Page 982 - Kitab3DsMax

Part IX: Working with Characters
FIGURE 38.3
The objects in this scene are part of an inverse kinematics system.

Using the Various Inverse Kinematics Methods

After you create a linked hierarchy chain, you need to apply an IK method to the chain before you can ani-
mate it. Max includes several different methods for animating using IK. The traditional methods of
Interactive and Applied IK are now joined with IK solvers. The Interactive and Applied IK methods are
applied using the Hierarchy panel; the IK solvers can be applied to a bones system, or you can use the
Animation ➪ IK Solvers menu.
An IK solver is a specialized controller that computes an IK solution. This solution is used to automatically
set all the required keys needed for the animation. Max offers four different IK solvers: History Dependent
(HD) IK, History Independent (HI) IK, IK Limb, and Spline IK solvers.

Interactive IK
Interactive IK is the method that lets you position a linked hierarchy of objects at different frames. Max then
interpolates all the keyframes between the various keys. This method isn’t as precise, but it uses a minimum
number of keys and is useful for an animation sequence involving many frames. Interactive IK interpolates
positions between the two different keys, whereas Applied IK computes positions for every key. Because the
motions are simple interpolations between two keys, the result may not be accurate, but the motion is smooth.

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