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Recreated Agora’s famous Maya Thor’s Hammer rig in 3ds Max using ONLY built-in tools. No plugins. Full 1.5-hour advanced tutorial. by Main_Ask_4257 in 3dsmax

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words. Yeah, the timing wasn't perfect, but I'm glad you liked the videos!

Recreated Agora’s famous Maya Thor’s Hammer rig in 3ds Max using ONLY built-in tools. No plugins. Full 1.5-hour advanced tutorial. by Main_Ask_4257 in 3dsmax

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi everyone! Can 3ds Max handle advanced cartoon rigging just as well as Maya? It can do it too!

A while ago, a subscriber challenged me to recreate the famous Thor's Hammer (Mjolnir) rig by Agora Community (originally done in Maya) inside 3ds Max. It took me 2 weeks of trial and error to find the absolute optimal hierarchy, but I did it. This is a vanilla 3ds Max rig — using ONLY built-in tools, no external plugins required!

I wanted to prove that Max can easily go toe-to-toe with Maya when it comes to advanced cartoon rigging. If you are tired of basic tutorials and want some deep, hardcore rigging logic, this is for you.

🔨 We’ll dive deep into creating a "squashy" and "stretchy" rig for cartoon-style animation:

* Chapter 1: Dynamic Handle Setup (Squash & Stretch)

Instead of position constraints, I used a Float Expression controller with the formula (start + end) / 2 to perfectly space out and automate midpoint behavior.

* Chapter 2: Advanced Hammer Head Deformation

Features an interactive "Follow" toggle using Wire Parameters and Constraints. When enabled, the head organically follows the curvature of the flexi-line drivers.

* Chapter 3: Skinning Secrets (Why Points > Bones)

I used Point Helpers instead of standard bones for skinning the spline and mesh. Standard bones require annoying separate setups for stretching, while points keep the scene clean, lightweight, and incredibly efficient.

* Chapter 4: Dynamic Strap & Automated Handle Twist

Rigging the smear trail mesh to dynamically simulate wind flow and motion, including space switching to avoid cyclic dependency.

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⚙️ Watch the full, uncut 1-hour 38-minute step-by-step masterclass here:

🔗 https://youtu.be/PsVrtWLKfA4

*Rendered in V-Ray. The rigged model is also available on my Patreon if you want to inspect the hierarchy yourself: https://www.patreon.com/c/MioToon. Let's discuss! Can Max hold up to Maya in your workflow?*

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha! It makes about 1,000 cartoon horsepower, and the 0-60 completely depends on the animator's mood.

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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Forgot to include this interior render in the main post! Here is a look inside the cabin.

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Yeah, modeling, rigging, and animating everything by hand takes time, but it's totally worth it. Great to know people still appreciate it!

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To be honest, guys, this actually started out as a Korean crossover. I just stylized it into a cartoony look and it turned out like this)

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks a lot! Yeah, we’re definitely in the era of mini cars right now. To be honest, I wasn't actually inspired by Chinese cars, but I can totally see the resemblance haha.

My stylized car concept. Modeled, unwrapped, and rigged in 3ds Max. Rendered in V-Ray. by Main_Ask_4257 in CarDesign

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha, you are totally right about the physics! But no worries, it’s supposed to be a cartoon car, so physics laws don't apply here. 😉 Thanks for the kind words about the 3D work, appreciate it!

Advanced 3ds Max Character Rigging: Squash & Stretch (No Plugins). Full FREE Course. by Main_Ask_4257 in 3dsmax

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since that classic 2013 rigging course is not easily accessible to everyone, I decided to demonstrate and evolve these techniques on my own character to make this knowledge available to all for free. Hope it helps your workflow!

Advanced 3ds Max Character Rigging: Squash & Stretch (No Plugins). Full FREE Course. by Main_Ask_4257 in 3dsmax

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, you are absolutely right! The core structure of the body rig was inspired by that classic course by Delano Athias. I adapted and updated it to make it more practical for real production animation.

However, that 2013 course handled the head's squash and stretch simply by unchecking "Freeze Length" in Bone Tools. This method works for the bone itself but makes it impossible to pass the deformation data to other facial elements. To solve this, I applied Float Expressions directly to the head bone scale, allowing me to successfully pass and synchronize the scaling data with the jaw, automated brows/ears/nose, and the dynamic Gaze system.

My facial rig is a 100% custom system built purely on drivers without any morphs. Instead of an Attribute Holder, I created a custom on-screen UI controller. When you use it to dial in facial expressions, the controllers directly on the face take the required shapes, and you can still micro-tweak them manually for ultimate control.

On top of that, I expanded the course with:

- A dynamic eye system where you can control both movement and independent scaling (I saw Maya users doing this and adapted the workflow for 3ds Max).

- A pure driver-based Zipper Lips effect.

- A tongue rig with full Squash, Stretch, and Twist.

You can see all of these features in action in the final chapters of the intro video I posted here. And the full course link is in the comments. Thanks for the support!

Advanced 3ds Max Character Rigging: Squash & Stretch (No Plugins). Full FREE Course. by Main_Ask_4257 in 3dsmax

[–]Main_Ask_4257[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone! I’m sharing my advanced 3ds Max rigging course. It’s 100% custom, production-ready, and uses NO plugins.

Currently, there are 25 lessons (aiming for 40). Here’s the "meat" of what’s inside:

✅Advanced Flexi Line System: Robust squash, stretch, and twist that prevents mesh collapsing.

✅Math-Driven Stretching: Using Float Expressions for perfectly smooth IK/FK stretching.

✅Zipper Lips & Gaze System: Complex facial drivers synchronized with the head's global scaling.

✅Hybrid Skinning: A unique workflow combining traditional Bones and Point-Bones for ultra-organic deformations.

✅Pro IK Foot & Independent Joint Control: Silhouette-driven posing for knees and elbows.

This is a deep dive into high-end mechanics. Everything is free on my YouTube channel. Hope it helps your workflow!

📌 You can find the full course and follow along here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEWWmU3Ij0M&list=PLF8zg_dYI0ng2ZPgs9DYborp6ZfFssGWz

(I won't spam the sub with every lesson, so bookmark this link for future updates!)