How to move vertexes, not entire meshes?

[xXMephistoXx]

Hi'm now working on a Warthog model, which you can see here.
The thing I wanted to know is; How do I move/rotate/scale the vertextes, not the entire mesh. I use bones, attach them to the meshes seperately, but that'll just be mesh-lumps moving around, not moving a single vertex or something... So if I in the future wants to make some unit models animated, I would be stuck moving his arms off his shoulders and back on again at the end of the animation...

Can anyone help me out with this?

 

[anetherond]

First, you can only translate vertices. I haven't learned how to animate in 3dsmax, but in Maya once you skinned the skeleton to the model, you can't modify its attributes. You must use deformers in order to do that. If you want to edit it before you skin the skeleton it is very simple, you just need to switch into vertex control.

 

[Mechanical Man]

I doubt it is possible to do it in max, at least if the model is for warcraft.

 

[xXMephistoXx]

Then which program do you suggest? I assume Blizzard used max, 'cause of the art tools, though...

 

[Guessed]

Go to the user property editor and check the 'connected' property (assuming you are using Blizzard's art tools.) It is under the utilities tab. Then, meshes that have vertices next to each other in the unanimated state will stick together when they are animated.

 

[xXMephistoXx]

Thanks, Guessed! That's about the simplest and most clarifying answer I have ever gotten! That's a pretty genious thing by blizzard!
+rep!