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3. In the Optimization Options rollout, enable the Protect Borders option, the Merge Vertices option with the Threshold to 0.05, and the Merge Faces option with the Threshold set to 0.5. Then click the Calculate button.

4. Create a copy of the hand by holding down the Shift key and dragging the hand to the right. In the Clone Options dialog box that appears, select Copy, name the clone Hand – Lo, and click OK.

5. With the cloned hand selected, set the Vertex % to 10.

Notice that the number of faces has dropped from over 2,906 to 286.

Figure 26.10 shows the results of the MultiRes modifier. If you look closely, you can see that the hand on the right isn't as smooth, but it still looks pretty good and the game engine won't complain.

Caution

Reducing mesh density on the fly should not be done with animated objects such as characters because the mesh can become chaotic and dirty, resulting in poor deformations. However, the ProOptimizer modifier does work very well with static background objects. •

Quadify Mesh modifier

If you look at the individual shape of polygons in most models, you find either a triangle with three sides or a rectangle with four sides. Rectangle polygons are called quads, and they generally are nice to work with because they line up neatly into equal rows and columns. Triangles, on the other hand, flip back and forth even when lined up, making them more difficult to work with.

You can convert quads into triangles in many ways. This can be done in Max using a Triangulate command or modifier. This command simply divides the quads in half, but moving from triangles to quads isn't as easy and takes some clever calculating. But Max has figured it out and made it a feature with the Quadify Mesh modifier.

The single parameter for this modifier is the Quad Size %. Larger values result in bigger and fewer quads, and smaller values increase the number of quads. Figure 26.11 shows a simple shelf that has been quadified.

FIGURE 26.10

You can use the ProOptimizer modifier to dynamically dial back the complexity of a mesh.

Tip

The Quadify Mesh modifier works well with shapes that have been extruded. •

Smooth modifier

You can use the Smooth modifier to auto-smooth an object. This automates the creation of different smoothing groups based on the angular threshold. Smooth parameters include options for Auto Smooth and Prevent Indirect Smoothing along with a Threshold value. The Parameters rollout also includes a set of 32 Smoothing Groups buttons labeled 1 through 32. These same Smoothing Groups are available as options for the Polygon and Element subobjects.

Symmetry modifier

The Symmetry modifier allows you to mirror a mesh object across a single axis. You can also select to Slice Along Mirror and weld along the seam with a defined Threshold. The gizmo for this modifier is a plane, which matches the selected axis and the arrow vector that extends from the plane.

FIGURE 26.11

The Quadify Mesh modifier converts the model into regular-shaped quad faces.

Tutorial: Creating symmetrical antlers

Using symmetry, you can create one half of a model and then use the mirror tool to create the other half. If you need to see the changes as you make them, you can use the Symmetry modifier. In this example, I've taken the antlers off an elk model so you can practice putting them back on.

To create a set of symmetrical antlers, follow these steps:

1. Open the Elk with short antlers.max file from the Chap 26 directory on the CD.

This file contains an elk model created by Viewpoint Datalabs with its antlers removed.

2. With the elk object selected, select the Modifiers⇒Mesh Editing⇒Symmetry menu command to apply the Symmetry modifier. Its default setting has the X-axis selected, which places a plane running down the center of the elk model, but you need to enable the Flip option so the symmetry goes the right way.

3. In the Modifier Stack, select the Editable Poly object and enable the Polygon subobject mode. Then rotate the view until you're looking at the