Quick Object Selection
Selecting certain parts in Bryce is a piece of cake if you follow a few simple tips.......
We put this tutorial together to help with the texturing and jaw movement of our Dragonhead2 model but the same techniques and theories apply to most any model or object. Henceforth the descriptions contained herein refer to that model.
Import the dragonhead model into bryce and ungroup it. Cycle through the part selections by using the tab key. You will see groups for the following
Horns
Eyes
Upper head
Upper gum
Upper teeth
Lower head
Lower gum
Lower teeth
The grouping selections are set up to allow you to texture AND move the parts. Get a feeling for what you would like the model to look like and apply textures in the following manner.
Now to develop some really good habits with bryce. Select each object in order and apply your texture. While the object is still selected, hit the 'A' box that pops up for 'attributes'. Type a unique name for the part. This is very important for the next step in selection. Save yourself hours of frustated picking and learn to do this with everything. Example.....bottom gum = botgum etc..........
Horns
Eyes
Upper and lower head (of course once applied the way you like it to the upper head, just go to 'edit' copy material, select the lower head, 'edit' paste material and the same applies to the gums and teeth)
Upper and lower gums
Upper and lower teeth
Once all your texture are applied, select the lower jaw line. Now Hold down 'Ctrl-Shift' and click over the lower teeth. A box will pop up with your previously applied names in it. Select your name for the lower teeth and 'Ctrl-Shift' and click over the lower gum. Click on the name you selected for the lower gum.
Once all these parts are selected, hit 'G' to group them together. Don't forget to group or your rotation will scatter things everywhere. While you've got things all so nice and neat, do the same procedure with the upper head parts and group them together also.
You can now select the lower group and rotate the jaw (using the rotate control) and your fully textured model will chomp it's way right through your screen.
Hope this clarifies the method's used to select and move sub-objects in a model. Although written for Bryce, the same techniques and methodology applies to many other 3d programs.
Ed Baumgarten
www.stewstras.net/baument/downloads.htm