BCI NET/BCI NET Dec 94.iso/archives/grafix/3d/metatut.lha/metaform.doc

Text File | 1994-10-23 | 3.2 KB | 68 lines

This is a small tutorial on how to create organic-type objects with
the metaform function in Lightwave 3.5's modeler.  There is another
exellent metaform tutorial written by James Hasting-Trew, which goes
into detail on how to create an old fashioned telephone hand-set. I'd
like to go into a more general approach on how to utilize metaform
for most any object you wish to create.

It helps a great deal to actually have what you want to create sitting
in front of you to model from.  If you don't have this, then you'll
just have to use your imagination :)  The first thing you'll want to do
is create a box about the same size as what you are attempting to model,
so it just fits inside.  For this tutorial, I'm going to create a made
up 'thing' that would be virtually impossible to make without the
metaform deformation tool.  Thing.iff is a picture of what I am
modelling, so take a quick look at it to see what's going on here.
Figure meta.000 shows a box that is about the right size for my
object.

Now, go into another layer and put the box in the background layer.
You want to create flat polygon 'sheets' with the box tool to use with
the SDrill 'slice' function.  Put a polygon everywhere your object takes
a sharp curve, or anywhere you will want to change the form of your
object.  Where to place these polygons will become easier as you make
a few objects and get a feel for where they should go.  You can always
go back and add more slices as you create the object.  Meta.001 shows
where I created 5 polygons for my object.  Now put the box in the front
layer, put the flat polygon sheets in the back layer, and use the SDrill
'slice' function to slice these into the object.  Meta.002 shows the
object after it has been sliced.

Now start grabbing points and moving them to take the shape of what you
are creating.  Remember, you can always go back and add more slices if
you need more to work with.  But don't get too carried away.  You want
to keep the object as simple as possible so after the object is
metaformed it won't be more complex than it needs to be.  Meta.003
shows my object after I've pulled points around to take a vague shape
of the object.

Meta.004 shows two more polygons I used to make a couple more slices,
and Meta.005 shows the object after I used SDrill 'slice' again with
these in the background.  Meta.006 shows the points highlighted that
I moved to make this final shape.

Now, just metaform this once or twice.  Meta.007 and Meta.008 are the
object after being metaformed.

Sometimes you will only want to slice your object part way. This will
usually cause polygons to be created with more than four points, which
cannot be metaformed.  It isn't always a good idea to just 'triple'
these polygons, since they will cause more complexity than you desire.
The easiest way to remedy this is to select the polygons with more
than 4 verticies, cut them and paste them to a separate layer, then
remove the polygons and keep the points, then create 3 or 4 point
polyons from these points.  Then paste them back into the object and
merge the points.

I hope this helps you to utilize the metaform tool to create some cool
stuff.  Have fun!


Monte Ohrt
The Rendering Plant
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