Autodesk 3ds Max is the application of choice for professional animators working in game design and film effects because of its amazing set of character animation tools. But while the results these professionals achieve can be stunningly complex, animating characters with 3ds Max doesn't have to be hard. Its powerful Biped module, with pre-linked and realistically constrained skeletons and its suite of motion tools, dramatically speeds up the animation process. The easy-to-follow instructions in this book will have you animating your own characters in just a few hours.

Gain a thorough understanding of animation and character rigging using Autodesk 3ds Max to create realistic character animations. This book is split into three modules that are subsequently divided into chapters. The first module is the foundation module: in this module you’ll cover, among other topics, the 12 cardinal principles of animation with reference to classic real-world examples and famous movies/animation shots. Using these, the further chapters explore using key frames and graph editors to obtain fluid motion in your animations. Practical examples are used to better explain which feature suits a particular scenario. The second module, called the backbone module, introduces you to deformation tools and their use for character animation. Further chapters cover driven animations, constraints posed by bones, bipeds, and the CAT tools available in 3ds Max 2019. The final module, the lifeline module, encourages you to bring your character to life by applying principles learnt in the previous modules. Here you will be guided on how to retarget animations from one character to other characters or rigs. On completing Character Rigging and Advance Animation, you will be able to create character rigs for bipeds and quadrupeds with ease, animating them with life-like motion. What You Will Learn Understand the 12 principles of animationSet up an animation-ready character rig from scratchMaster the deformation tools available for animation Who This Book Is For Readers who are familiar with 3ds Max at a basic level and are looking at getting into character rigging and animation.

This text provides a comprehensive guide to 3ds Max. It is packed with expert advice and includes step-by-step tutorials.

3D Studio MAX 3 Professional Animation is the only book that take you extensively through the 3D Studio MAX 3 animation process, showing you the techniques that professional animators use to create everything from simple animated particle effects to complex character animation for Web sites, video, film, and other multimedia formats. Written by a group of top-flight 3D animation professionals, this book features the real deal--real-world applications and advanced tutorials: make bipedal, quadra-pedal, and multipedal characters walk; use Cstudio's Biped and Physique; build and animate a realistic human skeleton using MAX Bones IK; create complex scripting with MAXscript to enhance MAX's capabilities; produce muscle-based, multi-layered facial expressions and lip syncs; create deformable objects and fine-tune them with space warps; display and edit trajectories; and animate cameras, lights, and atmosphere.

This text teaches the fundamentals of 3D graphics and animation, including modelling, surfacing/texturing, animating, lighting and rendering.

One look and you'll see that this 3ds Max book is different from all the others. It presents the core 3ds Max features in pages packed with striking graphics that perfectly illustrate the concepts. Each page is loaded with detailed explanations on crucial components, such as the 3ds Max interface, modeling and animation tools, rendering settings, and more. Engaging step-by-step lessons and tasks provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. Create textures, learn rigging, bring biped characters to life—even create hair with this beautiful, full-color guide.

As soon as George Maestri's classic (digital) Character Animation was released, people began asking when he was going to do on edition for trully high-end users with the most advanced skill sets. Here it is; George writes directly to CG professionals, with more non-software-specific approaches to character animation.

This book will take you on a journey to understand the workflow normally used to create characters, from the modeling to the rendering stages using the tools of the last official release of Blender exclusively. This book helps you create a character mesh and sculpt features, using tools and techniques such as the Skin modifier and polygon merging. You will also get a detailed, step-by-step overview of how to rig and skin your character for animation, how to paint textures and create shaders, and how to perform rendering and compositing. With the help of this book, you will be making production-quality 3D models and characters quickly and efficiently, which will be ready to be added to your very own animated feature or game.

Great guide to the fundamentals of Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 This Autodesk Official Press guide is just what you need to learn the basics of Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 quickly and easily. Through a series of cool projects like designing an alarm clock, animating a thrown knife, or lighting a scene, you'll learn the essentials of modeling, rigging, animating, and rendering using the popular Autodesk 3ds Max 3D animation and effects software. It's a practical, hands-on approach allowing you to constantly reinforcing skills as you learn them. Downloadable before-and-after project files let you to compare your work to that of 3ds Max professionals. Even if you already have experience with 3ds Max, this book is a great reference for renewing your skills. And, it will help all users review and prepare for the Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 certification exams. Helps beginners and those migrating from other 3D animation and effects programs get up and running on Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Features a realistic, task-based approach, so readers learn via a series of hands-on projects using downloadable files, all backed with ample instruction, explanation, and illustration Covers modeling, rigging, animating, rendering, skinning, architectural visualization, and more Written by Autodesk Authorized Authors and is an Autodesk Official Press book Get firsthand experience with 3ds Max, as well as a good start on preparing for the Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Certified Professional exam, with Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Essentials.

The second edition of Game Anim expands upon the first edition with an all-new chapter on 2D and Pixel Art Animation, an enhanced mocap chapter covering the latest developments in Motion Matching, and even more interviews with top professionals in the field. Combined with everything in the first edition, this updated edition provides the reader with an even more comprehensive understanding of all areas of video game animation – from small indie projects to the latest AAA blockbusters. Key Features • New 2nd Edition Content: An all-new chapter on 2D and Pixel Art Animation, Motion Matching, and more • 20 Years of Insight: Accumulated knowledge from 2 decades of experience in all areas of game animation. • The 5 Fundamentals: Reinterprets the classic 12 animation principles and sets out 5 new fundamentals for great game animation. • Full Production Cycle: Walks through every stage of a game production from the animator’s perspective. • Animator Interviews: Notable game animators offer behind-the-scenes stories, tips, and advice. • Free Animation Rig: Free "AZRI" maya rig, tutorials and other resources on the accompanying website: www.gameanim.com/book About The Author Jonathan Cooper is an award-winning video game animator who has brought virtual characters to life professionally since 2000, leading teams on large projects such as the Assassin’s Creed and Mass Effect series, with a focus on memorable stories and characters and cutting-edge video game animation. He has since focused on interactive cinematics in the latest chapters of the DICE and Annie award-winning series Uncharted and The Last of Us. Jonathan has presented at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco and at other conferences across Canada and the United Kingdom. He holds a Bachelor of Design honors degree in animation.