3DS MAX Animated Text Effect in 3DS Max Tutorial

In this beginner-level tutorial, we will apply two basic effects on a text. One is modifier effect (Bevel) and another is rendering effect (Video Post > Lens Effect Highlights). At the end, it may not be a stunning output. But, may be, some beginners can learn some basic techniques. When we finish with tutorial we will an result as shown below:

Final rendered animation.

Step One

Choose Create panel > Shapes (Splines) > Text and click on the center of the Front viewport to place the text with the default wording “MAX Text”.

Figure 1.  Click here to view larger image.

Step Two

Have you noticed the GIF image at the upper-left corner of this website? It is “3DS Max Resources” with two lines. We will use this text for this tutorial. Let’s make the 1st Line. While the Text01 is still selected, go to Modify panel and Type “3DS Max” in the Text box and choose “Century Gothic Bold” from the Font drop-down list.

Figure 2.  Click here to view larger image.

Step Three

Make a clone of this text by SHIFT+ Move (down) method in the Front viewport.

Figure 2.  Click here to view larger image. Step Four You must choose “Copy” option (NOT “Instance”) in the Clone Options dialogue box. Then click OK.   Figure 4.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Five Now, in the Modify panel, type “Resources” under the Text box. Lower the Size (font-size) to 65. To match the overall width of this 2nd line to that of the 1st line, set the “Kerning” value to 11.   Figure 5.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Six We will merge two text-lines into a single spline object to aid our working process. Select Text01 (i.e. 1st line) and apply an “Edit Spline” modifier to it.   Figure 6.  Click here to view larger image. Step Seven Under Edit Spline modifier, enable “Attach” button and then click on the Text02 (2nd line) in the viewport. Disable the Attach button. Now we have only a single spline object comprised of two text-shape lines.   Figure 7.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Eight Apply a “Bevel” modifier to it.   Figure 8.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Nine Maximize the Perspective viewport. Then, under Bevel modifier > Bevel Values roll-out, set the Height value to 8 for Level 1. Then check Level 2 option. Set the Outline value of Level 2 to -2. Now check Level 3 option. Set the Height value of Level 3 to -3. Notice the change(s) in the viewport after each sub-steps of this step to get an idea how Bevel modifier works. To avoid any possible intersecting problem in the shape check “Keep Lines From Crossing” option under the “Intersections” group.   Figure 9.  Click here to view larger image. Step Ten Open the Material Editor and apply a simple red-color material to the text. Using the Orbit etc. navigation tools, adjust the Perspective viewport as you want it to be seen in the final render. You could actually set-up a camera viewport for the final render. That is up to you. I am using just the Perspective viewport.   Figure 10.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Eleven To use the Video Post effect on the text, we have to define an Object ID for it so that video post can determine it to apply the effect on. For that, right click on the text and choose “Properties”.   Figure 11.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twelve In the Object Properties dialogue box > General tab > G-Buffer group, set the Object Channel value to 1 and then click OK.   Figure 12.  Click here to view larger image. Step Thirteen Choose Rendering menu > Video Post.   Figure 13.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Fourteen In the toolbar of the Video Post window, click “Add Scene Event” button.   Figure 14.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Fifteen Since the Perspective viewport is already active you will see “Perspective” is selected under the View group. Leave all the parameters as default ones and click OK.   Figure 15.  Click here to view larger image. Step Sixteen Now, click “Add Image Filter Event” button. Then in the Add Image Filter Event dialogue box, choose “Lens Effects Highlight” from the available image filter plug-ins drop-down list.   Figure 16.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Seventeen We will setup the Lens Effects Highlights parameters later. Click OK to exit the dialogue box for now.   Figure 17.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Eighteen Now click “Add Image Output Event” button. In the Add Image Output Event dialogue box > under Image File group, click “Files…” button. Then give a filename and choose “AVI File (*.avi)” as file-type and click “Save”.   Figure 18.  Click here to view larger image. Step Nineteen From the Compression drop-down list, choose “Full Frames (Uncompressed)” codec if you want to get the most quality output. Otherwise, choose “Cinepak Codec by Radius” or “Microsoft Video 1” or your preferred & known codec which may give you balanced output apart from quality vs. file-size. Click OK to exit the output setup area.   Figure 19.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twenty Click OK again to exit Add Image Output Event dialogue box.   Figure 20.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twenty One Now, under Queue, click to highlight “Lens Effects Highlight” entry and then click Properties button in the toolbar. Then, in the Edit Filter Event dialogue box, click “Setup…” button.   Figure 21.  Click here to view larger image. Step Twenty Two Enable “Preview” and “VP Queue” buttons. This will allow you to get the preview of the current Max scene with the added video post effect for the chosen viewport. Notice that, by default, source “Object ID” option is already checked and value 1 is already set in the Source group under Properties tab. So, you don’t have to change anything in the Source group. However, under the Filter group, check “Perimeter” instead of “All” option which was set by default. This will allow the original object (here, the text model) to be clearly seen in front of the Lens Effects Highlight.   Figure 22.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twenty Three Switch to Geometry tab and set the Angle value to 0 and Clamp value to 10. Notice the preview area after every change to get the idea how the parameter(s) affects the effect.   Figure 23.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twenty Four Forward to Preferences tab. Under the Effect group, set the Size value to 100 and Points value to 1. Don’t forget to notice the effect of the changes in the preview area. You can also change the color of the effect under Color group. However, I am leaving it at “Pixel” option which was set by default.   Figure 24.  Click here to view larger image. Step Twenty Five Now, return to Geometry tab again. Then, while the Lens Effects Highlight window is open, enable the “Auto Key” button at the bottom of the main Max window and go to the last frame of the animation (i.e. Frame no. 100). In the Lens Effects Highlight window > Geometry tab > Effect group, set the Angle to 359. Then click OK to accept all the adjusted parameters and exit the window for Lens Effects Highlight.   Figure 25.  Click here to view larger image.   Step Twenty Six In the main Video Post window’s toolbar, click on Execute Sequence icon. Now you can set the final output time-range, size etc. Leave all these as default ones. Then hit “Render” button to render-out the final AVI file. That’s all of this simple effects tutorial. Feel free to explore other modifier-effects (such as Extrude, Bevel Profile etc.) and video post effects (such as Lens Effects Flare etc.) with your text models. Thank you very much.   Figure 26.  Click here to view larger image.