Problem with Animating the rig

[Anonymous]

I have 3ds Max 2016 student version installed on my computer. I'm trying to do the Character Animation tutorial. When I try to animate the rig, and open sceneassets\animations\emma_stretching, and load it, the screenshot I included shows what happens. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for any help or suggestions!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Could you please post the file you are currently working with?  I'm more than happy to look in there.  My success rate for guessing on rig problems without a file is very low and I often require the scene file to solve them.  Is that doable?  Thanks!

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I just wanted to follow up here, any progress on this issue?  Should I create a folder?  I'm happy to take a look.  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I haven't gotten back to the tutorial as yet. I've included the original file that starts the tutorial, if that will assist you in any way to figure out what I am doing wrong. When I open this file, I get a message that the eyes, hair and beanie are missing from the external file. 

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

It's hard to really understand without the file you're working on what could have happened.  When I make a CAT rig and load the .rg3 file, it scales to match her perfectly.  When I load the stretching animation, for a single frame it seems sideways but I scrub the timeline and it pops back into place and is fine from that point forward.  I am not getting the error message you described.  If you have a chance, please attach your working file and I'm happy to take a look and be more specific.  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I don't quite get what you mean by working file. In my previous emails I've included the starting file and, the file updated to show where I am in the tutorial. 

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Weird, all I see are .png attachments...   are you sure they attached?

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

That's what I meant. I don't know exactly what you need from me. If you would, can you explain in detail what I need to show you as far as a file? Thanks!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I could make a video of me going through it if you'd like.  Happy to do so.  As far as what I need, I just thought it easier to review an existing file than the blank one without a rig in it yet.  I wasn't try to be pushy, apologies if I came off that way.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

In no way did I consider anything you asked for as being pushy. It's that I get confused about what is being asked of me. I would greatly appreciate a video of what I need to do. That way in the future I will know what to do. Thank You very much for all the time and effort you have shown in trying to help me. Thanks! 

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Thanks @Anonymous! 

I recorded myself going through the file here and loading up the rig and animation.  I accidentally recorded it in 2017 instead of 2016 but I've tested on both and the process is exactly the same.  Also, there's pollen everywhere in Portland right now, so I edited out a sneeze or two.  You may hear a pop or two where that happened.  Thanks for your patience there.  

Can you please check it out and together we can figure out where this process is going wrong for you?  Thanks very much!

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I got as far as the instruction to select "head" from the dialog box. I can't figure out how I am supposed to copy and paste the "skin" modifier onto the hair. After I right click the "skin" modifier and click copy, I can't figure out how to "paste" it to the hair.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Ok, no problem.  Once you've copied the modifier, then you need to select the hair with a left click.  Once you have done that, right click anywhere in the modifier area or on the topmost modifier for the hair and select paste.  Does that work?  Thanks for the update!

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Sorry that I seem like an idiot but, I've gotten the "skin" modifier copied and pasted onto the hair. Now, I can't figure out the next step " parent the eyes to the head".

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

@Anonymous, you don't seem like an idiot at all, we all have to start somewhere.  It's no problem.  When I first started using Max I didn't know how to cancel creation mode and I made whole scenes of just boxes because I didn't know how to stop creating boxes.  It was insanity and this went on for a couple days...  

To parent is the same thing as "linking" one object to another.  In Max, that is always Child to Parent.  I have more information here, please let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Okay, I got the eyes parented to the head. But, when I go to the motion menu, I don't see any way of loading the Emma stretching file.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous,

Select the triangle at her feet, that's the parent/master node and where that gets loaded in.  Please let me know if that doesn't work.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Finally, everything works as it should. Thanks again for all the help!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Anytime @Anonymous!  I'm your huckleberry!  

If you ever need anything else I'm happy to help!  I marked the video post as a solution as well to make it easier for folks who find this thread later.  I hope that's ok!  

Best Regards,