Create Multiple Footsteps Dialog: Walk

The Create Multiple Footsteps dialog for the walk gait creates a sequence of walking footsteps using a series of parameters.

Select the Biped. > Motion Panel > Biped rollout > (Footstep Mode) > Footstep Creation rollout > (Walk) > (Create Multiple Footsteps) > Create Multiple Footsteps: Walk dialog

This dialog displays when you select the Walk gait on the Motion panel's Footstep Creation rollout, then click Create Multiple Footsteps.

Note: The Create Multiple Footsteps dialog appears differently depending on the gait chosen. For other gaits, see Create Multiple Footsteps Dialog: Run and Create Multiple Footsteps Dialog: Jump.

Procedures

To make the biped walk up or down stairs:

In the First Step group, set Actual Stride Height to a value other than 0. A value higher than 0 will cause the biped to step up, while a value below 0 will make it step down.

To make the biped walk in place:

In the First Step group, Set Parametric Stride Length to zero.

To make the biped walk backward:

In the First Step group, set Parametric Stride Length to a value less than zero.
The absolute value of the Parametric Stride Length is still the length of the stride.

To make the biped speed up as it walks:

In the Timing group, click Interpolate.
The controls in the Last Step group are enabled.
In the Last Step group, set Time To Next Footstep to be a value less than Time To Next Footstep in the First Step group.
You can adjust the values in either group, or both. The important thing is to make the Last Step a shorter time than the First Step.

Interface

General group

Start Left Starts the footstep sequence with a left step.
Start Right Starts the footstep sequence with a right step.

Alternate: Footsteps will alternate between right and left. Alternate is always selected when the Walk gait is selected. You can only clear Alternate when Run or Jump gaits are selected.
Number of Footsteps: Determines the number of new footsteps to be created.
Parametric Stride Width: Sets the stride width as a percentage of the pelvis width. A value of 1.0 produces a stride width equal to the pelvis width. A value of 3.0 produces a wide, waddling stride. Changes to this setting automatically change the Actual Stride Width.
Parametric describes the parameter in terms of biped anatomy, and Actual describes the value in 3ds Max units.

Stride Width=1 and Stride Width=3
Actual Stride Width: Sets the stride width in modeling units. Changes to this setting automatically change the Parametric Stride Width.
Total Distance: Displays the total distance the footsteps will travel with the current settings. This value cannot be changed directly.

OK: Creates footsteps with the current settings.
Cancel: Cancels footstep creation.
Default: Resets the values on the dialog to default values.

Timing group

Auto Timing

Sets timing parameters automatically. Auto Timing affects the following timing parameters for the Walk gait:

Walk footstep, Double Support
When Auto Timing is selected, these parameters are automatically adjusted to reasonable values. Control the footstep sequence by adjusting the Stride Length and Time To Next Footstep parameters.

When Auto Timing is off, you can control the footstep sequence by adjusting the gait timing parameters, but you can't change the Time To Next Footstep parameter.

Interpolate

Control acceleration or deceleration of the series of footsteps. When this box is selected, a second set of step parameters under Last Step is enabled.

Biped creates footsteps starting with the values of the parameters under First Step and ending with the values of the parameters under Last Step.

By interpolating between the two, Biped produces a footstep series that changes over time.

When Interpolate is cleared, the Last Step parameters are grayed out. Biped creates all the footsteps using only the parameters under First Step.

Start After Last Footstep Appends the newly created footsteps to the end of the existing footstep sequence.
Start at Current Frame Inserts the newly created footsteps at the current frame after the existing footstep sequence, allowing you to make a gap in time before the footsteps start again.

First Step and Last Step groups

Parametric Stride Length

Sets the stride length for the new footsteps as a percentage of the length of the biped’s leg. The default value of 0.75 gives an average stride of normal proportions.

A value of 1.0 will produce a stride length equal to the leg length, which makes the biped stretch slightly to reach the next step. A value of 0.0 will make the biped walk in place. A negative stride length will make the biped walk backwards.

When a biped walks backwards, it does not simply reverse the forward movement but maintains the correct foot-state sequence with the toe touching the ground first, followed by the heel.

Adjusting Parametric Stride Length automatically changes the value for Actual Stride Length.

Stride Length=0.75 and Stride Length=1

Actual Stride Length

Sets the stride length for new footsteps in 3ds Max units.

The same rules apply as for Parametric Stride Length (described above).

Adjusting Actual Stride Length automatically changes the value for Parametric Stride Length.

Actual Stride Height

Sets the rise or fall between footsteps. You can use this parameter to create a set of footsteps going up or down a slope or a stairway.

The value for Actual Stride Height is the difference in height in units between each of the new footsteps. Positive values step up and negative values step down.

Stride Height=5 units

Time to Next Footstep

Specifies the number of frames in each foot movement cycle. A cycle starts with the frame that a foot touches the ground, continues as the foot lifts and moves, and ends with the frame before the foot touches the ground again. This parameter is only enabled if Auto Timing is on.

Speed

Displays the number of units the biped will move per frame. It changes in response to changes in the other parameters but cannot be adjusted directly.

The following two parameters are only enabled when Auto Timing is off.

You can use these parameters instead of Auto Timing to control the speed of the forward motion over the series of footsteps. However, because these parameters both affect the footsteps’ time in contact with the ground, using them to slow down a walk gives the walk a hesitant, ‘stop-go’ quality.

Walk Footstep

Specifies the number of frames each footstep will be on the ground during a walk.

The higher the number, the longer each biped foot remains in contact with the ground and, consequently, the slower the speed of the walking motion.

Footsteps 3 through 5 are on the ground for 22 frames each

Double Support

Specifies the number of frames both feet will be on the ground at the same time during a walk.

The higher the number, the longer the period during which both feet remain in contact with the ground during each walk cycle and, consequently, the slower the speed of the walking motion.

The dotted line surrounds the double-support period (6 frames)