topic Re: Animate layer properties in 3ds Max Forum

Animate layer properties

garry — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:30:48 GMT

Hi,

Is there a way to animate the properties of a layer? especially the visibility

For example, I may have 10 layers each with 50 objects on each, I want to animate the objects appearing over time. Ideally I'd like the objects to properly disappear from the viewport whilst they are invisible, just like switching the layers off.

At the moment I'm rendering a bunch of frames, switching a layer on, render more frames, switch another layer on, render more frames... etc. It's OK with a few layers but once you get 30 or 40 layers it gets very confusing and it's very easy to make mistakes.

Any ideas?

Re: Animate layer properties

irishman_team_kilber — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 09:33:14 GMT

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/documentation/3DSMAX/15/ENU/3ds-Max-Help/files/GUID-ACAD407C-B079-4DAB-9DD0-6C8DC22389EF-htm.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy0xdOBx3oI

Re: Animate layer properties

garry — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 12:49:12 GMT

Interesting video, but nothing to do with my question.

If you read my post you'll realise that I'm talking about animating the properties of a layer, visibility etc. This has nothing to do with 'Animation Layers'

Re: Animate layer properties

Anonymous — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 14:12:14 GMT

You could use StateSets->Sequencer mode for this. Add multiple Shots using the same camera and for every shot you would record a state turning layers on.

Re: Animate layer properties

garry — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 10:32:53 GMT

hmm...

I'll have to look into state sets a little closer, I didn't realise you could sequence them. The documentation is pretty poor at explaining how it all works.

And I'm a bit nervous about using them due to the reports of state sets causing crashes, but I'll give it a go.

Cheers

Re: Animate layer properties

Anonymous — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 23:30:44 GMT

a liitle primitive, but you could simply move the layer(s) out of view for the duration you want them not visisible, and reposition them for the duration you do want them visible.