Walkthrough navigation lets you move through a viewport by pressing a set of shortcut keys, including the arrow keys, much as you can navigate a 3D world in many video games.
When you enter walkthrough navigation mode, the cursor changes to a hollow circle that shows a directional arrow while you are pressing one of the directional keys (forward, back, left, or right).
This feature is available for Perspective and Camera viewports. It is not available for orthographic views such as Front, or for spotlight viewports.
Animating a Walkthrough
When you use walkthrough navigation in a Camera viewport, you can animate the camera walkthrough using either Auto Key or Set Key. In either case, to get an animated camera you have to change the frame number manually (the easiest way is to use the Time Slider), and in the case of Set Key, you have to change the frame number and click Set Keys.
Procedures
To use walkthrough navigation:
- Turn on walkthrough navigation by pressing the up-arrow key or clicking
(the Walk Through button). - Use the keyboard and mouse to navigate through the scene as described in the remainder of this topic. For example, to move forward, left, or right, press and hold W, A, and D, respectively. You can also use the arrow keys for the same movement. To turn in any direction, drag the mouse in that direction.
To stop using walkthrough navigation, do one of the following:
- Right-click.
- Activate a different viewport.
- Change the active viewport to a different type.
- Turn on a different viewport navigation tool (such as Zoom or Pan).
- Turn on Select Object or one of the transform tools.
Interface
The Walk Through button is the only graphical element of the 3ds Max interface related to walkthrough navigation. The other features are provided by mouse actions and keyboard shortcuts. The following table shows the keyboard actions:
| Command | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Accelerate Toggle | Q |
| Back | S, down arrow |
| Decelerate Toggle | Z |
| Decrease Rotation Sensitivity | |
| Decrease Step Size | [ (left brace) |
| Down | C, Shift + down arrow |
| Forward | W, up arrow |
| Increase Rotation Sensitivity | |
| Increase Step Size | ] (right brace) |
| Invert Vertical Rotation Toggle | |
| Left | A, left arrow |
| Level | Shift+spacebar |
| Lock Horizontal Rotation | |
| Lock Vertical Rotation | spacebar |
| Reset Step Size | Alt+[ (left brace) |
| Right | D, right arrow |
| Up | E, Shift + up arrow |
If nothing appears in the Shortcut column, no default key is assigned to this command. You can set custom keystrokes using the Keyboard panel of the Customize User Interface dialog.
Forward, Backward, and Sideways Movement
For movement, you can use either the arrow keys, or letters at the left of the keyboard pad.
Undo and Edit Redo (Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y). Holding down any of these keys causes the motion to be continuous. - Forward
-
W or up arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint forward.
Note: If you are not already in walkthrough navigation mode, pressing up arrow enters the mode. - Back
-
S or down arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint backward.
When you are in a camera viewport, Forward and Back are equivalent to dollying in or out.
- Left
-
A or left arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint to the left.
- Right
-
D or right arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint to the right.
When you are in a camera viewport, Left and Right are equivalent to trucking left or right.
- Up
-
E or Shift + up arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint up.
- Down
-
C or Shift + down arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint down.
Acceleration and Deceleration
- Accelerate Toggle and Decelerate Toggle
-
Pressing Accelerate (Q) causes motion to be quicker. Pressing Decelerate (Z) causes movement to be slower. These controls are toggles: pressing the key a second time restores the default motion rate (and pressing the alternate key turns off the first). They are especially useful when you are navigating by holding down keys.
The acceleration and deceleration toggles are independent of the step size.
Adjusting Step Size
- Increase Step Size and Decrease Step Size
-
Pressing Increase Step Size (]) increases the motion increments when you move the camera or viewpoint. Pressing Decrease Step Size ([) reduces them. You can press either of these shortcuts repeatedly, to increase the effect. Changing the step size is apparent when you navigate either by single clicks, or by holding down keys. Step size changes are useful for adjusting movement to the scale of the scene. They are saved with the MAX file.
- Reset Step Size
-
Pressing Reset Step Size (Alt+[) restores the step size to its default value.
The step size is independent of acceleration or deceleration.
Rotation (Tilting)
- Tilt View
-
Click+drag to tilt the camera or viewpoint.
When you are in a camera viewport, Tilt View is equivalent to panning the camera.
- Increase Rotation Sensitivity and Decrease Rotation Sensitivity
-
Pressing Increase Rotation Sensitivity (no default key) increases the motion increments when you use Tilt View. Pressing Decrease Rotation Sensitivity (no default key) decreases them. You can press either of these shortcuts repeatedly, to increase the effect. They are useful for adjusting movement to the scale of the scene. They are saved with the MAX file.
- Lock Horizontal Rotation
-
Pressing Lock Horizontal Rotation (no default key) locks the horizontal axis, so the camera or viewpoint tilts only vertically.
- Lock Vertical Rotation
-
Pressing Lock Vertical Rotation (spacebar) locks the vertical axis, so the camera or viewpoint tilts only horizontally.
- Invert Vertical Rotation Toggle
-
Pressing Invert Vertical Rotation (no default key) inverts the tilt direction when you drag the mouse. When this toggle is off, dragging up causes scene objects to descend in the view, and dragging down causes them to rise (this is like tilting a physical camera). When this toggle is on, objects in the view move in the same direction you are dragging the mouse.
- Level
-
Pressing Level (Shift+spacebar) removes any tilt or roll the camera or viewpoint might have, making the view both level and vertical.