Craft 2-Wheeler Extended
Manual

 

Craft 2-Wheeler Extended is a simulator for 2-wheel vehicles. This animation tool makes it easy for the user to create realistic simulations for vehicles in motion. The vehicle is controlled with an input device directly through 3ds Max or Maya. The user links the model that will be rendered to Craft 2-Wheeler Extended for it to inherit its movement. Steering, braking, boosting, skidding, etc. is performed in real-time with a DirectX input device, keyboard or 3dxmouse. All Craft 2-Wheeler Extended parameters can be altered in real time and may create some very peculiar motorcycle shape changes during recording.

The surface on which Craft 2-Wheeler Extended drives can take any shape, be upside down or twist oddly. Surfaces can even be animated during recording with Craft 2-Wheeler Extended.

Detail parts of 2-Wheeler Extended

Using Craft 2-Wheeler Extended

 Optimizing the scene

It’s wise to optimize the scene before starting to recording the animation. The scene is optimized by decreasing the amount of polygons shown during the recording. This is achieved by hiding objects not crucial to the part of the scene to be animated. Another tip is to use Craft Bounding Poly, which temporary lowers the amount of polygons for selected objects and allows for a smoother recording.
  1. Create a Craft 2-Wheeler Extended.
  2. Configure the Input settings for Craft 2-Wheeler Extended (using an analog input device is recommended).

    Select the Craft 2-Wheeler Extended in the tool tree list and click on the Input settings button in the tool bar. This will open the input settings window for Craft 2-Wheeler Extended.

  3. Import the high poly model to the scene.
  4. Use Align to place Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s chassis (2WheelerExt_01_BodyMesh) at the position as the high poly model’s chassis. It might be wise to use wireframe mode so that only the outlines are visible. Keyboard shortcut for wireframe in 3ds Max is F3 and 4 for Maya.
  5. Move and rescale Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s chassis so that it is placed in the same position and has the same size as the high poly model’s chassis.
  6. Use Align to align Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s wheels (2WheelerExt_01_WheelMesh_Front and 2WheelerExt_01_WheelMesh_Back) to the wheels on the high poly model. Make sure that they are centered in the middle of the high poly model’s wheels.
  7. Rescale Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s wheels so that they’re the same size as the high poly model’s wheels.
  8. Link the high poly model’s chassis to Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s chassis.
  9. Link the high poly model’s steering bars to Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s steering bars.
  10. Link the high poly model’s wheels to each of Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s respective wheel.
  11. To make sure that the recording runs a smooth as possible, hide all the high poly model’s parts.
  12. Link the arrow under Craft 2-Wheeler Extended (2WheelerExt_01_GravityDirectionMesh) to the surface. The vehicle will then follow this surface.
    Please note: It can only be bound to one surface.
  13. To get a better view when maneuvering Craft 2-Wheeler Extended, change viewport to one of the following cameras:
    • DriverCam which is placed approximately at the height of the drivers head on a motorcycle. Its position can be changed if needed.
    • TopCam follows the motorcycle 25 scaled units above it helping the driver to perform pinpoint navigation in tight spaces.
    • FollowCam follows the motorcycle smoothly from a third person view.
  14. Click Record in Craft Director Studio’s main window to start recording. Maneuver Craft 2-Wheeler Extended with the input settings configured earlier and drive the desired route. Craft 2-Wheeler Extended’s movement will be saved during the duration of the recording. Click Stop to stop the recording.
    • If the recording is not satisfactory drag the timeline back to any position desired and continue to rerecord from there. This way the entire recording does not have to be redone.
    • By using the Countdown feature, it’s possible to pick up the input device and get ready before the recording starts (you can find the Countdown setting in the Main Configuration).
    • To make it easier to maneuver tricky parts in the animations, use the Slow-motion factor in Craft Director Studio’s main window.
  15. Unhide the high poly model.
  16. Render.

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Autonomous mode

When Autonomous mode has been activated, Craft 2-Wheeler Extended will pursue 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh. This, for example, enables Craft 2-Wheeler Extended to follow a spline.
Directions for Craft 2-Wheeler Extended to follow a track (spline):

  1. Create a Craft 2-Wheeler Extended.
  2. In Craft Director Studio main window, click Configure. In the Configure window, Check Autonomous mode.
    autonomous mode setting
  3. Create the track for Craft 2-Wheeler Extended to follow (NURBS CV Curve is recommended).
    • 3ds Max:
      Select 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh and open the menu Animation, choose Constraints and finally Path Constraints.
      Select the path created in step 2 and 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh will follow this track.
    • Maya:
      Select 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh, hold down shift and select the path created in step 2.
      Open the Animation menu. Under Animate, choose Motion Paths and finally Attach to Motion Path.
      motion path maya
  4. Press Record to make Craft 2-Wheeler Extended follow the track. You can maneuver away from the track and control Craft 2-Wheeler Extended on your own at any given time. However, as soon as the controls are released, Craft 2-Wheeler Extended will steer back towards 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh.
    autonomous follows path
  5. It is possible to change the different parameters that affect how Craft 2-Wheeler Extended will follow 2WheelerExt_01_TargetMesh. For example Autonomous mode follow strength value in the Configure window.

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Chassis relocator

By using the chassis relocator (see illustration, 2WheelerExt_01_ChassisRelocatorMesh), the animation can be fine-tuned after the recording has taken place. The chassis relocator can be keyframed according to specific needs.

  1. Drag the timeline to the position where the maneuver will start.
  2. Select 2WheelerExt_01_ChassisRelocatorMesh and insert a key.
  3. Drag the timeline to the new position where the maneuver will end and insert a new key.
  4. Move and keyframe the Chassis Relocator along the path the car will take between the first and last key.
  5. Link the chassis model to 2WheelerExt_01_ChassisRelocatorMesh so that it follows the created maneuver.

Maneuver example:
chassis relocator

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Input settings

Gas Pedal (Forw/Backw)

Accelerates the vehicle forward or backward.

Steering Wheel (Right/Left)

Turns the vehicle right or left.

 

Booster

Gives the vehicles a boost in velocity.

 

ABS Brake

The vehicle will brake as much as possible without locking the wheels until it comes to a stop.

 

Skidding

Used to control the vehicle’s skid. The vehicle’s rear wheel lose traction.

 

Auto Brake

Locks the wheels and brakes the vehicle until it comes to a stop.

 

Gravel Shake Amplitude

Simulates driving on gravel.

 

Burnout

The rear wheel spin to create a burnout.

 

Spinner…

Spinners enables the change of parameter values with an input controller in real-time.

 

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Configure

General Modes

Re-Initialize Bike Attributes
This button enables re-initialization of the bike’s physical attributes.

Hide Helpers
Hides the Helpers.

Hide Helpers During Recording
Hides the Helpers during recording.

Hide Follow Camera
Hides the Follow Camera.

Hide Driver Camera
Hides the Driver Camera.

Hide TopView Camera
Hides TopView Camera.

Enable Seamless Transitions
Enable Seamless Transitions requires more memory usage.

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Autonomous Mode

Autonomous mode follow strength
This factor decides how tightly the bike follows the target.

Follow Strength Response Factor
This value determines how much of the bike’s speed is used to follow the target. E.g. if the value is 1, 100% of the bike’s speed is used.

Auto-Steering Response factor
This value determines how much of the bike’s steering is used in order to steer towards the target. E.g. if the value is 0.3, 30% of the bike’s steering is used.

Ignore Sphere Radius (length relative)
This sets a virtual sphere about front of the bike which is the distance at which the bike will begin to react to the TargetMesh. I.e. the TargetMesh must be outside this sphere to move the bike. The radius is multiplied by the length of the bike to be relative.

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Steering Parameters

Maximum Steering Change Velocity
How fast the wheels can turn in rads per sec.

Speed dependent Turn Radius Reduction Factor
By this factor the turn radius will be decreased linearly with the bike velocity.

Turn Base (Back Wheel Relative)
If larger than 0 the bike will turn with both wheels.

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Suspesion Parameters

Fixate Wheel Bottom Nodes
When checked the WheelBottomMesh will not turn with the wheel yaw.

Front Stiffness
The Stiffness determines how much force the springs have.

Front Damping
The Damping determines how dull the dampers are.

Back Stiffness
The Stiffness determines how much force the springs have.

Back Damping
The Damping determines how dull the dampers are.

Booster Stiffness Multiplier
Increases the Stiffness by this factor times the booster value.

Mass Multiplier
Mass Multiplier. A greater value = a heavier vehicle.

Surface Edge Response Factor
Can be used as a wheel air pressure parameter. It softens the transition for the wheels when moving from one polygon face to another but may cause instability when too low.

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Jumping Parameters

Suspension Length (Radius Relative)
The Suspension Length (Radius Relative).

Maximum Spring Velocity (Radius Rel)
The maximum bike body relative wheel velocity (times the radius).

Minimum Ground Distance (Chassis Relative)
The minimum distance the bottom of the bike chassis can have relative its initial height.

Maximum Forward Tilt Angle
The maximum angle the bike body can have in the forward direction.

Maximum Side Tilt Angle
The maximum angle the bike body can have sideways.

Gravity
Gravity.

Relative Max Jump Velocity
Scale relative maximum velocity during jumping.

Jump Anti-Tumbling Regulator
Automatically orients the bike to a horizontal orientation during a jump.

Landing Neutralizer
Can in some cases improve the landings after a jump.

Landing Skidding Factor
How large the friction of the ground is after the bike has landed.

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General Parameters

Skidding Offset Value
This value is added to the input device value for ‘Skidding’ as an offset.

Skidding Release Value (Lateral Vel Rel)
When the bike reaches this sideway velocity during a turn the bike will automatically generate a ‘Skidding’ input device signal.

Skidding Release Response Factor
Determines how fast the bike will stop skidding.

Gravel Shake Offset Value
This value is added to the input device value for ‘Gravel Shake Amplitude’ as an offset.

Gravel Roughness
How rough the gravel shake is.

External Force Offset Value
This value is added to the input device value for ‘External Force’ as an offset.

Skid Brake Stop Factor
Determines how fast the bike should come to a stop when the skid brake is released.

Skidding Release Response Factor
Determines how fast the bike will stop skidding.

Burnout Shake
How much the bike should shake during a burnout.

Burnout Tilting Force
How much the bike chassis should be tilted during a burnout.

Burnout Fadeout Factor
How fast the burnout dies out.

Ray Multiplier
Increasing the ray multiplier will increase accuracy but will increase the computation time.

Degrees Per Ray
How many degrees will be added for each extra ray forward and backwards, seen from the center of the wheel straight down. However, the maximum degree a ray is cast is 85 degrees.

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Input Property Parameters

Gas Pedal (Forw/Backw) Response Factor
How fast the vehicle accelerates and decelerates.

Gas Pedal (Forw/Backw) Maximum
Maximum velocity of the vehicle.

Steering Wheel (Right/Left) Response Factor
How fast the vehicle will turn.

Steering Wheel (Right/Left) Maximum
The turn radius of the vehicle.

Booster Response Factor
How fast the vehicle accelerates when using the booster.

Booster Maximum
Maximum velocity when using the booster (value is multiplied with Gas Pedal Maximum).

ABS Brake Response Factor
How fast the vehicle will brake (is not used).

ABS Brake Maximum
How hard the vehicle will brake.

Skidding Response Factor
Response time for the vehicle to begin skidding.

Skidding Maximum
The maximum value for a skid.

Skid Brake Response Factor
Affects how much friction the vehicle has during the time the Skid brake button is used.

Skid Brake Maximum
Not used.

Gravel Shake Amplitude Response Factor
The response time for the Gravel Shake.

Gravel Shake Amplitude Maximum
Determines how hard the vehicle will shake.

Burnout Response Factor
Determines how fast the back wheel will accelerate during a burnout.

Burnout Maximum
Maximum velocity for the back wheel during a burnout.

External Force Response Factor
This value determines how fast Craft 2-Wheeler Extended will respond to the External Force.

External Force Maximum
This value determines how much force is applied by the External Force.

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