From the course: 3ds Max: Tips, Tricks and Techniques
Transform and retime a cache with Fluid Loader - 3ds Max Tutorial
From the course: 3ds Max: Tips, Tricks and Techniques
Transform and retime a cache with Fluid Loader
- [Narrator] The fluid loader object gives us the ability to manipulate a fluid cache already stored on disk. With the loader we can transform a fluid cache in both space and time. This is something we could not do previously. Without the fluid loader we could not even move a liquid object. But with the loader we can not only move, rotate, and scale, but we can change the playback speed, play the cache backward, reuse the same cache files multiple times in the same timeline, and generally warp time any way we like. So let's do that, we'll open up the simulation view. Go in to animation, fluids, simulation view. Open up Liquid001 which is the object, select the syrup_solver, and then all of its parameters load. We need to have a cache in order to use the fluid loader so we'll need to run the simulation. Click on the play button and the simulation begins to calculate, give that a few minutes while the simulation processes and the cache is stored on disk. Once the simulation has completed we can just rewind and play back to see that we have some slow-moving fluid here, meant to represent maple syrup. Stop and rewind and let's add the fluid loader. We can create a fluid loader from the create panel and then add the cache, or we can create the fluid loader directly in a simulation view. Creating it from the simulation view saves us from the task of navigating through our project folder to find the right cache files and it will also make sure that the cache starts out properly aligned in the scene. In the solver management area right-click on any solver that has a cache already and then choose create loader from cache. And the add cache dialog appears. This one only has a fluid cache, keep that enabled and click OK. And now we have a fluid loader object in our scene. If we choose FluidLoader001 here in the management area then we can see in the loader properties tab we have frames zero to 46 loaded in. So this has been added for us automatically but if we needed to of course we could add or remove using these buttons here. Now that we have a fluid loader in our scene we can actually manipulate the cache. Select the fluid loader and you can use the transform tools such as move and reposition that, I want to do that with Ctrl Z. Or even more useful is the ability to scale. This will let you scale a cache after it's been saved to disk which can actually be quite helpful when you're working with miniatures or bigatures for that matter. I want to do that with Ctrl Z as well. And we can also manipulate time. This is where things get really interesting. I'll just go back to the select object tool. And here in the cache playback section of the loader properties we have the ability to manipulate time, play it forward, backward, or warp time any way we want. It's defaulted to the original range which is as we see here frames zero to 46. But there are a bunch of other modes here. If we choose custom start then we'll just offset the beginning of that cache. So we'll start in a different frame. So we could say, start the cache on frame 10, and then press play and the cache doesn't start until frame 10 of the timeline. We can also choose a custom range which allows us to stretch time if the range is longer or shorter than the duration of the original cache. And we can see that the default custom range is to start on frame zero and end on frame 100. Let's go in to our time configuration, down here, time configuration, and just set the end time to frame 100, click OK, and play that back and we can see that the cache is playing back instead of from frame zero to 46, but from frame zero to 100. I'll stop that and rewind, and we can even do crazy things like play backwards and say start on frame 100 and end on frame zero. So now it's playing back in slow motion in reverse. Alright, that's very cool, but even better, if we go back to the cache playback pulldown we can choose playback, graph, and this allows us to set key frames on this field to play the cache backward or forward at any speed. So let's do something really interesting here with this, with the timeline on frame zero and the playback graph frame number at frame zero, let's enable auto key and then go down to frame 15, I'll just type that in, and let's set the playback graph frame to 15 as well. And now I should have some key frames here, and indeed we do. So we won't see the key frames in the timeline unless we select the loader object, and once I've done that we can see that we've got key frames on zero and 15, and after frame 15 we don't get any motion in our fluid cache. So let's continue onward, let's go to frame 30. And in the cache playback let's just freeze the motion for a little bit. We'll set the frame number to 15 again, and the way you do that is you just toggle this up or down until you get back to 15. So now we have no change in the frame number between 15 and 30. So it freezes there, alright, now go down to frame 46 and we can make the fluid cache go in reverse. So we'll set the frame to zero. Rewind and play that back. So we've completely mastered time here. We can finish this up by going down to, let's say frame 92, and at frame 92 we'll set the cache playback frame to 46. And we have another key frame there, we can rewind and play that back. So we're able to do kind of stutter edit here. Now the default key frame interpolation is actually Auto tangents but in this case I want a little bit more control, I want to use a linear tangent type. I'll stop the timeline, rewind, open up the mini curve editor here, and then we need to select the track, which is going to be found in FluidLoader001, Object, and the track name is 0. And to see all of that we need to frame it so let's close the simulation view and click to frame the horizontal and value extents. Select all those key frames and just convert them all to linear. And we can turn off auto key and close the mini curve editor and now with the linear interpolation between key frames we have better control over the frame indexing or the relationship between the cache frames and the timeline frames. There won't be any additional ease in or ease out other than what already exists within the cache itself. And that's how to use the fluid loader to manipulate a liquid cache.
Practice while you learn with exercise files
Download the files the instructor uses to teach the course. Follow along and learn by watching, listening and practicing.
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q1_2018.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q1_2019.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q2_2018.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q2_2019.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q3_2017.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q3_2018.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q4_2017.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q4_2018.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q3_2019.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q4_2019.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q1_2020.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q2_2020.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q3_2020.zip
- Ex_Files_3DSMax_Q4_2020.zip
Contents
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Modeling a floor plan from a 2D drafting document13m 36s
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Modeling terrain with Displace space warp11m 18s
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Projecting UVs with the Camera Map world-space modifier7m 46s
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Capturing shadows with Arnold Shadow Matte map10m 43s
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Rendering compositing passes with Arnold AOVs9m 6s
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Mechanical rigging with IK and the LookAt controller9m 16s
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Modulating animation with Multiply and Ease Curves13m 9s
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Working with audio and the AudioFloat controller12m 8s
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Automating with Expression controllers10m 13s
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Real-time animation with the Motion Capture utility10m 17s
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Stylized rendering with Scanline Ink 'n Paint8m 16s
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Getting started with the Max Creation Graph13m 25s
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Modifying a Max Creation Graph tool12m 27s
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Sculpting a terrain with Texture Object Mask9m 33s
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Building a road with Conform space warp11m 12s
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Shading a landscape with Arnold Curvature14m 59s
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Creating custom attributes with the Parameter Editor9m 1s
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Driving animation curves with the Reaction controller6m 56s
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Rigging a camera-facing matte painting10m 41s
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Aligning a camera to a background with Perspective Match10m 32s
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Projecting a photo to proxy geometry with Camera Map11m 49s
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Automation with wire parameters and manipulators8m 18s
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Converting scenes for different renderers10m 52s
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Rendering light groups with Arnold AOVs10m 11s
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Graphing scene conditions with State Sets Compositor9m 34s
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Introduction to 3ds Max Fluids10m 18s
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Modeling with the Motion Field Space Warp9m 55s
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Non-destructive model adjustment with Linked Xform9m 23s
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Animating sub-objects with Linked Xform10m 11s
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Customize and cycle Path Constraint animation5m 54s
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Generate complex motion with Waveform Controllers10m 56s
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Illuminate a scene with an Arnold Mesh Light5m 49s
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Shading with Maya maps in 3ds Max4m 32s
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Varying shader properties by object with Arnold Color Jitter5m 26s
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Render a mesh object with Arnold Standard Volume9m 47s
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Render a Point Cloud object8m 21s
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Setting track value boundaries with a limit controller4m 5s
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Drawing curves with Freehand Spline8m 41s
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Correcting intersections with Spline Overlap4m 38s
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Reducing curve detail with Optimize Spline6m 42s
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Resampling curves with Normalize Spline8m 44s
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Soft-selecting curves with Spline Influence7m 42s
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Blending curves with Spline Morph12m 15s
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Combining splines with shape Booleans10m 51s
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Approximating global illumination in Arnold13m 10s
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Rendering proxies with Arnold procedurals10m 25s
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Introduction to the Open Shading Language map11m 16s
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Basic syntax of Open Shading Language8m 24s
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Declaring OSL input and output parameters12m 53s
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Generating a fractal noise pattern in OSL9m 25s
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Iterating a for loop in OSL10m 16s
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Using the if… else conditional statement in OSL10m 9s
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Managing OSL file assets and paths10m 8s
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Accelerate Arnold rendering with adaptive sampling5m 59s
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Texturing with the Advanced Wood procedural map11m 2s
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Art directing the Advanced Wood texture map5m 16s
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Setting a fluid initial state9m 19s
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In-camera compositing with Camera Map modifier7m 8s
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Creating animation layers14m 33s
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Collaborate online with shared views6m 14s
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Rendering iridescence with Arnold Thin Film8m 17s
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Loading and saving fluid presets7m 36s
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Introduction to 3ds Max Interactive9m 15s
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Building a motion graphics rig with Data Channel10m 18s
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Creating custom project folder structures8m 28s
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Open Shading Language code editor tips and tricks8m 21s
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Spawning particles from a 3D map11m 18s
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Rendering a starfield10m 21s
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Faking GI with an Arnold ambient occlusion filter9m 4s
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Modeling with the animation Snapshot tool6m 30s
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Rendering particles with Arnold Standard Volume11m 23s
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Render Arnold volume with physical values6m 38s
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Volume indirect global illumination in Arnold7m 56s
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Removing polygon detail with Freeform Optimize6m 26s
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Transform and retime a cache with Fluid Loader7m 25s
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Rendering motion blur in Arnold10m 46s
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Drawing splines on an editable poly2m 48s
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Sketching freeform topology over a polygon mesh6m 17s
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Animating effects with Data Channel Decay6m 54s
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Animating controllers in the Material Editor7m 17s
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Painting a vertex color mask with VertexPaint9m 25s
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Drawing polygon freeform strips5m 17s
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Extruding polygon freeform branches2m 41s
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Interactive ActiveShade in a viewport4m 35s
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Fluid data channels5m 50s
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Displaying fluid data channels9m 56s
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Assigning UVW coordinates in an OSL network8m 52s
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Using named coordinate spaces in Open Shading Language (OSL)11m 27s
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Shadow group exclusion with Arnold properties5m 59s
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Erasing materials with MAXScript or UVW Remove3m 3s
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Understanding Fluid Churn and Vorticity channels6m 13s
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Rendering Fluid channels with Arnold User Data5m 56s
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Keyframe quantization and sub-frame editing with Snap Keys8m 37s
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Importing a CAD solid model as a Body Object8m 38s
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Solid model subtraction and intersection with Body Cutter4m 58s
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Solid model union with Join Bodies6m 54s
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Denoising an Arnold rendering7m 50s
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Interactive Update in the animation Curve Editor2m 54s
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Curve Editor view menu: Tips and tricks5m 33s
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Editing animation curves with the Region Keys tool4m 56s
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Combining data channels of Fluids7m 13s
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Shading per object with OSL Random by Index7m 15s
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Layering materials of Fluids6m 51s
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Render particles as Arnold primitives3m 37s
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Render PFlow particles with Arnold Shape4m 34s
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Remapping colors with Arnold Ramp RGB7m 36s
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Rendering contours with Arnold Toon7m 31s
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Mapping Arnold Toon base color8m 55s
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Controlling preview quality6m 2s
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Adding information overlays to a preview with MAXScript7m 49s
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Modeling with the updated Chamfer modifier9m 7s
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Applying a chamfer using edge weight and depth5m 4s
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Baking a map to a mesh with Assign Vertex Color9m 59s
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Generating cavity and occlusion maps with Render Surface Map6m 48s
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Baking multiple vertex color channels with VertexPaint9m 4s
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Compositing vertex color in a shading network7m 29s
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Optimizing geometry with the MultiRes modifier8m 33s
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Improving viewport performance with the Substitute modifier2m 57s
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Constructing a lighting assembly5m 24s
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Wiring parameters in a lighting assembly8m 24s
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Measuring with tape helper, the Measure Distance tool, and the Measure utility6m 39s
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Display panel tips and tricks5m 12s
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Quickly adjusting transforms and pivot point with the Transform Toolbox8m 39s
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Stacking objects with Select and Place5m 13s
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Managing objects and sub-objects with selection sets8m 17s
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Referencing scenes with containers8m 51s
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Changing inherited container content with Edit in Place8m 13s
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Locking and unlocking container parameters9m 14s
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Editing unlocked container parameters7m 16s
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Projecting splines onto surfaces with ShapeMerge6m 31s
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Analyzing and correcting mesh geometry with xView7m 29s
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Keyframing sub-objects with the Master Point controller9m 38s
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Managing scene materials with Material Explorer8m 36s
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Defining a temporary transform center with working pivot8m 23s
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Customizing keyboard shortcuts with Hotkey editor6m 56s
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Stylized rendering with OSL Halftone Dots map4m 44s
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Incorporating scene lighting in a shading network5m 20s
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Incorporating render resolution in a shading network7m 32s
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Situating geometry within an OSL HDRI environment6m 9s
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Studio lighting with HDRI lights map8m 9s
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White balance and exposure with an Arnold camera filtermap5m 11s
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Rasterizing maps with bake to texture9m 45s
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Advanced baking with bake to texture8m 26s
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Baking to physically based renderer (PBR) materials for export7m 35s
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Production rendering with Quicksilver hardware12m 11s
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Varying textures with OSL Randomized Bitmaps11m 29s
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Deforming a particle system with the Mesher compound object4m 49s
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Set up Arnold render passes with AOV Manager8m 19s
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Animating multiple tracks with Parameter Collector6m 45s
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Improving edge smoothing with Weighted Normals modifier7m 35s
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Rendering a cutaway with the Arnold Clip Geo material4m 14s
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Advanced procedural noise with Uber Noise map13m 14s
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Rendering polygon edges with OSL Wireframe map7m 32s
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Art directing the OSL Wireframe map5m 55s
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Introduction to MassFX Rigid Body dynamics7m 30s
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Setting up a MassFX Rigid Body simulation5m 14s
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Controlling a MassFX Rigid Body simulation7m 40s
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Fine-tuning a MassFX Rigid Body simulation7m 42s
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Automating secondary animation with the Flex modifier7m 2s
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Keyframing modeling commands with the Edit Poly Animate mode4m 44s
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Generating UVs with OSL projection maps5m 33s
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Retiming all keyframes in a scene with the world track6m 53s
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Snapping surfaces dynamically with MCG Ray Constraint6m 1s
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Complex sub-object selections with the Selection ribbon7m 30s
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Adding polygon edges with Paint Connect4m 33s
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Manipulating sub-objects without changing mapping with Preserve UVs3m 41s
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Hiding geometry based on distance with Viewport Clipping2m 53s
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Navigating a scene with walkthrough mode3m 55s
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Parametric soft transforms with Affect Region4m 1s
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