Animation question for 3ds max

cocochan

Hi all in the model below I am going to animate an orc in 3ds max. My question is should I attach the shoulder pad to the character (because if I add the bone would that not mess with the shoulder pad when it does an action) or not (if not what way can I animate a bother with the pad).

Thank you. 

Eric Chadwick

Usually a separate bone is added for hard items like this. Link the pad's bone to the upper arm bone, and weight the pad 100% to the pad bone. Also exclude the pad bone from the rest of the model. Then you can animate this bone independently, as needed.

If the pad is made of stiff leather, so maybe it deforms a little, then you can partially weight one end of it to the upper arm bone. Or if the budget allows, use a 2nd dedicated bone.