parameter based modeling

[hippiearchitect]

for a class i am taking at my college my professor (who knows very little about max) would like me to explore parameter based modeling... ie. cause and effect. "do this and it makes that happen." for instance if the sun moves across the sky the shades automatically adjust to block the sun. it can be anything really i just need to set up a cause and effect situation. i am looking for both ideas and how to make this happen. maybe even the sun shines on this object and casts a shadow, then something is extruded from that shadow. the sun moves casts a different shadow and then something new is extruded form that shadow.

[SandmanNinja]

Random ideas:

* sun flower face follows the sun, then the petals fold when the shadow hits it

* sun dial

* coo-coo clock?

* ground hog pops his head up?

[hippiearchitect]

ok sounds good.... but how do i get the pedals to close up when the shadow hits them? the flower following the sun is easy but the pedal part is a little harder.