Since MSU switched to Maya in the fall of 2009, these pages have not been updated
and Wobbe F. Koning moved on to Monmouth University in the Fall of 2014

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Some notes on Tutorial 6

Here are a few remarks on the tools used in this tutorial

Modeler: Create > Curves > Spline Draw

Path animation, making objects move on a path, seems to work best with spline curves. Using one of the other curve tools, which create polygons, limits the path animation to the first "polygon" (line segment)

Layout: Using the scene editor to select objects

The author uses the scene editor to select invisible objects. There are more ways of doing this:

• Using the Schematic View: In stead of a camera or ortagonal view, you can also set one of the viewports to display the Schematic View, which you all have been using extensively while animating using constraints :)

• At the bottom of the sceen, you can find the (pop up) item selector.
• In the object property window (see next note)

In all cases it helps if you give your layers a name in Modeler.

Layout: Object Properties (p)

When yoy hit p you get the property window of the currently selected object, bone, light or camera, a very important window indeed. Under the Geometry tab there is a button Add Custom Object which give you a pop up where you can choose a whole bunch of option, amonst them Show Curve. This option aloows you to see a curve object in Layout, though it will not be rendered

Layout: Motion Options Panel (m)

Hit m to see the motion options panel, another important window when animating. Under the IK and Modifiers tab, you find the Add Modifier button. Form the (long) list you can select Curve Constraint to animate the current object on a path.

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