Random tidbit for those animating in MAX

[Nielk1]

We are talking about a quadratic vs a linear equation here. Just moving key-frames simply makes it takes less or more time to get there, it does not create an acceleration and deceleration.

[MrTwosheds]

No, but its as close as you can get to it with bz2's animation. More of an impression of acceleration.

[Nielk1]

Why not just actually have acceleration with more keyframes?

EDIT: Oh and you can make MAX use linear interpolation, but its per individual keyframe pair, I have not yet found a way to set it default for all.

[MrTwosheds]

I just find bz2 animations look smoother if you allow the engine to do its own interpolation thing, lots of keyframes might work with position, but will probably look bad with rotations.

[Zax]

Feet going underground? As long as the feet never cross the Z plane their position should never end up underground. Something else must be going on.

[General BlackDragon]

If any part of a walkers animation (Maybe the pivot of any piece?) goes underground, it will become "stuck" like it's hooked to the underside of the terrain. It will not be able to jump, or control it's movement. it'll "slide" from kenetic motion, or gravity pulling it down hills, but you cannot apply thrust.

[Nielk1]

It coulod happen in animating if you get timings wrong where the legs are multi-part (knees).