NURBS
to Polygons
This allows the user to change the objects created with NURBS into polygons so that polygon tools may then be used on the object. Usually the Options do not need to be played with.
Note: There is no way reversing the process once it has
been done!
Extrude
Select a face or faces of a polygon. Then select the
Extrude tool. A new manipulator will appear with handles for the Move, Scale,
and Rotate tools. The selected face(s) can now be manipulated independently of
the rest of the polygon, but the face remains attached. New faces may be
automatically created as well if the extruded face is translated from its
original position.
The extrude tool can also be used repeatedly on the
same face. This is done by selecting the face, selecting the Extrude tool,
modifying the face as desired and then selecting the extrude tool again. This
is a good way to create square edges with your extrusions, i.e. scale down an
extruded face, extrude again and then translate the face to create an extruded
block.
The last item in the Channel Box for an extrusion
will be Keep Facet Together. If you are extruding more than one face at a time
that are next to each other and you wish keep the faces next to each other as
you extrude make sure the Keep Facet Together value is �on�. To allow the faces
to extrude �independently� set the value to �off�
Note: Maya sometimes has difficulties mapping 2D
textures to extruded surfaces. To get around this you may have to set up a
series of Texture Projections. Please see �Emril�s �Punch It Up A Click� Maya
Hypershade Guide� for more details.
Note: Personal experience shows that the new object and
the original will be stitched together, i.e. be treated as one object, whether
the box in the Mirror Geometry Options is checked or not.
Make
Hole
Allows you to make a hole in a polygon, using
another polygon as a template for the hole. First select the Make Hole Tool in
the menu. Then click on the polygon face you want to make a hole in. Then click
on the polygon you are using as a template; a duplicated polygon face or a 2D
polygon works best. Press enter to make the hole.
In the Make Hole Tool Options, there are several
merge modes available. The default None causes the face selected on the polygon
to reach out around the template. In most cases you will want to set the merge
mode to First, or Project First.
First will line up the center of the template onto
the center of the selected polygon face and then make the hole.
Project First projects the template onto the polygon
face without lining up the centers.
Fill
Hole
Lets you fill a hole in a polygon. Switch to select
component, poly edges, and select the border edge of the hole you want to fill.
Then select Fill Hole from the menu.
Display
Poly Count
This toggles on and off a listing of the components
of the selected polygon(s). The white listing is the total amount of a
component. The red listing is the number of the kind of component(s) selected.
EDIT
POLYGONS
Subdivide
If more definition is needed in a certain area,
select the face or faces of the polygon in that area and select Subdivide to
divide the existing faces into several more. The shape of the polygon will not
change by doing this!�
In Subdivide Options you can set how many times the
area will be subdivided and the basic shape of that the new faces of the
subdivision will have. The shape that is the best will depend on the face that
is being subdivided. Try one, undo it, and then try the other and see which
fits what your looking for the best
Split
Polygon Tool
This tool is an alternative to Subdivide and gives
the user more control. Here you can actually draw new edges, dividing existing
polygon faces into two new faces. Just like Subdivide this will not change the
shape of the polygon.
First choose the tool from the menu. Then click and
hold on an edge of a polygon face. Drag the point along the edge until you are
satisfied with its position. Click and hold on another edge of the same face
and drag this second point until you are satisfied with its position. The edge
line should be visible as you are doing this. Press Enter to finish the
process.
Although not usually needed, you can create more
than one new edge at a time too. For example, you can make a face in the corner
of an already existing face.
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Note: You will most likely not need to change the
Options and it is Highly suggested that you keep Edge Snapping on to prevent
yourself from creating open faces. With Edge Snapping on, you can also click on
the exact middle of an edge by setting the Snapping Tolerance to 33.3.
Smooth
Smooth rounds the entire polygon by subdividing the
polygon�s faces and rotating the edges to create an overall curved shape.
Smooth will work on just a few faces or an entire object. Typically you will
only need one division but in the Smooth Options, you can increase the number
of divisions dramatically. Usually you will not want to go to more than two
divisions if you are still modeling the object heavily.
In order to round your polygon object more using
less divisions you can also decrease the Continuity.
Bevel
Bevel rounds the corners of a polygon giving the
object a more natural look. This is done by creating new faces along the edges
that create an overall curve effect. Unlike Smooth, Bevel must be used on an
entire object. The Bevel Options though gives a great deal of control to the
user.
Offset controls how large the new faces will be. A
small offset is usually best for giving just a rounded edge natural look. A
large offset is used to modify the overall shape more. Sometimes using Smooth
may produce better results than using a large offset.
Roundness controls how much of a curve the new faces
will create.
Segments controls how many new faces will be
created. Two to five usually works well.
Triangulate
Change the face(s) of a polygon object to a basic
triangle shape instead of a rectangular shape. This can be done to aid in the
material/texture rendering process, but costs considerably more in the poly
count. It can also be used as a quick way to divide a face into two new faces.
Quadrangulate
This can be used to undo the effects of Triangulate,
changing triangular shaped faces into rectangular ones. This can also be used
to help reduce the poly count in an area of an object or for the entire object
itself.
The Quadrangulate Options give you some control over
the process. The most important one is the Angle Threshold which determines how
non-co-planer two triangular faces can be and still be merged into one
rectangular face.
Normals
Normals define the front and back of a face. The
side the normal is sticking out of is the front and the side that can be
lighted and textured. Sometimes in modifying an object normals can get
switched. To deal with this you can:
1.
Select
the face(s) or object(s) that needs to have their normals on the other side and
use the menu item Reverse, or
2.
To
ensure all the normals of the object are facing the same way, select one face
whose normals you want to change and use the menu item Reverse and Propagate.
This will reverse the normals on the selected face and any other faces on that
object whose normals were facing the same way as the selected face.
Sculpt
Polygon Tool
This tool offers a variety of ways to manipulate the
surface of a polygon and is therefore almost always best to check the settings
in the Sculpt Polygon Tool Options before using it. This tool does not add or
remove faces but does modify their shape. For the best results, the Sculpting
Tool requires the polygon to have a large number faces to work with.
Note: Object�s with extensive histories may not behave
as expected when a sculpt tool is used. To avoid this problem, Delete the
object�s history. Please see EDIT.
The size of the sculpt tool can be thought of as a
3D Oval whose area of effect� is
specified by the U radius. The depth of the effect is controlled� by the Opacity, where a value of �1� will
have the strongest effect. The Flood button effects the entire surface of the
selected object with the selected Operation (see below).
Note: The L radius is only used when you are using a
stylus.
The shape of the tool�s effect can also be modified.
An icon menu provides a listing of the stencils available. The effect is specified
by the operation:
|
Operation |
Abbreviation |
Function |
|
Push |
Pl |
Create
Indents in the surface |
|
Pull |
Ps |
Create
Raises in the surface |
|
Smooth |
S |
Blends
�high� and �low� areas |
|
Erase |
E |
Erases
the effects of the Sculpting Tool |
Under the Script Variable headings you can specify
the Max Displacement that the Sculpt Tool can cause. The Script Tool will not
exceed this surface displacement regardless of how many times you use the
Sculpt Tool on the same spot. To overcome this maximum, under the Surface section,
check the Update On Each Stroke box and the Sculpt Tool will then be able to
further effect previously sculpted areas.
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