QUOTE(mindsample @ 11/14/05, 07:45 PM)
I have not found anything like it, but get similar results via attach to motion path and then via flow path object. problem with it is though that for vertical parts of a curve the normals (?!) seem to flip and therefore any object attached to the curve flips when it reaches that critical point, then flips back once the curve becomes "more" horizontal again. This does not ever happen in XSI when deforming by curve.
Is there a way to do deform by curve in maya just like in XSI, and if not, how do you avoid the annoying "flipping" when using flow path object? 
cheers
[snapback]219624[/snapback]
its not entirely the same thing....but the effect it has to do with a certain limitation in how mathematicians (in calculaus that is) define curveture on space curves . THis is because attach to path isnt a deformer but rather a lookup of ONE point on the curve. this can be easily circumvented tough.
(U si defined as the derivete of the curveture or r and the normal is defined as the derivate of u or second derviate of r adnn trhe binoraml is the crossprduct of u and n. now whn your curvature shanges direction so does the local cordinate.... maya does honor its maths, but mainly its because maya does work on a more low level than other graphics programs)
Closest ting to deform by cure would be the wire deformer tough the default values arent for the effect you desire (increase the droppof!), note whaile wire ids superficialy the same as the path anim it isnt realy because it has no rotational controll in the same way as anim curve does... and its a interpolated result unlike path anim wich is a mathematical analytic solve (that is a wire anim als o has more data to it and thus is also slower to compute).
But just a hint: never try to WORK as you work in another program ist counterpoiductive to try to work in similliar fashion... it odes NOT work. It do4es not meytter whether your talking of maya xsi max or c4d... tehy dont operate the same and they shouldnt.
