Graphite Modeling Tools — 3ds Max 2010 New Features

We're going to take a look at some
of the one new edge modeling tool
in 3ds Max 2010
using the graphite tools
Revit modeling system.
I 'd like to thank Wayne Robson
for giving us access to Frankenstein model for the use of the presentation.
We're going to begin by
changing out the material
to something gray.
I'm going to select the model.
And I'm going to immediately go into
my graphite modeling tools.
And we're going to change the
smoothing from smooth to hard so that
so we can see the topology.
I'm also going to go ahead
and enter face mode.
And I'm going to enter edge mode and we are going to
take a look at some of the
new edge tools.
So you can see we already
have some really nice
clean geometry here.
We have added a number of
new selection tools that allows
to quickly create new selections
in an interactive manner.
I have the ability to selectively
to grow and shrink
my edge selections,
or my ring selections.
I can do loop selections
as well in the same way.
And of course we can grow outward in all
directions just like we did previously.
Another really great tool
is the loop mode.
Loop mode allows us
to quickly select
any entire loop as it goes around the model
as simply by selecting on any one edge.
Same goes for ring. I can on any ring
And I'll select all the way around
the model as long as it finds
Contiguous rings
Another interesting tool that we have is
what we call dot ring
which allows me to essentially
skip over any predefined
set number of edges that I want
In this case, I'm skipping every other
edge. This can be used with
incredible results if I enter
loop mode, select one loop
and choose dot ring and I have now selected
essentially every other edge
loop in the model
like and then remove and quickly
do polygon reduction in a very clean manner
without a lot of extra work.
Another interesting tool that we've added
is swift loop. Swift loop is essentially
an edge ring that can connect all in one
mouse play. So you can see that I can
quickly add new geometry any place that I want.
Truely an artist driven tool. Another really interesting
application of swift loop is that
is the fact that I also have the ability to go
and interactively decide
where I want the loop after I placed it
Something prevoiusly not seen
in 3ds Max before.
Once I have the ring in there,
let's say that I decide that I want to move....
I have moved it but let's say i need to
redefine where it goes.
You notice that we have edge loops
that are off-center.
I can use our tool called
"set flow" to take that ring
and to essentially reposition it
into the middle allowing us to
really clean-up our geometry
in a very quick and efficient way.
This can also be done with multiple loops.
So if I select "multiple loops"
and I choose "set flow",
you will notice that fine adjustments
can occur when it repositions
the loops in place.
I'm going to go ahead and
I'm going to stay in loop mode and I'm
going to get some edge loops and I'm going to
remove them.
Then you can see that we
have introduced a real problem
with the flow of the geometry
as it comes to the area is now flat.
In previous version if I go into ring mode
and I select this ring here,
and I choose "connect it",
just introduces the new edge loop,
then I would have to sculpt in place.
We now have a tool called flow connect.
Flow connect allows us to quickly select
a ring of edges and it'll introduce new topology
and maintain the flow of the geometry
as it goes around.
So you can see that all of the extra sculpting
that would have taken place previously
is now no longer present.
So you can see that there are
many new edge tools that are available to us.
And therefore very quick, organic
and artist driven work-flows.
One last thing we're going to look at
what edge loops are the loop tools themselves.
So if we broke open up the loop tools,
haul it, bring it down here and
start selecting some edges so you can see
how some edges like here.
If I select just number of edges and
choose center, it automatically centers up
our edges and allows us to relax them
and really just gain better control
over our topology as we move through
the modeling pipeline.
So you can see that there are
lot of new tools and capabilities
within the graphite modeling tools
specifically with edge loops.