A question about animating a hinge.
This is a landing gear door from my P-36 model.
What I’m trying to figure out is how I get the door hinge angle correct as it opens.
Is this where I need to use a constraint?
Is there an easy way to do this?
In 3D Max you can rotate the XYZ gizmo.
One way you could do it is to start with the top edge of the door aligned with the global x-axis. Then keyframe the animation of the rotation of door around the x-axis; add an empty at the origin of the door and parent the door to this empty. Now rotate the empty to position the door where you need it and it should open properly when you play the animation.
Here’s an alternative option to rotate around any edge
As an alternative to Richard’s idea, just put a bone in along the edge of the door - see my tutorial here:
http://www.lafavinie.f2s.com/blender/actut1.html
Cheers, Clock
Yes, I think that this is definitely the right place to use an armature, as clockmender suggests. Especially when you move on to the next part, which will be “gear down.” You will find that you can create NLA strips, actions and so-forth to allow you to automate, and control, the entire animation sequence in one convenient way and with (if you like) just one “control bone.”
I have to apologize guys.
I’m not asking the question right nor have I explained what I need to do.
I’m a volunteer building low poly aircraft models for an old game called Warbirds.
Back in the day, they used 3D Max for their models and the exporter which creates the files that the game understands is only for 3D Max.
I hate 3D Max and find Blender to be a better, more user friendly application that works on my Mac.
So the process I use right now to make its ll work is:
- Build and map the model in Blender.
- Animate in Blender.
- Export as an FBX
- Import the FBX into Max and set the pivot points and re-establish the texture maps.
- Adjust the pivot points of the Elevators, Ailerons, rudder and doors.
- Export, from 3D Max, the set up files for warbirds.
It may seem convoluted, but it does get the job done.
When I first started, every time I had to make changes, I’d have to start from scratch and re-animate finalize the pivot points etc.
It was a real pain repeating the same work over and over.
Then I figured out how to do almost everything in Blender, including making the model the correct size, animation, placing the pivot points at the right spot, pretty much everything.
Then when I had to make any major changes to the model or maps it was easy. Simply import the changed/added parts and maps into MAX and the positions would hold. It cut down on the workload considerably.
The only thing I can’t do in Blender is rotate the XYZ gimbal like I do in MAX.
I could use an armature but I don’t think they would translate from MAX into the game.
I don’t think Warbirds would understand that.
But I will try adding a bone and see how it affects the model in MAX.
Sorry for the long winded explanation.
I hope that clears up my question.
It looks as though what I’m asking is done differently in Blender and If I make any changes to the parts that pivot on a hinge, I will have to keep making the adjustments in MAX.
At least until the game can pay to make an exporter for Blender
I appreciate the help guys and again I apologize for wasting anybodies time.
Attachments
Ah… it’s for a game engine… Big difference there, and it’s an old game engine so it doesn’t support much as compared to modern day game engines…
I saw your post last night, but didn’t reply. My first thought was as everyone else, use an armature. Glad I didn’t waste time responding. Yeah, blender don’t let you rotate pivot points like max.
Now my second thought on this, before I knew it was for a game engine, is to model the door as a separate mesh object. This way, you would create a primitive object, like a cube, position & rotate it in object mode, then model the door in edit mode, deleting the cube verts as you go. Now when you select the door, set the 3d manipulator to use local space instead of global, and it’s axis should line up with that of the door, because the mesh you created (the cube) is rotated and not aligned to the world space.
As I’m typing this, I’m wondering if your game engine supports multiple mesh objects, but your first screenshot shows the door is a separate object, so you should be good to go. Also, you don’t have to model a new door, just create a flat plane, rotate & position it, combine it with the door mesh, and delete the 4 verts from the flat plane mesh.
Randy
Well, what I ended up doing was to copy down all the changes in the pivot points rotation from the previous model and applying them to the new one.
It wasn’t too bad.
From what I’m reading here it seems Warbirds is very behind.
But I got to say for simple stuff, like control surfaces, rotating the pivot point looks easier.
I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that they opt for a Blender exporter.
LOL, sorry guys but I’m going to give a little update on this.
We now have someone who’s looking into making a exporter for Blender.
I’m still wrapping my head around the pivot points.
I combined a couple of ideas I got here and actually was able to import into 3D Max a pivot point that was correct.
I created a dummy (empty object) in Blender using the “transformation Orientation” I was able to change the axis just like in 3D Max.
And it worked! We tested it and the left aileron parented to the empty object functioned and pivoted as it should.
We need to do more testing.
Next I’m going to try using a bone, naming it correctly for the game to recognize it, and see what happens.
But, just in case the other idea works, is there a way to assign a “transformation orientation” to an object?
When I try it in Blender, it only works on one object at a time.