Rolling Boxes Set-up in Maya

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Maya Boxes Rolling Rig from Patrick Woo on Vimeo.

Here's my latest crazy experiment in 3D!

The principles and techniques behind this deceptively simple-looking rig took years to click together for me. This is more so from the perspective of optimisation and simplicity of the implemented solution in my mind.

The paths of the boxes are pre-animated via a path constraint. But I make sure the boxes are pivoting with their corners planted on the ground, that they are not sliding. 

Students who have attended my rigging classes will understand the tedious process of manually rigging a "rolling cube" by unfolding it from corner pivots.

The main technique used here is very different. It treats the box more like a rolling wheel than a pivoting box. I may create a tutorial for this in the coming months.

Location: Singapore

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