and after the last key you have set. 

Note that your animation keys are the reference for when the out of range effect starts and finishes, if you add another key later the effect will continue from there.

Regards Len.

[64bit_Dude]

Hi MonicaZetlin,

Thank you for your input. This helps me in that, now however long the video is the train will keep spinning it's wheels while the track moves under it. (The train is not actally moving, just the track under it but it will look ok in the end). However in this video the train is moving very fast for kind of a long time. which means I will have to keep laying down track. Otherwise it will run out.

Is there a way to make the whole track like a conveyor belt? that way it won't run out and it will just keep going. I'll make it long enough so that you won't see that track dip in the ground with some fog out in the distance.

Thanks,

[ctranchina]

Use an Out-of-Range type for the track, too. "Cycle" will replay the same keys over and over with no interpolation between the first and last key. Just make sure the track tie offsets are in the same pattern in the beginning and the end of your track section. This way, when the model cycles back to the start position, it'll look like it's a continuous movement.

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/3DSMax...