When you activate footsteps, keys are created for biped body parts. After activating footsteps, you can also create keys by turning on Auto Key and animating body parts. All these keys can be viewed in Track View – Dope Sheet mode.
In general, editing biped body keys in Track View is the same as editing keys of any sort in 3ds Max, with a few restrictions.
Before reading this section, please read Understanding Footstep and Body Keys for terms and definitions used in this section.
Note: The information in this section applies only to biped body keys for the arms, legs, spine, neck, and other parts of the upper body. For rules for editing footstep keys, see Editing Footstep Timing.
Some biped keys are locked, meaning they cannot be moved in time. Locked keys are colored red in Track View.
Locked keys for the COM Body Vertical track are created at each footstep's lift and touch frames. These are the only keys that are locked. These keys can be moved in time by changing footstep duration in Track View.
Although you cannot move or delete a locked key in Track View, you can sometimes change the animation on the frame by going to the frame, turning on Auto Key and manually animating the key.
All options available for editing biped body key timing are available only when Edit Keys on the Track View toolbar is turned on.
The following rules apply to the editing biped body key timing in Track View:
You cannot move existing keys outside the area between the first and last footsteps, or to negative frames.
You can use Add Keys to add keys to any biped body track. You cannot add keys outside the area between the first and last footsteps, or to negative frames.
You can clone keys the same way you clone 3ds Max object keys, by selecting keys and holding down Shift as you drag them. You can also clone keys by copying and pasting postures. See Copying and Pasting Postures and Poses.
The Track View – Curve Editor can be used to view and edit curves showing the interpolation between body keys. You can also use the Workbench to analyze, edit and fix biped motion curves. See Working with the Workbench.
You can use Scale Keys to scale selected keys, except for locked keys.
Tip: If you want to animate a biped performing movements with its upper body while standing, extend the length of the standing footsteps to cover the length of the standing animation, then add keys for the upper body.