modeling and cutting polys on the grid

# 1 06-11-2006 , 11:35 PM

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Location: Vancouver

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hi all, i'm new to environment/prop modeling and i'm trying to get some tips on modeling polygon objects using the grid. i'm using maya 7, so hopefully someone has a solution using the tools in that version.

1. what's the best tool to use to cut poly faces using the grid? the split polygon tool and cut faces tool do not seem to snap to the grid. i know i can move the verts after but this seems like unnessessary work, when you should be able to make a new cut right on the grid. also, i'd like to make additional cuts after the object is unwrapped, so i don't want to push verts around.

2. how do i draw an edge connecting two verts that aren't on the same face but within the same object? for example make two planes, then combine them. then try and connect the vert 1 on the plane I to vert A on plane II. i can't do this cut and have the split polygon tool snap to the 2nd vert. the goal is to merge the new vert and create an object with all quads or tris.

any suggestions? maybe there's some simple setting im overlooking, but i don't normally model this way.

thanks!

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Last edited by scoonie_p; 06-11-2006 at 11:40 PM.

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# 2 07-11-2006 , 10:19 AM

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Location: Cleveland, Ohio (USA)

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first off (to address the second issue first), i think by creating two planes and combining them you've made too much work for yourself, when you could have just created a plane that was as big as the other two combined and just deleted a face... that would ensure not only that the split polygon tool would move to verts easier (since it wasn't formerly two objects) but also that no vertex merging would be necessary.

as for the first issue, if ya gotta move verts, ya gotta move verts. there could be a way around it, but it would probably involve an alternate modeling technique from what you're currently doing. at the same time, you can always cut where you want and then snap the verts to the grid where you want them, and that doesn't take a long time at all. besides, isn't eyeballing it enough, or do you actually need to be exact?

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# 3 07-11-2006 , 12:16 PM

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thanks

hey, thanks, i know that this looks like i'm making more work for myself but what i described was actually just me stating in simplest terms what i'd like to accomplish with maya.

think of the two planes in my example as two larger models that are now combined into one... and that need to be seamed together.

i don't think the tools exist in maya, for what i need to do? i might be wrong.

and the reason for not pushing points is basically to avoid more work. i think that xsi can accomplish these things in one step from what if heard.

cheers!

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# 4 07-11-2006 , 12:25 PM

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as far as just merging two models together, splitting a polygon as close as you can to the vertex of the other object is good enough, all you gotta do is raise your distance value (or scale the vertices together) and then merge. you can always adjust the resulting vertex (which is what a lot of people do anyway). tweaking vertices is what it's all about in programs like this.

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