3ds max - applying a new model to an old animation

Shiniku

Alright, I've been struggling to figure something out and my google searches have been less than helpful, so I figured I could ask you guys for help.

So here's my problem, I did some animations for a character awhile back. Now, I've made several variations of the character and have 3 new models, but I want them to use the same animations.

I have every animation saved into it's own 3ds max file, as well as a file with just the bones. I can skin my new models to the skeleton in the one file, but is there anyway to import the now skinned models into the animation files and maintain the appropriate weights so that they'll follow the animation?

This sounds like something that's probably possible but I'm pretty noobish when it comes to things like this so don't be too hard on me if it's super-easy or something, haha.

mystichobo

Hmmm, you could probably use something like the skin wrap modifier (taking the animation from the original mesh.

There's probably a more efficent way of doing it though.

sprunghunt

have you tried the "merge animation..." or "load animation..." menus?

have you tried copying and pasting tracks?

are you using biped? or CAT?

Shiniku

Ah, yeah, I should have clarified. I'm using the biped. I figured it out, too.. it's really simple. Basically I can just save an animation for the biped and load it in another file. It's all in the controls for the biped, piece of cake.

sprunghunt

Shiniku wrote: »

Ah, yeah, I should have clarified. I'm using the biped. I figured it out, too.. it's really simple. Basically I can just save an animation for the biped and load it in another file. It's all in the controls for the biped, piece of cake.

yes that's why I asked. Biped and CAT both are designed so you can easily transfer animation between models. For using motion capture and so on.

Mark Dygert

You can also use motion mixer to layer, blend and transition between animations, very helpful, especially given that you can filter various body parts out of the different tracks.