rigging inanimate objects

[Deleted User]

if im just rigging inanimate objects like a foldable tables and chairs, do i need to worry about skinning? im watching digital tutor's beginner's guide to rigging in 3ds max 2011 and the instructor rigged a robotic arm. everything worked just fine without a skin modifier since there was no skin or cloth that needed to deform.

do i only need to worry about bones, inverse kinematics, and controllers?

Hito

no need to worry about skinning. IK and Controllers are useful for any kind of animation. you can use audio controllers to animate objects to music instead of hand keying for instance.

skin modifier is very flexible however and is useful in many situations. you can bind mesh to any other object: bones, splines, other mesh objects, dummies.

[Deleted User]

thanks, hito.