Chapter 9: Animation

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Maya 8 at a Glance

• Chapter 9 Animation

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Ways to Animate

• Creating Keyframes
• Path Animation
• Set Driven Keys
• Nonlinear Animation
• Expressions
• Simulations

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Keyframe Animation

• Keys record attribute changes over time
• The Set Key command sets keyframes on all
  keyable attributes
• You can right-click on channels in the Channel
  box to keyframe specific attributes
• Auto Key will detect changes in attributes and
  automatically generate keyframes

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Path Animation

• Allows you to draw out a path that the object
  will take through the scene
• Commonly used for vehicles and other objects
  that animate using routes

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Set Driven Keys

• Allows you to let the motion of one object drive
  another
• Used commonly for character rigging, such as
  making teeth move along a jaw opening

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Nonlinear Animation

• Uses the Trax Editor to combine animation clips
  to build animation
• Clips can be trimmed, stretched, cycled, and
  blended together to create new motions
• Used a lot in character animation

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Expressions

• Mathematical equations, programming commands,
  and MEL commands that can precisely control an
  objects motion
• Used in rigging and for motion that requires
  mathematical equations, such as a tire rotating
  based on the motion of a car

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Simulations

• Simulates physics to create motion
• Soft and Rigid Body dynamics let you set up
  initial conditions, apply forces, and then run
  simulations
• Often used for special effects

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Graph Editor

• Displays keyframes as curves

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Tangent Types
Spline
Linear
Clamped
Flat
Stepped
Plateau
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Character Animation

• Character sets collect all the attributes
  associated with a character in one place
• Character sets allow you to animate characters a
  pose at a time

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Trax Editor

• Trax is Mayas nonlinear animation editor
• Stores animation as clips
• Clips can be layered, trimmed, and edited to
  create new sequences
• Animation used in Trax must be part of a
  character set

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Clips and Poses

• A clip is a collection of animation curves for a
  character
• Source clips are added to the characters scene
  and are the Master copy
• Regular clips are inserted under its character
  in the Trax editor and can be edits of the source
  clips
• A Pose is a clip that is only one frame long

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