hartog 0 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Ok. after reading alot of post and trying to improve my modding skills. i have a few things that maybe someone can define for me. what is the difference between using a "quadpatch" and a plane? they look the same to me. what is the advantage to using a quadpatch? so far i have used planes and added noise or ripple to break up the ground. Is there a better way? am i useing the newbie way? I also tried a height map and found out its limits. just wondering what you all thought? Hartog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
deleyt 0 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) what is the difference between using a "quadpatch" and a plane? they look the same to me. what is the advantage to using a quadpatch? A plane is very much different then a patch (quad or tri). A Plane: is made of individual vertices which are not linked in any way (interactive with a neighbour) except that it shares one wire (a line from point A to point B). The closest example I can find is a handkerchief. If you take one of the corners and pull it up, most of the material will be staying on the surface but where you pull it up it will take some material with it. (It's not a perfect example for it but I can't find anything that else that comes close. Eventually the handkerchief will pull other material aswell but a plane in 3DSM will not) A Quad: is made of vertices linked to their neighbours with controlpoints. So if you move one of the vertices the adjacent ones will interpolate their position to the one your moving. In turn, the ones that are moved because of you interaction their neighbours will be interpolated aswell. Best example I can find is a sheet of paper that lies on the table. If you pull the corner of the paper, the material around it will come along with it to a certain point. Try it yourself: - Make a Plane, apply a mesh modifier to it. - Make a Quadpatch, apply a Patch modifier to it. Now, on both objects, switch to vertex sub-objectlevel and pull one of the corner-vertices along the Z-axis. Watch the interaction on the meshes and compare them: Plane: Patch: Edited November 14, 2003 by |rsi|™deleyt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hartog 0 Posted November 14, 2003 Author Share Posted November 14, 2003 thanks deleyt the pictures say a thousand words. guess i have something new to try on the next map. appreciate the info, those of us that are self taught 3dsm could not get along with out the forums. Hartog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
X69RZX 0 Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 Sweet! thats a question I had wundered too. Thnx D. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OSO 0 Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 Is there a better way? am i useing the newbie way? just wondering what you all thought? Hartog There are so many different ways to make geometry in 3ds max. There isn't a right or wrong way. Every given situation calls for a different method depending on a lot of factors. One is experience. Another is personal preference. If you are comfortable with a method and productive at the same time, then use whatever method strikes your fancy. The best way to gain experience is to read up on the program and to just get in there and play around with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest SI-Prozac Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 (edited) yes ... read a tutorial... try to understand what it is your doing and why your doing it... then mess with it some more and further explore. Edited November 15, 2003 by SI-Prozac Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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