#Errant MetaBall
8 messages in this thread
I am have several unrelated problems with metaballs.
I have one metaball that I cannot delete/hide/move etc. It is just there
and I can't do anything with it!
Occasionally after I do an MSHAPE no all of my metaballs will be included
in the MSHAPE?
Could you some help with this problem. Also how much does the rotation of
the metaball have to do with the resultant mesh?
Judy
Hi Judy,
I can't figure the ball that won't erase but as far as the balls not being
included:
If you have strings of small balls, like a tentacle, try setting the face
size smaller. If the face size is too large, smaler details will get
lost as the large faces can't accomodate the smaller radius.
Try setting face size very very low, generate your mesh and either set
simplify mesh to "on" or use Yost Optomize after running mshape.
Another thing to look at is the fusion value. Try using green and yellow
for the overall shape and save red for those critical details ( little
bunps and nuances). The higher fusion of these bumps will help "draw out"
those details.
Lee
Thanks Lee –
I have been using Red to fill out the shape but I will change them to green.
I hope someone has some answer to the Ball that wont erase!
Judy
Judy,
<<I have one metaball that I cannot delete/hide/move etc. It is just there
and I can't do anything with it!>>
I'd like to understand more of what you're problem is. You're saing you can't
delete/hide/move the reference sphere, or the resultant mesh object (META)?
You do know that reference spheres that are hidden, or frozen to get accounted
for in the generated mesh?
-Kyle
I figures that hidden meta balls still get generated when you create the mesh –
Found the problem yesterday – It was an instance created in the Keyframer with
snapshot and I had to delete it from there – I am not sure I understand the
logic behind this – but I finally got rid of it!
Judy
Judy
<<It was an instance created in the Keyframer>>
ahh.. . .that would explain it. Instance objects created in the keyframer do
not show up in the editor. HOWEVER, if you create a copy in the KF by moving
an object while holding shift down, the snapshot objects you create from that
instance obj. DO show up in the editor. I've found this to be very useful when
creating sets of snapshot objects that flow along very similar paths – like
muscles.
-Kyle
Kyle a question on your technique – what fusion color do you favor for muscles,
green ?
Also do you favor paper sketches and layouts before you start working with
Metaballs – I have been fooling around with various objects and it seems that
sort sort of planning in advance is necessary as well as "outlines" brought in
from the shaper – some thoughts here please.
AM looking forward to your article in Planet Studio.
Judy
Judy,
<<what fusion color do you favor for muscles, green ?>>
It depends on a number of things – – –
-How detailed you want the muscluar structure to be?
-Do you want to see 'cuts' in the muscles?
both of these determine what sizes and fusion values you should use. The best
thing I can advise, would be to become VERY familiar with working with
different fusion values in close proximity. Then, as you work on something,
and you want to make a change here, or smooth this out, and bring this group up
a little, you'll know the tools well enough to have an idea of how to appraoch
it. But, generally, I hang out with yellow and green fusion colors, with blue
for muscles like biceps, and calves.
<<do you favor paper sketches and layouts before you start working with
Metaballs >>
Most of the traditional ASOFT artists are going to hate me for this <g>, but I
can't draw to save my life – I mean, I'm really bad. I DO however have an
artistic background, my mother is a traditional artist, and she forced my
brother and I to take art lessons when we were young. So, I know shape and
form, lighting, and color study. But everything I do, from modeling to menu
interfaces and animation is started from scratch in 3DS. I've grown so
accustomed to thinking in 3D that I find it really hard to put stuff down in
2D. I also am fast enough with 3DS, that I can mock up almost anything faster
that I could draw it on paper – then it's in the computer. I do the same with
animation storybaords – I'll just mock up simple movements, render out
thumbnails, print 'em out and I've got boards to work from.
I DO work extensively from other peoples drawings, and physical models. For
example, I modeled the Face Hugger from a full scale vinyl model that I sat on
top of my monitor. The muscle stuff I'm doing is taken directly from three
sources – a book called Dynamic Anatomy by Burne Hogarth; Gray's Anatomy, and
numerous bodybuilding mags.
I should be uploading some samples of muscular structure sometime next week.
-Kyle
BTW, Dynamic Anatomy is by far the BEST reference book on Muscular structure
I've ever come across. It's pretty phenominal.