Prepare the scene

In the following procedure, you prepare the MotionBuilder scene and open the files needed to start this tutorial.

To prepare the scene:

1. From the menu bar, choose File New.

   An empty 3D scene is created.

2. From the menu bar, choose Layout Editing.
   

   Layout options

   Note: The default layout is set to Editing.

   The Editing layout displays all the user interface you need to complete this tutorial.

3. In the Asset Browser Resources window, click the Tutorials folder.

   The contents of the Tutorials folder appear in the display pane, in Thumbnails display by default.

   

   Tutorial assets displayed in thumbnails

4. In the Asset Browser display pane, click the mia_story asset (mia_story.fbx file) and drag the asset in the Viewer window.

   The FBX Open context menu displays.

5. Select FBX Open <All Takes>.
   

   In the Viewer window, a model named Mia – with a "Servo arm" Character extension – appears to be running.

   
6. In the Navigator window, click the Story tab.

   The Clip_Run_Loop is displayed in the Character Track.

   
7. Click the Character Track and press the keyboard shortcut A to frame (or zoom in on) the clip.

   After framing the Clip_Run_Loop.fbx clip, the Character Track is highlighted in blue indicating it is selected, and the Clip_Run_Loop.fbx clip is no longer shown as being selected.

   
8. In the Story window controls, activate the Story mode option ( ).

   When the Story mode option is activated ( ), the Story window is activated and you can select either the Story Action or Story Edit mode.

   Note: Both of these modes are available in the Story window and in the Transport Controls window.
   

   When the Story mode option is activated, the animation in the Story window can override or blend with the take selected in the Transport Controls window.

   In the Viewer window, a red vector is displayed on what appears to be Mia's running path.

   

   This vector is the clip's ghost vector. It is displayed because the Character Track's Ghost Visibility option ( ) in the Character Track menu is activated.

   

   Character Track menu shows the Ghost Visibility option activated

9. From the menu bar, choose File Save As.

   The Save File window appears.

10. Navigate to a directory other than the default MotionBuilder Tutorials directory where you want to save the file and click Save.

    The Save Options dialog box appears.

    

    Save Options

11. Click Save.

    Choosing to save the file to a directory other than the default MotionBuilder Tutorials directory ensures you do not overwrite the original .fbx file.

12. Play the animation.
    Note: You may need to zoom out in the Viewer window to see all of the animation.
    • Go to the Transport Controls Play Controls ( ) and click Play ( ).