3ds Max: Time slider

THE 5

So I am trying to create some Characters for MUGEN (2D Beat 'em Up creator).
I animate them keyframe whise with each frame being rendered to one Sprite for use in the Game, so I need a lot of keyframes.
While working with a maximum of 100 frames there is a nice distance between the single keyframe-markers (I place one keyframe each frame). Now when I reach a ammount of e.g. 200 Frames it slowly gets hard to select single Keyframes with the mouse due to them being damn close to each other.

I'd need some way to scale the timeline, make it scroll-able or such.
How do you Animators deal with the Timeline of Max?

EDIT: Working with a Biped btw. I just have a look into the motion mixer for the first time.

SyncViewS

Hi, there are a bunch of shortcuts that can help you out:

CTRL + ALT + LMB-drag on Time Slider = scale left margin
CTRL + ALT + RMB-drag on Time Slider = scale right margin
CTRL + ALT + MMB-drag on Time Slider = pan left and right

THE 5

Thnaks! Problem Solved

Mark Dygert

I have a script I wrote that sets the active time segment to 100f based on the sliders current position. I have this script bound to a key so its a quick press. Not that the ctrl-alt-MB approach is bad but it can take a little time to scroll it to a desired frame range.

macroScript timeto100f
category:"VigTools"
toolTip:"Time Slider to 100f"
buttonText:"100f"

(--sets the active time segment to 100f of the current time slider position
    local curframe = currenttime as integer /320
    local sframe = (curframe - 10)
    local eframe = (curframe + 90)
    animationRange = interval sframe eframe
)

To install:
Save the script anywhere, run it once from inside max. Main Menu > MaxScript > Run Script.
It will show up in the Main Menu > Customize > Customize UI > Keyboard tab.
You can also click the toolbar tab and drag it out into the toolbar to get a button.

I personally like 100 frames in the bar, it gives me a pretty consistent scrolling speed without it skipping over a bunch of frames as it tries to keep up. The keys are easier to manage and manipulate.

You can adjust the range and where it puts the slider after it adjusts, by changing two numbers in the script and running it again.
For example if you change:
local sframe = (curframe - 10)
local eframe = (curframe + 90)
to
local sframe = (curframe - 100)
local eframe = (curframe + 100)
It will give you 200 frames in the timeline and put the slider in the center.

If you change it to
local sframe = (curframe - 0)
local eframe = (curframe + 500)
It will give you 500f and put the slider at the beginning.

Working with biped can be a little weird at times there are a few people around here, besides myself, that have good working knowledge of its work flow so don't hesitate to ask if you run into anything.

THE 5

Thats why I love polycount
Thanks Vig, will give it a try