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FIGURE 27.3

The Parameters rollout of the Conform object lets you define how the object is wrapped.

The Wrapper Parameters section includes two adjustable values: Default Projection Distance, which is the distance that the Wrapper moves if it doesn't intersect with the Wrap-To object, and Standoff Distance, which is the distance between the Wrapper and the Wrap-To object. The Use Selected Vertices option causes only the selected vertices passed up the Stack to be moved.

Setting a vertex projection direction

The Parameters rollout also includes controls for specifying the Vertex Projection Direction settings. You can select to project the vertices based on the current active viewport with the Use Active Viewport option. If the view changes, you can use the Recalculate Projection button to compute the new projection direction.

You can also use the local Z-axis of any object in the scene as the projection direction. The Pick Z-Axis Object button lets you select the object to use. After you have selected it, rotating this object can alter the projection direction. The name of the object is displayed below the Pick Z-Axis Object button.

Other projection options include Along Vertex Normals, Towards Wrapper Center, Towards Wrapper Pivot, Towards Wrap-To Center, and Towards Wrap-To Pivot. The Along Vertex Normals option sets the projection direction opposite the Wrapper's normals. The other options set the direction toward the center or pivot of the Wrapper or Wrap-To objects.

Tutorial: Placing a facial scar

As an example of the Conform object, you'll add a gruesome scar to the face of a character. Using the Conform compound object, details like this scar can be a mesh object and still perfectly match the contour of the face object.

To create a facial scar using the Conform object, follow these steps:

1. Open the Facial scar.max file from the Chap 27 directory on the CD.

This file includes a face mesh with a mesh scar placed to its side. The face mesh was created by Viewpoint Datalabs.

2. Click the Select and Move button on the main toolbar, and select and move the scar to position it in front of the face mesh in the Front and Top viewports.

3. With the scar selected, choose the Create⇒Compound⇒Conform menu command.

4. Under the Parameters rollout, select the Use Active Viewport option and make sure that the Front viewport is active. In the Wrapper Parameters section, set the Standoff Distance value to 3.0.

5. Click the Pick Wrap-To Object button, and click the face mesh. Select the Instance option.

6. The mesh gets the default object color, but you can see the original materials if you select the Display Operands option at the bottom of the Parameters rollout.

Tip

After using the Conform compound object, the object type is set to Conform, but if you collapse the stack to an Editable Poly, you'll be able to edit the resulting object. •

Figure 27.4 shows a close-up of the surgery in the maximized Perspective view.

FIGURE 27.4

A patch grid being conformed to the front of a face object

Creating a ShapeMerge Object

The ShapeMerge compound object enables you to use a spline shape as a cookie cutter to extract a portion of a mesh object. This button is enabled only if a mesh object and a spline exist in the scene. To use this object, select a mesh object and click the Pick Shape button in the Pick Operand rollout, and then select a spline shape. The shape can be a Reference, Move, Instance, or Copy.

The spline shape is always projected toward its negative Z-axis. By rotating and positioning the spline before selecting it, you can apply it to different sides of an object. You can apply multiple shapes to the same mesh object.

Caution

If you're using the Nitrous display driver, you may need to convert the ShapeMerge object to an Editable Poly object before it displays correctly in the viewports. •

The Parameters rollout, shown in Figure 27.5, displays each mesh and shape object in a list.