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FSX Dual Axis, Fulcrum Pivot & Hoist Pivot

  • Thread starter Thread starter CWP
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CWP

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Not sure how to create a second axis for this. It's like the dump body on a dump truck. First you have the main pivot point then you have the hoist point with a scissor used as a hoisting mechanism. I thought this was going to be simple until I realized that I can only place one axis per part and all the children just respond to the parent axis.

The animation can be created by rotating each of the parts in increments and then rotating the scissor to connect but I'm sure one of you guru's knows the right way to attach an object in two spots. I'm just getting back to GMAX after about a twelve year break. I use to build steam locomotives with all the connecting rods, eccentrics and pistons so I know it can all be connected up but after hours of searching and reading my brain has went numb.

Any ideas on a good way to make it work with two axis points?
 
Animate the child part(s) too. The parent might rotate laterally, the child longitudinally. Screenshots help to suggest specific answers.
 
Thanks Tom, I was hoping you would show up. Here's a screenshot. The Origin of rotation is the part that I want to control the animation because the part being raised will start slow, speed up through the center of its rotation then slow at the end while the lower bar maintains a constant speed through out the animation cycle.
 

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What fun! There was a time I would have used Look At constraints but thanks to delivery guy I now recommend the Limb Solver to construct this kind of animation before reducing it to keyframes.

More when I get screenshots done!
 
Thanks Tom, I have spent hours animating it in ten frame increments. It looks good but if you watch close enough it's not fluid movement like I use to get out of those old Gmax steam locomotives that I built. This is for the JBD's on my carrier as I'm sure you can see by my screenshot. If I can get them set up to run as one unit with fluid movement then I will be able to have each JBD come up as an individual unit to add more realism.

As I look at all the features in Gmax I keep asking myself "Why did I ever bother with FSDS?" I'll keep FSDS around for some scenery because texturing is so quick and simple but Max/Gmax is the only way to go with complex models.
 
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Here we go. All your Move or Rotate animations must have Linear controllers for FS, especially FSX.

scissor01_zps6jcyehtc.jpg




scissor02_zps8dcidphc.jpg




Now to let the Limb Solver make things really easy:–


scissor03_zpsxqnox4qy.jpg



scissor04_zps6ytk3vnf.jpg




Easy peasy!
 
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I've animated the top platform and Limb Solver (IK Chain01) from 0 to 100 in this example, there are keyframes at 0, 10, 20, 80, 90 and 100. Now the swivel arms need keyframes:–


scissor05_zps3hp1hpcz.jpg




This gives enough keyframes to give a smooth animation. The Limb Solver is now redundant:–


scissor06_zpshkcf2sdk.jpg



Finally test the animation to check it's still okay!

Hope this helps.


My thanks to delivery guy who brought this method to our attention.
 
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Thanks a lot for all of your effort Tom, great tutorial! I'm still working with it but I'm sure I'll get it to work now.
 
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