Importing 3ds Max Files into MotionBuilder

This tutorial shows you how to export a character created in 3ds Max, import it to MotionBuilder, and then to export it back to 3ds Max as a fully-editable animated character.

Note This tutorial was written using the latest version of 3ds Max, MotionBuilder, and 3ds Max FBX plug-ins software products available at the time.

The tutorial covers the following three kinds of animatable skeletons that originate in 3ds Max. The tutorial also shows you how to bring these skeletons into MotionBuilder for animation using the FBX format.

Conventional 3ds Max bone system skeletons
Biped system skeletons
Skinned characters with skeletons

You can single out the Send to 3ds Max procedure that addresses your needs or complete the whole tutorial to get a well-rounded view of the interaction between MotionBuilder and 3ds Max.

This set of tutorials shows you how to:

Export two kinds of 3ds Max skeletons and a 3ds Max character into MotionBuilder
Add a Control rig and characterize the skeletons and character in MotionBuilder
Animate the character in MotionBuilder and prepare it for import to 3ds Max

NoteAlthough the procedures in this tutorial use the MotionBuilder keyboard shortcuts, you can use 3ds Max keyboard shortcuts in MotionBuilder if you select Settings > Keyboard Configuration > 3ds Max from the MotionBuilder menu bar. See 3ds Max keyboard shortcuts.

NoteMotionBuilder adopts the native frame rate used in files imported from other software. In this tutorial, you import a skeleton from 3ds Max, and MotionBuilder changes its default frame rate of 24 frames per second (FPS) to match the frame rate of the 3ds Max file (30 FPS). When you finish this tutorial, MotionBuilder will retain this new frame rate (30 FPS) as the default unless you restore it to its native frame rate of 24 FPS.

For example, if you create a 90-frame animation for video, using an NTSC frame rate of 30 frames per second, the result will be three seconds of animation. If you later need to output to PAL video (at 25 frames per second), you can switch to the PAL frame rate. The 90 frames are converted to 75, and produce the same total animation time with a different number of frames. You can later switch back to NTSC frame rate to restore the original 90 frames of animation.

You can change the frame rate for your MotionBuilder output at any time, outputting the correct number of frames to maintain the correct playback speed for your animation, without losing animation data.

Importing 3ds Max Files into MotionBuilder

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