3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [112]
To create some apples using referenced clones, follow these steps:
1. Open the Referenced Apples.max file from the Chap 08 directory on the CD.
2. Select the apple, and Shift+drag with the Select and Move (W) tool in the Top viewport to create a cloned reference. Select the Reference option in the Clone Options dialog box. Then close the Clone Options dialog box.
3. Select the original apple again, and repeat Step 2 until several referenced apples surround the original apple.
4. Select the original apple in the middle again, and choose the Modifiers⇒Subdivision Surfaces⇒MeshSmooth command. In the Subdivision Amount rollout, set the number of Iterations to 2.
This smoothes all the apples.
5. Select one of the surrounding apples, and apply the Modifiers⇒Parametric Deformers⇒Taper command. Set the Amount value to 0.5 about the Z-axis.
6. Select another of the surrounding apples, and apply the Modifiers⇒Parametric Deformers⇒Squeeze command. Set the Axial Bulge Amount value to 0.3.
7. Select another of the surrounding apples, and apply the Modifiers⇒Parametric Deformers⇒Squeeze command. Set the Radial Squeeze Amount value to 0.2.
8. Select another of the surrounding apples, and apply the Modifiers⇒Parametric Deformers⇒Bend command. Set the Angle value to 20 about the Z axis.
Note
As you apply modifiers to a referenced object, notice the thick, gray bar in the Modifier Stack. This bar, called the Derived Object Line, separates which modifiers get applied to all referenced objects (below the line) and which modifiers get applied to only the selected object (above the line). If you drag a modifier from above the gray bar to below the gray bar, then that modifier is applied to all references. •
Using referenced objects, you can apply the major changes to similar objects but still make minor changes to objects to make them a little different. Figure 8.4 shows the apples. Notice that they are not all exactly the same.
FIGURE 8.3
Two dozen doughnut instances ready for glaze
FIGURE 8.4
Even apples from the same tree should be slightly different.
Mirroring Objects
Have you ever held the edge of a mirror up to your face to see half of your head in the mirror? Many objects have a natural symmetry that you can exploit to require that only half an object be modeled. The human face is a good example. You can clone symmetrical parts using the Mirror command.
Using the Mirror command
The Mirror command creates a clone (or No Clone, if you so choose) of the selected object about the current coordinate system. To open the Mirror dialog box, shown in Figure 8.5, choose Tools⇒Mirror, or click the Mirror button located on the main toolbar. You can access the Mirror dialog box only if an object is selected.
Within the Mirror dialog box, you can specify an axis or plane about which to mirror the selected object. You can also define an Offset value. As with the other clone commands, you can specify whether the clone is to be a Copy, an Instance, or a Reference, or you can choose No Clone, which flips the object around the axis you specify. The dialog box also lets you mirror IK (inverse kinematics) Limits, which reduces the number of IK parameters that need to be set.
Cross-Reference
Learn more about inverse kinematics in Chapter 38, “Understanding Rigging, Kinematics, and Working with Bones.” •
FIGURE 8.5
The Mirror dialog box can create an inverted clone of an object.
Tutorial: Mirroring a robot's leg
Many characters have symmetry that you can use to your advantage, but to use symmetry, you can't just clone one half. Consider the position of a character's right ear relative to its right eye. If you clone the ear, then the position of each ear will be identical, with the ear to the right of the eye, which would make for a strange-looking creature. What you need to use is the Mirror command, which clones the object and rotates it about a selected axis.
In this example, you have a complex mechanical robot with one of its legs created. Using Mirror, you can quickly clone and position