[Max] Why not use Max's built in IK/FK siwtching?

Rigging
1

(this is a cross post form CG talk, I hope thta’s not a faux pas…)

I’ve been trying out different methods of IK/FK switching, following various tutorials all involving a 3 skeleton set up (Deformer, Ik, & FK bones). Most of these tuts are several years old.

But I noticed that 3DS Max 2013 appears to have built in solutions to IK/FK switching of HI and Limb IK solvers. just look on the IK slover roll out on the motion panel and I buttons and check boxes for enabling, IK/FK snapping, and such. Yet I can’t find any mention of people building a rig around this.

Is this something riggers avoid for some reason?

2

I asked this same question on The Area and although I didn’t get a definitive answer, Paul Neale told me to use the 3 bone chain set up and that’s good enough for me :slight_smile:

http://area.autodesk.com/forum/autodesk-3ds-max/rigging/ikfk-blending---best-option/

3

thanks for the link. the plugin on that page looks interesting.
I think the challenge of using the built in IK/FK is in creating an animator friendly control rig.
One that won’t force the animator to select bones and Ik handles directly, and dig through command panels to find the on/off buttons.