Flying a Camera Around the Design

Set up:

• On the menu bar, choose File > Open and browse to \tutorials\land\add_flyaround.max. A thumbnail is visible in the Open File dialog. Highlight the file and click Open.

Create a camera:

For this simple fly-around animation, you'll use a target camera.

1. Activate a Top viewport or create a Top viewport if you don't have one by pressing T on the keyboard.

2. On the Create panel click the Cameras button.

3. On the Object Type rollout, click Target.

4. In the Top viewport, put your cursor just above the yellow objects at the lower-left corner of the viewport.

5. Positioning your cursor over the library dome, drag out a camera, then release the mouse button. Don't worry about the placement; you'll change it momentarily.

   

   Target camera

Match the camera to the view:

1. Right-click the Perspective viewport to activate it without affecting the current selection.

2. With the camera still selected, choose Views > Create Camera from View.

   The camera jumps back in the Top viewport.

   Tip: The Create Camera from View command will create a camera from a perspective view, if no camera is selected. If an existing camera is selected, this command will match the camera to the view.

3. Press C on the keyboard.

   The viewport changes to a camera view and the viewport label now reads Camera01.

   

Create a dummy object:

You'll use a helper object called a dummy to animate the rotation of the camera around the scene.

1. Switch to the Top viewport, then in the viewport navigation controls click the Region Zoom button. In the Top viewport, zoom into the Civic Center buildings.

2. On the Create panel click the Helpers button.

3. On the Object Type rollout, click the Dummy button.

4. Move your cursor over the library dome and drag out a dummy object a bit larger than the dome object.

   

Link the camera to the dummy:

1. Press the H key to open the Select Objects dialog, then highlight Camera01 and click Select.

   The Camera object is now selected.

2. On the toolbar click the Select And Link button.

   The program is now in Select and Link mode.

3. Press the H key again to open the Select Parent dialog.

4. Highlight Dummy01 and then click Link.

   The Camera01 object is now linked to the dummy object.

5. On the toolbar, click the Select button to leave Select And Link mode.

   Tip: Train yourself to turn off tools when you finish using them.

Increase the time segment:

1. Click the Time Configuration button in the time controls.

2. On the Time configuration dialog:

   • In the Playback area, turn off Real Time

   • In the Animation area, change End Time to 180.

   • Click OK

Animate the dummy:

1. Turn on the Auto Key button.

2. Select the dummy object. Now you will set key frames for the dummy object.

3. Right-click the time slider to display the Create Key dialog.

4. Turn off Position and Scale, but leave Rotate turned on.

5. Click OK to set a rotation keyframe at frame zero for the dummy.

6. Move the Time slider to frame 60 by typing 60 in Current Frame field in the time controls.

7. Choose Select and Rotate on the toolbar. Rotate the dummy about the Z axis -120 degrees by typing that value into the Z-axis field on the status bar.

8. Move the time slider to frame 120 by typing that value in the Current Frame field.

9. Rotate the dummy about the Z axis again, by typing -240 in the Z-axis field.

10. Move the time slider to frame 180 by clicking the Go to End button.

11. Rotate the dummy by typing -358 into the Z coordinate display field.

    Since -360 degrees of rotation is the same as 0 degrees of rotation, you need to use --358. Otherwise when the animation loops, it will appear to pause.

12. Turn off the Auto Key button.

13. Click Play to play the camera fly-around in the Camera viewport.

    You can observe your animation from all angles now. If you like you can scroll through the animation using the < and > keys to move forwards or backwards at your own pace.

14. To turn off the dummy in the viewport, go to the Display panel, and in the Hide by Category rollout, turn on the Helpers box.

    

Save your work:

• Save your work as my_civic_center_flyaround.max.