3DS-Max - How to clone an object/animation along spline

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Hi (if anyone is there) <_< !

Today, while working on a project, I have encountered an issue while thinking to clone an object along the spline/shape.
As we know, spacing tool is the best when it comes to such procedures, but in my case it was not giving me enough control to bend or tilt (rotate) my object in a particular manner (while following the shape's flow).

I asked my colleague, he told me to create a whole shape (with clones) and then to give a bend of 360 on y axis.
I tried, it worked but I lost the control on the shape and the scene became heavy.


So, after a bit of brainstorming and digging around few forums, I found a great solution which can be implemented on various scenes in various ways!


1-  Here is the object I am working with, basically a Disc-shaped stadium



2-  Select the Edge Loop from the structure to which you want to make your clones

3- Convert the selected edge loop to a shape. (THIS TRICK - OLD BUT GOLD)


4- Now create your tilted/twisted/damned or whatever object which is to be cloned around the structure. Align it with the shape which have created in step 3.


5 - And here comes the trick which has saved the day..finally! 
     Assign a path constraint to our cylinder so as to follow the direction of the path. Basically, we are       creating an animation of the cylinder following the path..(textual deja vu? :/)


6- Don't forget to check these two settings as they are most crucial one to make your object clone itself on the same orientation as we presumed  

7 - So, now we have created an animation by using the path constraint. Let's come to an awesome tool know as SNAPSHOT. Basically, It will create  ghosting but as meshes (ghosting is like a preview of the animation on different intervals, Racing Game freaks would know better).
So, we are implementing the same technique but to CREATE ACTUAL MESHES.


8- TADA!!



Hope this trick is helpful!
I will try to post few other examples using the same.

Cheers.
Dream On

- DrEmoTonic

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