How to Make a Dynamic Chain in Maya
Autodesk Maya is one of the world's leading 3D computer-graphics software suites. Available for Mac OS and Windows, it is used by video-game designers, graphic designers, cinematographers and more all over the world. In 3D computer design, a dynamic object is one that moves or interacts with the environment in some way. Creating a dynamic chain in Maya is fairly straightforward, though you'll need to have a basic background in the software before you begin.
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Instructions
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Create the first ring of the chain. find the height of the chain hole by using the distance tool. Once you're satisfied with the length of the chain, turn to the animation section and create a joint in the center of the upper part of the chain where you'll go on to create the next section of the chain.
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Continue creating each ring of the chain by duplicating the joints. Parent each section of the chain together from bottom to top. This can be done by dragging the components together in outliner.
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Return to the first ring of the chain and create a curve along the entire chain. Ideally, you should have the same number of spans for the curve as the number of rings in the chain.
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Open up the "Dynamics" menu and navigate to "Hair" and then "Make." Select Curves Dynamic. It is now time to turn the chain into a dynamic model.
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Check the boxes "Attach curves to selected surfaces" and "Snap curve base to surface." Make sure that "Exact shape match" is deselected. Click "Apply" and then "Close."
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Set the frame count to a fairly high value and then active interactive playback from the "Dynamics - Solvers - Interactive Playback" menu.
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Go to the Animation menu and select "Skeleton" followed by "IK Spline Handle Tool." In the Tool Settings window, ensure that "Root on curve," "Auto parent curve" and "Snap curve to root" are selected. Keep the window open and click on the first ring of the chain followed by the last one and then the dynamic curve.
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Tweak the location of the chain in real-time by activating interactive playback and opening the settings for "hairSystem."
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