Creating a Giant Robot Walking in a Live Action Scene: Part 3

1. Creating Leg Rigs

Step 1

Open 3ds Max. Open the file which was saved in the last part of the tutorial. 

Step 2

Go to Create > System and click on Bones.

Step 3

Draw the bones for the leg in the side viewport as shown in the following image.

Step 4

With the top bone selected, go to Animation > IK Solver > HI Solver. 

Step 5

Click on the last bone to create IK chain as shown in the following image.

Step 6

With entire rig and IK chain selected, drag these inside the left leg.

2. Creating Attachment Constraint for Foot

Step 1

With the first nut and bolt selected, go to Animation > Constraint >Attachment Constraint and then click on the left foot of the robot.

Step 2

Click on Set Position and try to set the position of the nut and bolt by dragging the mouse over the left foot. Once you get the correct position, turn off the Align To Surface option.

Step 3

A dialogue box will appear for the confirmation of animation. Just click on Yes.

Step 4

With the second nut and bolt selected, go to Animation > Constraint >Attachment Constraint and then click on the left foot of the robot.

Step 5

Click on Set Position and try to set the position of the nut and bolt by dragging the mouse over the left foot. Once you get the correct position, turn off the Align To Surface option.

Step 6

A dialogue box will appear for the confirmation of animation. Just click on Yes.

Step 7

With the third nut and bolt selected, go to Animation > Constraint >Attachment Constraint and then click on the left foot of the robot.

Step 8

Click on Set Position and try to set the position of the nut and bolt by dragging the mouse over the left foot. Once you get the correct position, turn off the Align To Surface option.

Step 9

A dialogue box will appear for the confirmation of animation. Just click on Yes.

3. Creating Attachment Constraints for Hands

Step 1

With the first nut and bolt selected, go to Animation > Constraint >Attachment Constraint and then click on the left hand of the robot.

Step 2

Click on Set Position and try to set the position of the nut and bolt by dragging the mouse over the left hand. Once you get the correct position, turn off the Align To Surface option.

Step 3

A dialogue box will appear for the confirmation of animation. Just click on Yes.

Step 4

Following the same way, create attachment constraints for the rest of the nut and bolts also.

Step 4

Following the same way, create the rig for the right leg and create attachment constraints for the right hand and nuts and bolts as well.

4. Applying Skin Modifier

Step 1

With the left leg selected, go to Modifier list and select Skin modifier.

Step 2

Inside the Skin modifier tab, click on Add button. It opens the Select Bones window. Select all three bones and click on Select.

Step 3

Now you can see the three bones inside the list.

Step 4

Repeat the same process for the right side’s leg.

5. Creating Attachment Constraint for Ankle

Step 1

With the ankle mesh selected, go to Animation > Constraint >Attachment Constraint and then click on the hand of the robot.

Step 2

Click on Set Position and try to set the position of the nut and bolt by dragging the mouse over the left hand. Once you get the correct position, turn off the Align To Surface option.

Step 3

Follow the same process for the right side’s ankle mesh also.

5. Creating Dummies

Step 1

Go to Create > Helpers > Dummy and create two dummies for both feet as shown in the following image.

Step 2

With both IK chains selected, link these with their respective dummies as shown in the following image.

Step 3

Create three more dummies for the head and both shoulders as shown in the following image.

Step 4

With both shoulders dummies selected, link these to the head dummy as shown in the following image.

Step 5

Link the head of the robot to the head dummy.

Step 6

The rigging is completed now. You can check the rigging by moving the foot and head dummies. The robot is now ready for animation.

Conclusion

Creating rigs and constraints is an essential part of animation as it makes the animation process easy. In the next part of the tutorial, I will show you how to create animation of the robot.