Skeleton Rig version 2.2 by Brad Noble is now available for 3ds max 8 and 9 from BradNoble.net. Lots of new features added.
The Skeleton Rig is packed full of features while still being simple and intuitive
to animate with. It features:
Full IK/FK blending on the arms and legs, finger controls with preset poses,
independant hip rotation and a simple yet powerful spine setup with adjustable
influences on the head and FK arms.
All limbs can be bent into curves and have automatically twisting bones to greatly help deformation.
FK and IK snap buttons for the arms and legs and automatic hiding and unhiding of IK and FK controls depending on the amount of IK for each limb.
Squash and stretch parameters on the head, chest, arms and legs along with adjustment for how much thickening and thinning the bones do when squashed/stretched.
The rig also contains manipulators. These are not like max’s standard manipulators, but are objects that you move instead of going to the modify panel and adjusting a slider. With the manipulators, you can pose the entire rig almost any way you wish using only the move and rotate tools.
Lastly – and maybe most importantly – I have created a script that will resize
the rig to whatever character you may have – as long as they’re bipedal. You
just load the rig file and run the script from under the master object’s base
modifier. From there a simple interface will let you resize any part of the
rig you wish. It also lets you mirror one side’s sizes to the other and even
specify the number of fingers and twisting bones in the arms, legs, neck and
spine.
…plus other little things to help make animating easier.
