CAT 3.0 and the Art of Scaling Without Disasters 🐱⚖️
If you've made it this far, it's because CAT 3.0 has driven you crazy when trying to scale your character. Where before a dummy and a prayer to the 3D gods sufficed, now the system gets picky. But don't worry, there's a solution (and it doesn't involve reinstalling Max).
"CAT 3.0 is like a domesticated cat: it's still independent, but if you know where to scratch, it will obey you" — Rigger who survived 3 versions of CAT.
The Infallible Method: XForm to the Rescue
To scale without breaking the magic:
- Select the CATParent (that icon that looks like an old remote control).
- Apply a XForm Modifier directly to it.
- Use the gizmo to scale the entire character uniformly.
- If you're animating, don't collapse the XForm until the end.
This method maintains the internal proportions and prevents the rig from turning into a three-dimensional pretzel. 🥨
Prevention for Wise Riggers
If you're starting the rig, adjust:
- Bone Length in the CAT panel
- Scaling Parameters before skinning
This way, you'll save yourself headaches when the client says "Can we make it 30% bigger?" in the middle of production.
What You Should Never Do
Under no circumstances:
- Scale bones manually (bye bye skinning)
- Modify the CAT hierarchy (you'll regret it)
- Try to use dummies like in CAT 2.5 (that's ancient history now)
CAT 3.0: Stricter but Safer
Although it now has more rules than a nuns' school, these protections prevent:
- Animations that desynchronize
- Impossible deformations
- Existential crises at 3 AM
So the next time CAT seems complicated, remember: it's for your own good. As the veterans say, "I prefer a system that bitches at me when scaling over one that destroys my animation in the final render". 😅
P.S.: If you miss the freedom of CAT 2.5, you can always emulate it... with a hammer and your monitor. Not recommended.