Sweeper question...

[rusty]

Hello fellow hash'ers,

 

I'm creating the cover for my next book and also it's book trailer.

 

Unless I'm missing something, it seems that the most awesome sweeper plug-in, in copy mode, will not copy the model's surface attributes (color and I presume materials or decals...nor group names which would also solve my problem). I have a long complex tentacle with hundreds of parts strung along it and I'm looking for a way to create these with surface attributes (or like group names) without having to do each individually as this would take a long time. Anyone know of a way to accomplish this?

 

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Rusty

[Fuchur]

There should be a group created called "Sweeptobject", which should hold all the duplicated geometry in it.

Doesn't this help you?

See you

*Fuchur*

[Rodney]

I believe the issue with Sweeper is going to be that it doesn't maintain surface properties (colors, decals, etc.).

Another approach that will maintain those surface attributes is the Multiple Models plugin.

 

The Multiple Models plugin can be used in an Action or Chor (although note that the plugin itself has some text that will appear to suggest it will create the resulting model in a Chor).

 

An added benefit to the MM plugin is that it will duplicate bones... although... in the case of a tenticle I would guess that it would be better to create the model without bones and then add those for better control.

 

The basic steps are:

-Create your model

-Drop it into a Chor

-Right Click on the Model - either in the Chor window or on it's shortcut in the Project Workspace (PWS)

-Set your desired settings and hit okay

*If you don't like what you see select the duplicate model via Shift Clicking their shortcuts in the PWS and then hitting delete on your keyboard (zap! they'll be gone and you can try again after making adjustments)

-Once satisfied - Select and Delete anything in the Chor that you don't want in your new Model (i.e. delete the lights and Groundplane... while I don't think you'll need to delete the lights... you definitely need to delete the ground plane or you'll get that in your new model)

-Select the Chor's shortcut / Right Click and Export As Model

-Save under appropriate name

-Import new model into A:M and rig or adjust as necessary.

 

Please see attached no-frills walkthrough:

 

Note that there is also a 'Brick' plugin that might also serve this purpose but I'm not that familiar with it nor whether it will retain surface properties.

Tentacle-MultipleCopiesPlugin.mp4

[rusty]

Fuchur,

 

I know about that group and actually, now that I think of it, it would help if I used multiple steps and models. I'll have to think about it.

 

Thanks!

Rusty

 

 

[rusty]

Rodney,

 

Thanks for replying and for your time and effort! This might work. I'll have to look at it and think about it. The spline I'm sweeping to bends this way and that (rigging the tentacle to move around is more trouble than I need for the still shot for the cover...maybe). Unless the multiple model plugin has changed, all you can do is set an offset...as I recall. I'll check it out when I get home. Still I could restrain to a path with a percentage after importing into the chor...not sure how that translates to export model but I'll check it out...in a perfect world...might work.

 

Thanks again...its a great idea!

Rusty

[johnl3d]

Rusty used sweeper to make tentacles just a quick sample

 

quick.mov

 

quick.zip