Maya Tutorial Animating a Dynamic Tank Tread

Maya Tutorial:Animating a Dynamic Tank Tread

Maya artist Keith Legg has contributed the second in a series of tutorials that Proscenia will be offering. We hope that this Alias Maya 3D tutorial will be of value to those interested in learning more about this dynamic software package.

Keith is a 3D artist with the Oregon Research Institute's Applied Computer Simulations Lab (ACSL) in Eugene, Oregon. The Lab's research team is well known for the virtual reality programs it has designed to help physically disabled children operate motorized wheelchairs successfully and safely in the natural environment.

Keith has been the lead 3D artist for an Internet version of ACSL's wheelchair training program. It is an online environment in which multiple users can connect to a computer network that allows them to practice driving in a shared virtual space with other children from across the country.

Keith uses Maya as the software of choice in creating the 3D environments in which these training activities take place.This is the second of Maya tutorials prepared by Keith Legg, 3D designer, at the Oregon Research Institute's Applied Computer Simulation Lab. Keith's first tutorial appeared in the December 7th issue of the Proscenia Newsletter. See:Maya Tutorial No. 1: Controlling Venetian Blinds.

Maya Tutorial No. 2: Animating a Dynamic Tank Tread. This second tutorial discusses how to set-up a rotating tank tread effect that conforms both to a path animation curve and the ground it rolls over. It is assumed that the user is familiar with basic mel scripting like loops, selection lists, and using the script editor.

Author: Keith Legg
Email:
URL: http://www.ori.org/~keithl