3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [94]
The three different types of transformations are translation (which is a fancy word for moving objects), rotation, and scaling.
Translating objects
The first transformation type is translation, or moving objects. This is identified in the various transform interfaces as the object's Position. You can move objects along any of the three axes or within the three planes. You can move objects to an absolute coordinate location or move them to a certain offset distance from their current location.
To move objects, click the Select and Move button on the main toolbar (or press the W key), select the object to move, and drag the object in the viewport to the desired location. Translations are measured in the defined system units for the scene, which may be inches, centimeters, meters, and so on.
Rotating objects
Rotation is the process of spinning the object about its Transform Center point. To rotate objects, click the Select and Rotate button on the main toolbar (or press the E key), select an object to rotate, and drag it in a viewport. Rotations are measured in degrees, where 360 degrees is a full rotation.
Scaling objects
Scaling increases or decreases the overall size of an object. Most scaling operations are uniform, or equal in all directions. All Scaling is done about the Transform Center point.
To scale objects uniformly, click the Select and Uniform Scale button on the main toolbar (or press the R key), select an object to scale, and drag it in a viewport. Scalings are measured as a percentage of the original. For example, a cube scaled to a value of 200 percent is twice as big as the original.
Non-uniform scaling
The Select and Scale button includes two flyout buttons for scaling objects non-uniformly, allowing objects to be scaled unequally in different dimensions. The two additional tools are Select and Non-Uniform Scale, and Select and Squash, shown in Table 7.1. Resizing a basketball with the Select and Non-Uniform Scale tool could result in a ball that is oblong and taller than it is wide. Scaling is done about whatever axes have been constrained (or limited) using the Restrict Axes buttons on the Axis Constraints toolbar.
Squashing objects
The Squash option is a specialized type of non-uniform scaling. This scaling causes the constrained axis to be scaled at the same time that the opposite axes are scaled in the opposite direction. For example, if you push down on the top of a basketball by scaling the Z-axis, the sides, or the X- and Y-axes, it bulges outward. This simulates the actual results of such materials as rubber and plastic.
Tip
You can cycle through the different Scaling tools by repeatedly pressing the R key. •
Figure 7.1 shows a basketball that has been scaled using uniform scaling, non-uniform scaling, and squash modes.
Note
It is also important to be aware of the order of things. Transformations typically happen at the top of the stack after all object properties and modifiers are applied. More on the stack is covered in Chapter 11, “Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack.” •
FIGURE 7.1
These basketballs have been scaled using uniform, non-uniform, and squash modes.
Using the transform buttons
The three transform buttons located on the main toolbar are Select and Move, Select and Rotate, and Select and Uniform Scale, as shown in Table 7.1. Using these buttons, you can select objects and transform them by dragging in one of the viewports with the mouse. You can access these buttons using three of the big four keyboard shortcuts: Q for Select Objects, W for Select and Move, E for Select and Rotate, and R for Select and Uniform Scale.
Working with the Transformation Tools
To help you in your transformations, you can use several tools to transform objects (and you don't even need a phone booth).