Sci-fi Conduit animation/posing question - 3ds max

[Beluosus]

Hey.
I've been working on a little project for photo-3d compositing. The ultimate goal is something along the lines of this sketch: http://myspace-715.vo.llnwd.net/00917/51/78/917658715_l.jpg
So far, I've modeled the wire/conduit/matrixy-connection-thingy to a point that I'm quite pleased with. The problem I've run into is that now that I have this straight, good looking model, I need to be able to make it curve appropriately. As I type I have it open, and I'm trying what I know. The catch there, is that I've got a limited knowledge (read: one college course, and some tutorials) and the usual google searches haven't turned up anything that's helped. Here's a shot of the model:http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y5/Noromami/3d%20stuff/Conduittest2.jpg I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but since I'd prefer to make things as clear as possible the first time, the wires in beige and pink can deform all they please, but the blue guard thingies need to stay shapely. (and no, I promise I'm not leaving them those colors :-D) Now I'm going to go back and keep trying. If I get it, good for me. If not, hopefully you guys can help me.

Thanks in advance :-)

[oXYnary]

Im not going to give a great explanation, but you need to make a chain of animation bones with the middle of the bone in the middle of each blue area, and the ends/joints in the middle of the pink areas. Then use skin modifier make all the blue areas attached to 1 bone only, and with the pink areas having a drop off between 2 bones with the middle of each at a 50/50 between each of the closest bones.

There is a few tuts in the 3dmax help that also help you get started with understanding what Im talking about here.

I realize Im not being step by step.

[Beluosus]

Step by step? no. Useful? very much. I'm off to try it out. Thanks a heap.

[perna]

nono, don't listen to oxy. He hates Americans and is always trying to make trouble for us.. that eurotrash.

It just so happens that 3dsmax has the perfect tool for what you want, and it's very easy to use.

step by step:
-move the pivot of the long vertical tube thing to its base
-add a path deform modifier to it
-pick a path you've created
-(click "move to path")

you're done, and in most simple cases the result should be perfect without any need for manual tweaking.

yes, max can kinda sneak up on you with stuff like that at times

[ScoobyDoofus]

Per: How difficult is it then to animate the spline used to deform the mesh is the question?

[perna]

http://www.per128.com/pub/crap/pathdeform.jpg

scooby: You .. just animate it like any other spline. Is this a trick question? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Beluosus: I know you don't want the blue parts to deform, but it should be barely noticable, and will save you a hell of a lot of time compared to some solution where you make a bone for every single blue-bit, unless you script it or there are specialized solutions for that.

MAX FILE (http://www.per128.com/pub/crap/pathdeform.zip)

[fritz]

nice

[oXYnary]

[ QUOTE ]
nono, don't listen to oxy. He hates Americans and is always trying to make trouble for us.. that eurotrash.


[/ QUOTE ]

Curses! You found me out!