3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [139]
Note
Several modifiers have the option to impose limits on the modifier, including Upper and Lower Limit values. •
The hammer in Figure 11.9 shows several bending options. The left hammer shows a Bend value of 75 degrees around the Z-axis, the middle hammer also has a Direction value of 60, and the right hammer has an Upper Limit of 8.
FIGURE 11.9
The Bend modifier can bend objects about any axis.
Tutorial: Bending a tree
If you have a tree model that you want to bend as if the wind were blowing, you can apply the Bend modifier. The tree then bends about its Pivot Point. Luckily, all the trees and plants found in the AEC Objects category have their Pivot Points set about their base, so bending a tree is really easy.
To bend a tree using the Bend modifier, follow these steps:
1. Select the Create⇒AEC Objects⇒Foliage menu command to access the available trees. Select a long, thin tree like the Yucca, and click in the Top viewport to add it to the scene.
2. With the tree selected, select the Modifiers⇒Parametric Deformers⇒Bend menu command to apply the Bend modifier to the tree.
3. In the Parameters rollout found in the Modify panel, set the Bend Axis to Z and the Bend Angle to 60.
The tree bends as desired.
Figure 11.10 shows the bending Yucca plant. To animate this tree bending back and forth, just set keys for the Angle parameter.
Displace modifier
The Displace modifier offers two unique sets of features. It can alter an object's geometry by displacing elements using a gizmo, or it can change the object's surface using a grayscale bitmap image. The Displace gizmo can have one of four different shapes: Planar, Cylindrical, Spherical, or Shrink Wrap. This gizmo can be placed exterior to an object or inside an object to push it from the inside.
Caution
In order for the Displace modifier to work, the surface requires a dense mesh, which can lead to very high polygon counts. •
FIGURE 11.10
The Bend modifier can be used to bend trees.
The Displace modifier parameters include Strength and Decay values. You can also specify the dimensions of the gizmo. A cylindrical-shaped gizmo can be capped or uncapped. The alignment parameters let you align the gizmo to the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis, or you can align it to the current view. The rest of the parameters deal with displacing the surface using a bitmap image. Figure 11.11 shows a Quad Patch with the Plane-shaped gizmo applied with a Strength value of 25. To the right is a Quad Patch with the Sphere-shaped gizmo.
FIGURE 11.11
You can use the Displace modifier's gizmo as a modeling tool to change the surface of an object.
Cross-Reference
The Displace modifier can also alter an object's geometry using a grayscale bitmap image. This is similar to a Displacement map, which is covered in Chapter 17, “Adding Material Details with Maps.” In many ways, the Displace gizmo works like the Conform compound object. You can learn about the Conform compound object in Chapter 27, “Working with Compound Objects.” •
Lattice modifier
The Lattice modifier changes an object into a lattice by creating struts where all the edges are located or by replacing each joint with an object. The Lattice modifier considers all edges as struts and all vertices as joints.
The parameters for this modifier include several options to determine how to apply the effect. These options include Apply to Entire Object, to Joints Only, to Struts Only, or Both (Struts and Joints). If the Apply to Entire Object option isn't selected, then the modifier is applied to the current subobject.
For struts, you can specify Radius, Segments, Sides, and Material ID values. You can also specify to Ignore Hidden Edges, to create End Caps, and to Smooth the Struts.
For joints, you can select Tetra, Octa, or Icosa types with Radius, Segments, and Material ID values. There are also controls for Mapping