Chapter 37: Simulating Physics-Based Motion with reactor


Overview

When you speak of reactor in Max, you really are speaking of physics. Physics is one of the coolest arms of science because it deals with the science of matter and energy and includes laws that govern the motions and interactions between objects. For animators, this is great news because what you are trying to do is to animate the motions and interactions between objects.

So, should all animators study physics? The answer is absolutely. Understanding these laws through study and experience will sharpen your animating skills. But you can also take advantage of the work that other animators have done in understanding the laws of physics and turning them into a product that ships with Max. The other animators are a group called Havok, and the product is reactor.

Using reactor, you can simulate many physical properties and automatically capture keyframes as the objects interact. It's like getting a physics degree for free.

The reactor menu includes everything you need to access the reactor physics simulation engine. With reactor, you can define objects as rigid bodies like chairs or bowling balls or as soft bodies like stuffed animals. You can also define specialized objects including cloth and rope.

After physical properties are defined, you can define physical forces to act on these objects and simulate the resulting animation. Not only does reactor make difficult physical motions realistic, but it also is fun to play with.




3ds Max 9 Bible
3ds Max 9 Bible
ISBN: 0470100893
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 383

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