Animating Escalator Stairs?

[visualmusic.4]

OK- So I'm trying to animate some escalator stairs for one of my work projects...

 

What I've done is created a ton of extra stairs and attached them together. Then I've added two slice modifiers at each end of the stairs - 1 to hide all stairs below the visible area and another to hide any stairs that would pass above the visible area.

 

The idea is to animate the position of the stairs, having them pass through the slice modifiers which basically hide any stairs that are not supposed to be in view, therefore having easily animated stairs.

 

The big problem is that when I set keys to move the stairs, the slice modifier moves with the stairs. How can I do this so the slice modifier doesn't move with the geometry!??

 

-OR-

 

Is there an easier way to do this?

 

This project has LOTS of escalators so I'm trying to keep it simple...

 

Thanks!

 

Ed

[1eo]

what program are you using.... have you tried particles?? you could make a particle that looks like a step and make it disappear once it reaches the top by controlling the timing of the particle.

 

As simple as that

[visualmusic.4]

Thanks Leo-

 

I haven't considered the use of instanced particles. I'm using 3ds Max, so not that familiar with particles in Max but I'll give it a shot!

[visualmusic.4]

I just can't believe that it's impossible to animate the slice plane separately from the geometry. I guess this is a good example of how animating in Maya is much better for this kind of thing...

[Jeff Mottle]

This should be what you are after: http://cebasserver.de/products/products.php?UD=10-7888-35-788&PID=8

 

OR this:

 

http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/274849

[Matt Clementson]

Assuming you're in MAX you could also animated one step moving to the postion of the next step and then simply add and out-of-range repeat to those keys for the relevant steps. I've done this before and it works well.

[visualmusic.4]

Great. Thanks for all the options!