How can I rotate an uneven circle but restrict the rotation to the circle?

[stormist]

Basically I'm trying to rotate a slot-machine like spinner. I want to restrict the rotation where what is being rotated is the outer skin - the spinner itself shouldn't change position at all. I've tried various pivots but all of them move the actual circle. Here is a couple of angles of what I'm working with:

http://i.imgur.com/0sa5j.jpg

 

The only visible part will be in front of the teal plane. Is there a way I might rotate the spinner but constrict the rotation to the space occupied by the spinner? I hope that makes sense. Thanks for any input!!

[Cad64]

I've moved your question to the 3DS Max section.

 

I don't really understand the question. You want to rotate the spinner but constrict the rotation to the space occupied by the spinner?

 

Can you provide more information? What is the outer skin and how does it relate to the spinner?

[stormist]

Thanks for moving the post!

 

I want to move the spinner along its "track" so to speak. As if the spinner were a roller coaster and the materials were the coaster cart. This way, it's relative position to the plane is always the same but I can change the materials by moving the outer part. To put it another way, if I made a shape like a film reel in a projector, how would I move the film along the path assuming I already had material on the "film"

 

The user sees only right in front of the plane. They spin the spinner, and the symbols change. The materials change but the shape of the spinner stays the same. I want to constrict the rotation where nothing moves on the spinner shape but the materials applied to the spinner move along the spinner. Does that make sense? Sorry for any confusion!

Edited June 5, 2012 by stormist

[Cad64]

I think I understand, but in order to do that you will have to animate the material.

 

There are many tutorials online that discuss how to do this. Take a look at some and see if you get any ideas: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Wsf&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=3ds+max+animated+texture&oq=3ds+max+animated+texture&aq=f&aqi=g1g-K2g-bK5g-q1&aql=&gs_l=serp.12..0j0i30l2j0i8i30l5j0i22.294676.297039.0.298619.9.8.1.0.0.0.123.713.3j5.8.0...0.0.zk_WXIV2iKY

 

Seems like it would be easier to just rotate the spinner itself though.

[stormist]

I'd be ok with rotating the spinner itself but since it is an uneven circle it loses position with the plane.. I'm hoping to find a solution that will keep it from doing that

[Cad64]

What do you mean by "uneven"? Is it an ellipse? Is there some reason why it can't be a perfect circle?

[stormist]

Yes its an ellipse. I'm trying to eliminate any curvature on the part the users sees. I tried making a circle a bit smaller then linking the pivot to that object but it didn't work. Something else occurs to me as well; the actual shape of the ellipse is unimportant as long as the part the user sees stays the same. So if any morphing of any kind took place that'd be ok too. If anything comes to mind at all please let me know. I'm more than happy to do further research on my own. Thanks for your time Cad64 I really appreciate it.

[stormist]

To solve this problem I created a rectangle and a circular path. Under the Motion submenu, Assign Controller, I changed the Position subcategory to Path Constraint and selected the circle. I then applied a material to the rectangle. The rectangle treats the circle like a track and also appears flat when it comes around to the plane.