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Airshaft tube to square?
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Airshaft tube to square? // Archive: Tech Forum
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 13, 2008, 11:55pm
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to the 'new' forums and lack a bit of modelling skills, hence im posting my question here...
I need to model different types of air shafts and I have real trouble with a tube that turns into a square shaft. I tried point editing from a (polygon) tube to a square wich got me a lot of bad geometry. I have tried with the nurbs wich has potential but Im at a loss right now.
Is there any way to interpolate shapes from a cirkel to a sqaure?
Does anyone hava good tips how to tackle this figure?
Thanks so much for reading this.
Cheers
Robert |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 14, 2008, 12:09am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Hi Robert,
Which version of TrueSpace are you using? |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 14, 2008, 12:30am
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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Hi Robert,
Which version of TrueSpace are you using?
Im using 7.51 (with vray) |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 14, 2008, 12:45am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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If I understand the problem you need to transition a cylinder shape into a cube?
The easiest way to do that would be (using Workspace side) :
1.) create a cylinder and a cube so they have the same number of edges at the ends you want to join. The trick is that both need to be part of the same mesh so create the cylinder first, then after you right click to enter point edit mode for the cylinder, create the cube. That will create the cube into the cylinder's mesh.
2.) delete the end faces on the cylinder and the cube where you want to connect them up.
3.) use the add face tool to add faces between the edges of the cylinder and the cube that you want to bridge.
If you need to add more transition, you can use the add loop tool to add more loops then scale in the corner vertices to round out the loops some.
Unless one of the others beats me too it, I can post a video to demonstrate later tonight. |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 14, 2008, 12:57am
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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Thanks, I will give it a shot!
But this is still point editing...is there no way to select to face (circle and square) and just create this figure? If, I feel a feature-request bubbling up :p |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 14, 2008, 1:17am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Hmm... suppose you could try the blend surface tool if you're working with nurbs.
I don't use nurbs since polygons are much more flexible and you can get the same effect with SDS. Infact TrueSpace will convert a nurbs object to a polygon mesh internally before rendering with VRay anyway... *shrug*
BTW, the bridge tool will automatically create the geometry between the square and the cylinder. It doesn't always give you the edges you want though, which is why I usually do it by hand with the add faces tool.
I'll be back on later tonight and I'll post a quick video. |
Post by hultek43 // Mar 14, 2008, 1:25am
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hultek43
Total Posts: 234
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Yes, you can create the two curves and then use the skin surface tool :icon_SkinSurface:on them. |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 14, 2008, 1:33am
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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Thanks for the help guys, I will experiment with all the tips.
In the meantime the point editing seems have worked!
http://www.multifire.nl/tubesquare.jpg |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 14, 2008, 2:08am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Looks great Robert! :) |
Post by TomG // Mar 14, 2008, 2:20am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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I'll say, as I scrolled up I thought it was a picture posted to show what effect you wanted to achieve, only on reading the post did I realise it was the render :)
Thanks!
Tom |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 14, 2008, 2:31am
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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I'll say, as I scrolled up I thought it was a picture posted to show what effect you wanted to achieve, only on reading the post did I realise it was the render :)
Thanks!
Tom
Thanks for the compliments, couldn't have done it without your help! |
Post by rjeff // Mar 14, 2008, 5:00pm
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rjeff
Total Posts: 1260
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Now that you have achived your deisred result..how about a before and after wire frame...I top have issues with some of thoe more complex transitions. I would love to see your wire frames..and actually how you got from a-b. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 14, 2008, 5:37pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Promised a video earlier and made some time to record it. Here it is in two parts. First part is creating the transition. Second part is adjusting the SDS.
Note: To hold down the CTRL key to select multiple and also CTRL click-drag to adjust multiple selected vertex weights at the same time.
I agree with RJeff, you did a great job on this Robert and it'd be cool to see how your final wire ended up. :) |
Post by hultek43 // Mar 14, 2008, 6:47pm
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hultek43
Total Posts: 234
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trueSpace provides many options which can be set prior to creating your objects. If you're using NURBS for example, and plan on blending two objects together from the beginning, why create them with a top and or bottom cap? They're not needed for the creation, and it's only
something to remove if it's there, before you can continue to join them with the stitch:icon_StitchSurface: or blend function:icon_BlendSurface:. Plan out in your mind what you wish to create. While SDS is the preferred method for some people and some objects, NURBS is, I believe, ideal for smooth and organic shapes but certainly NOT limited to them alone. |
Post by hultek43 // Mar 14, 2008, 7:19pm
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hultek43
Total Posts: 234
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Image showing results after joining. |
Post by spacekdet // Mar 15, 2008, 9:49pm
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spacekdet
Total Posts: 1360
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NURBS are tailor made for an operation like this- but to each his own; whatever works for you.
As usual, tS gives you more than one way to skin a cat, or mix a metaphor.
This is the exact technique I used (stitch) for the main body of the pump in this render. (http://www.spacekdet.com/rendr08/pumptest07a_sml.jpg)
Just a couple clicks and it was done.
Almost everything in this model is or started out as a NURB object.
Your results using polygon/point edit turned out just fine too. |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 16, 2008, 10:47pm
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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...Your results using polygon/point edit turned out just fine too.
Actually I did used nurbs with point editing! or is this term exclusivly used for polygons?
http://www.multifire.nl/wire_squaretube.gif
I will check those techniques gentlemen, thank you very much!
I spoofed the hollowness by the way, anyone has a good tip how to hollow out a nurbs object (without converting it to a polygon object).
Also, is it possible to increase the amount of polygins of the nurbs object when converting because is becomes pretty low-poly to my taste.
Cheers
Robert |
Post by TomG // Mar 17, 2008, 7:39am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Point Editing is pretty much reserved for regular ol shifting of vertices, edges and faces :) Since a face or an edge is really just a collection of vertices, you are still at the core editing "points".
NURBS editing is different as you are editing not points (vertices) but control curves and their intersections. Each change actually affects many actual points in the final shape.
So there is pretty much a distinction between Point Editing (pulling and pushing vertices, edges and faces directly) and NURBS editing (changing control items that then generate the vertices, edges and faces differently based on those settings).
And as everyone says, LOTS of ways to solve this one. None is more right or better than another, it all depends on your needs (or even just your preferred modeling style!).
HTH!
Tom |
Post by spacekdet // Mar 17, 2008, 9:30am
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spacekdet
Total Posts: 1360
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Actually I did used nurbs with point editing! or is this term exclusivly used for polygons?
I spoofed the hollowness by the way, anyone has a good tip how to hollow out a nurbs object (without converting it to a polygon object).
Also, is it possible to increase the amount of polygins of the nurbs object when converting because is becomes pretty low-poly to my taste.
Point Editing usually refers to polygon editing in tS land. Confusingly, NURBS 'vertices' are also referred to as 'Control Points'.
To hollow out a NURB object, you can usually make a copy of the object, scale it smaller, and then do a Blend operation between them. NURBS are one-sided-if you try to render the back surface it will just look invisible. If you need an inside surface it'll need to be built. If there are caps on the object you'll need to remove or trim a hole in them first before the copy/blend.
To increase the polygon count, right click the 'Convert NURBS object/patch to..." icon and increase the 'Static res.' parameter. Alternately, you can begin construction with a higher resolution NURBS primitive- Right-click the prim icon and adjust it there before you create the initial object. There is also some modicum of control over the smoothness of blend/stitch operations, right-click the blend/stitch icon and next to 'Surface', click/hold and then choose 'better'. I've attached a confusing, grainy .jpg to help illuminate and /or confound you.11588 |
Post by Blue Bellyfluff // Mar 18, 2008, 11:27pm
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Blue Bellyfluff
Total Posts: 19
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Thank you all very much for all the tips and expertise.
By the way, is buzz aka sting aka Johan Zijffers still around? |
Post by spacekdet // Mar 19, 2008, 8:59am
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spacekdet
Total Posts: 1360
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Still around, but I'm not sure what program he's using nowadays.
That guy has undeniable talent. (http://craftwerk.nl/) |
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