13 replies to this topic

[ryanbutterworth]

Up until now, I've done simple models like an iPhone 4, which is perfectly straight. Makes for easy point moving. I started modeling an Xbox 360 last night, and everything was going fine, until I realized that the front and back are angled.



This is the process I use.

Make the basic shape of the model. The box is in place of the Xbox. I then make the shape of the port using rectangle splines with rounding. Extrude those and delete the back cap and side.



This gives me two shapes. I then make all my cuts match the new shape



Then, I move the points to match the shape.



Delete the polygons in the box.



Connect and delete two shapes to make one shape.



Fill resulting gap.



Bevel and extrude to get correct shape and place under HyperNurb. TADA!



The problem that I'm having is that since the Xbox front is disabled angled, I can't perfectly match the angle of my second shape to match. And, it really makes it difficult to move points around because the vertex of the point is always straight up.



How would you guys going about solving this?

Edit: Dumb autocorrect.

Edited by ryanbutterworth, 27 August 2011 - 01:39 PM.

[SKP]

If I understand the issue correctly you have a couple of options.
Use the Slide tool to move points and edges.
If you're just moving points set the Modelling Axis to Selected and the Orientation to Normal.

[ryanbutterworth]

Wow. Those are both super helpful tips! That solves that! Thanks! Any recommendations for my other issue? Is there some sort of match geometry angle function? Probably too easy.

[SKP]

I'm not clear what the other issue is.

[ryanbutterworth]

Using the method of modeling in my first post, I'm trying to model the port at the bottom. I'm wondering if there is some way to match the angle of the geometry to my piece.

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[3DKiwi]

Yes if you're running R13. With 11.5 I'm struggling to think of a practical way to do this. This is the kind of thing that has made move over to modo for polygon modelling as this would be easy to do with its tools. Ironically modo's "Rotate Planar Snap" tool behaves almost the same as the R13 Rotate tool's Axis extention handle.

3DKiwi

[remi]

I would think you could draw your port as a spline and project the points.

[ryanbutterworth]

Totally worked!

Thanks!

[HSrdelic]

There is also project points plugin on Cinema goodie DVD. Generally it's good idea to use existing geometry on the surface and spline shape as a guide.

Cheers

Edited by HSrdelic, 28 August 2011 - 03:20 AM.

[remi]

Glad it worked ....... something I learned from master Kiwi a long time ago.

[PieBaron]

Do you need a plugin to project points onto a mesh? I would really like to do this/find the plugin but googling it hasnt worked out yet, does it have a specific name?

[SKP]

You can project a spline on to a mesh which is what remi said above. Menu Structure > Edit Spline > Project.

[PieBaron]

ahhh doh!! awesome. thanks!
I misunderstood though, I thought it would project points into the mesh.. still a nice feature though

Edited by PieBaron, 29 August 2011 - 01:16 AM.

[ryanbutterworth]

There is also project points plugin on Cinema goodie DVD. Generally it's good idea to use existing geometry on the surface and spline shape as a guide.

Cheers

So, are you saying that connecting the two objects is not good modeling? The reason I do that, is that I get the exact shape I need, but maybe it's too many steps...

BTW, I bought your training last year and have not even had time to watch it. I really need to!