• Choose a category
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• Classic-Fiction

4. In the TurboSmooth rollout, set the Iterations value to 2.

Notice that the entire birdbath is smooth and the resolution is greatly increased, as shown in Figure 26.14.

HSDS modifier

You use the HSDS (Hierarchical SubDivision Surfaces) modifier to increase the resolution and smoothing of a localized area. It works like the Tessellate modifier, except that it can work with small subobject sections instead of the entire object surface. The HSDS modifier lets you work with Vertex, Edge, Polygon, and Element subobjects. After a subobject area is selected, you can click the Subdivide button to subdivide the area. Each time you press the Subdivide button, the selected subobjects are subdivided again, and each subdivision level appears in the list above the Subdivide button.

Using the subdivision list, you can move back and forth between the various subdivision hierarchy levels. When edges are selected, you can specify a Crease value to maintain sharp edges. In the Advanced Options rollout, you can select to Smooth Result, Hide, or Delete Polygon. The Adaptive Subdivision button opens the Adaptive Subdivision dialog box, in which you can specify the detail parameters. This modifier also includes a Soft Selection rollout.

FIGURE 26.14

The TurboSmooth modifier can make a model flow better.

Summary

The Paint Deformation feature is a welcome addition, allowing you to add surface details using an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Max includes several unique modifiers that apply specifically to mesh objects. This chapter covered these topics:

• Using the various Paint Deformation brushes

• Setting brush options with the Painter Options dialog box

• How the Edit Mesh and Edit Poly modifiers can be used to edit a primitive object using the Editable Mesh and Editable Poly features while maintaining its parametric nature

• How several mesh modifiers are used to edit surface geometry

• How to edit normals and what the effects are

• Working with the Subdivision Surface modifiers to smooth mesh objects

The next chapter focuses on working with a miscellaneous group of mutant objects called compound objects. These objects are unique and used for special purposes.

Chapter 27: Working with Compound ObjectsIn This Chapter

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding compound objects

Morphing objects

Using the Conform and ShapeMerge compound objects

Creating Terrain objects

Using the Mesher object

Using the Scatter and Connect compound objects

Working with BlobMesh objects

Lofting objects

Deforming lofted objects

Using ProBoolean and ProCutter objects

So far, I have covered a variety of modeling types, including shapes, meshes, and polys. The Compound Objects subcategory includes several additional modeling types that don't seem to fit anywhere else. As you will see in this chapter, these modeling types provide several new and unique ways to model objects, such as working with Boolean objects, scattering objects across the surface of another object, or lofting a cross section along a spline path.

Understanding Compound Object Types

The Compound Objects subcategory includes several unique object types. You can access these object types with the Create⇒Compound menu or by clicking the Geometry category button in the Create panel and selecting Compound Objects in the subcategory drop-down list. All the object types included in the Compound Objects subcategory are displayed as buttons at the top of the Create panel. They include the following:

• Morph: Consists of two or more objects with the same number of vertices. The vertices are interpolated from one object to the other over several frames.

• Scatter: Randomly scatters a source object about the scene. You can also select a Distribution object that defines the volume or surface where the objects scatter.

• Conform: Wraps the vertices of one object onto another. You can use this option to simulate a morph between objects with different numbers of vertices.

• Connect: