PEN Productions / Tutorials

---Tutorials:

If you find any errors in these tutorials please let me know via e-mail. info@paulnele.com

Page updated: July 3, 2008 4:50 PM

Cross Platform:
Max and Maya:	Feature lists of Max and Maya. This is not a comparison of the two packages, it is ment as a guild for people that are learning one and know the other. This tabled list will help you determine what features you will need to look for and learn to be able to perform character rigging in either package.

Dynamics:
Flex:	Flex is a simple dynamics modifier that can produce some interesting results if used correctly.

Character Rigging:
Rigging Tutorial Intro:	Character Rigging. Yet another tutorial on it. It is always nice to see how others look at it. I have added an intro that discusses how I approach the process.
Arm Setup:	IK arm setup incorporating twist bones in the upper and lower arm. This isn't a tutorial yet but it has a down loadable file that you can deconstruct and a brief explanation of how it works.
IK FK Arm:	Video tutorial on how to set up an IK/FK blending system.
Arm Twist Bones Tutorial:	Video tutorial on how to set up twist bones on an IK/FK blending arm rig.
Multiresolution rigs:	Character Rigging. Discussion on methods and reasons for setting up character rigs with the ability to change from one resolution character to another.
Triple IK Leg:	Leg set up using 3 IK solvers.

Scripting:
Calling Custom Attributes from Script Controllers:	Shows the method that I use to store a custom attribute definition in one object and call functions in it from another object. This example uses the math behind rolling a wheel for the demonstration. Thanks goes to Martin Breidt for imput and corrections on this tutorial and Steev Kelly for reminding me that I said I would write it while at GDC 2005.
Name Independant Script Controllers:	Discusses how to use custom attribute definitions to store references to scene nodes and controllers on a script controller so that the script controller can be name independant using the "this" construct.
Extracting Rotations in 3DS Max:	This tutorial shows how to extract rotations from IK driven joints. it assumes that you have an IK driven leg created.
GDC Max Scripting Class 2005	These are a few of the notes that I put together from the GDC max scripting class in 2005. I will try to post more of them as some of this information wasn't covered in the classes and other information was.
Trigonometry:	Brief over view of using trig in Max script.
Weak Referencing Max 8	Shows how weak referencing works with custom attributes.

Rotations, Matrices and Controllers:
Transforms and Euler Rotations:	This tutorial tries to explain some of the general questions about position, rotation and scale transforms in 3D. Since position and scale are fairly easy to understand it manly covers rotations.
Quaternion Rotations:	Quaternion rotations, how they work and how to use them.
LookAt Constraints and IK Solvers:	This covers how rotations are handled in Lookat controllers and IK solvers.
Transform Matrix:	How the Matrix really works. Matrix3 demo file: matrix3.zip Bobo is working on an advanced Max Script DVD for CG Academy that will cover Matricies, Vector Maths and Trig. This will be a must have for ever serious TD.

Solutions to problems:
Animating Rotations, Problems and Solutions:	Spinning Planet Scaling Bones Rotating a wrist with an IK arm

Modeling:
Creature Hand Tutorial By Erin Nicholson	Erin Nicholson is has been the senior modeling supervisor on many TV productions and is a leading modeler in the 3DS Max community. In this tutorial he walks us through modeling a hand using editable poly techniques.