Title

Producer(s)

Version

Description

Matrix demon

Steve Johnson (steve@chuggnut.demon.co.uk)

1

What is this thing??
Matrix demon is a script for 3dsMax2 (This much you probably already know – since you downloaded it).  It allows you to directly manipulate the matrix of any Max object.
What for??
Well, all objects in max are based around a matrix – basically the bounding box.  And the general shape of the object and it position rotation and scale are all controlled by the matrix.  Normally in Max you are not allowed to shear the matrix (because it starts to do strange things!) but this script lets you.  It's a really cheap way of getting shear effects – no modifiers required (good if you need to export data to a game engine).  It's also fully animateable and requires no extra trackview track because the matrix is already catered for by the pos/rot/scale tracks.
But is it any good??
Errrr......yes?  For regular objects it's just a way to get shear effects really,  there quite nice when animated, but it starts to get fun when you mess with the matrix of an object that your not really supposed to, like....... the camera.   You can do cool fluid type warping effects on the camera and you scene bends and stretches all over, and the good thing is you don't need to touch your objects :o)   You can also mess with the matrix of spacewarps and particle systems.