Description
The Character Animation Tool (CAT), built into 3ds Max software, is a versatile system for creating dynamic character animation loops designed for export into game engines like Unreal and Unity. You can use CAT to build custom rigs—including characters with multiple or nonstandard limbs—without the hassle of manually placing footsteps. Using the intuitive CATMotion editor, you’ll learn how to quickly develop and tweak essential game animations such as idle, walk, run, jump, and die. CAT also supports integration with custom motion data, making it ideal for both original content creation and iteration. Whether you're a game developer or an educator working with students, CAT empowers even beginners to produce polished, expressive animations full of personality and emotion. In this session, we’ll walk through the fundamentals—from rigging a mesh to exporting animation-ready FBX files—so you can confidently add CAT to your game asset pipeline.
Key Learnings
- Learn about the core features of CAT, and discover the advantages of CAT rigs when streamlining character animation workflows.
- Learn how to create custom CAT Rigs, including tailoring rigs with varying limb structures, without manual placement of individual footsteps.
- Learn about animating game loops, using CATMotion to create, refine, and inject personality and emotion into game-ready animation loops.
- Learn about exporting CAT animations, including exporting CAT-based character animations as FBX files (compatibility Unreal Engine and Unity).