Animation

For my roller-coaster project I wanted and fully functioning machine that would show what animation skills I have. Since my last animation project I hadn't used any sort of other animation since so I knew I could still use maya's easy key frame animation to create what I want. So when I set the scene up I firstly positioned the cart and handles to where I wanted them. I then pressed 'S' on the keyboard to save the first key frame.

Using the key frame software in Maya helps fill in gaps between key frames. After the coaster leaves the station is rolls down a small curve and is met with the chain to pull it to the top. When animating this sequence of the cart climbing the coaster for the first drop, Maya made this very easy. From the bottom I set a key frame and then moved the time slider to a relevant time and then moved the cart to the very tip of the track before it would start tilting over the top. When I placed a key frame at the bottom and then another at the top the key frames in-between are automatically filled in. So when the cart gets to the bottom key point it then knows its next key frame is at the top of the track so It fills it in and animates the cart going from one key frame to another. And just to make sure it was following the right path and not dipping or rising too much I added another key frame in the middle point of the climb animation.