Socking?

# 1 17-09-2008 , 05:38 PM

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Join Date: Feb 2008

Location: Arizona

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I am following a tutorial about constructing a NURBS model (animal) and am learning to attach arms and legs using the Socking process.

So far so good. I have managed to attach the arms, legs, and a tail using a lengthy series of repeatedly attaching, detaching, and rebuilding the NURBS patches. As you can see from the picture, things look okay.

What I cannot comprehend is this (lack of knowledge to see what I'm striving for):

1) Will these limbs ever become a permanent part of the model that no longer requires a Global Stitch to hold them together?

I ask because after attaching these limbs, I end up with a more than one Global Stitch node that are holding the model together, but as soon as I use the Edit>Delete By Type > History to clean things up, I loose the Global Stitch nodes.

However, as you can see from the picture, the NURBS model is still in tack. But, if I tug on one of the arms or legs without that Global Stitch node, the patches pull away from the model!

2) Is there a point where all of these patches will be stitched together so that when I begin deforming the limbs, I'm not pulling the arms off?

user added image

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# 2 17-09-2008 , 11:15 PM

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I wish that little emote was words. I thought I had an answer for you until you answered it yourself.
Deleting history should in the end be done to make sure things run smoothly after the attachment process. But I'm not very good on the nurbs design and hope this post might spur further help for you.
If in the next day or two I come up with a proper response I will get back to you!

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# 3 18-09-2008 , 06:30 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
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You Should be able to just attach the surfaces now. The topology all looks the same so just use attach command and it should work. Then delete the history again to keep it clean

Jay

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# 4 18-09-2008 , 01:54 PM

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Thanks for the input. I have delved further into the tutorial and have finished the body. I took some time to scan ahead in the tute and can see that I will be converting the NURBS model to polys eventually.

I am looking forward to the work. While I have a deep sense of appreciation for the hard modeling I have seen in these and other forums, I am motivated at the moment to learn organic modeling and it's my understanding NURBS modeling will yield some decent products and perhaps add a skill to my tool box.

I searched around some other forums and am coming to the realization that patch modeling is a dying art. I could be wrong though, but there is very little discussion about the subject. In fact, any discussion I could find on the subject were years old.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm guessing NURBS modeling and its various processes existed long before poly modeling arrived on the scene. If that is the case, I'm surprised there aren't more knowledgeable people on the subject.

However, given access to superior tools like ZBrush, I can see how and why the industry has moved on.

I admit that I too am waiting for September 29th and the arrival of ZBrush 3.

cheers!

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# 5 18-09-2008 , 04:23 PM

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Well Nurbs and polys have been around since Jesus LOL but nurbs was more the organic method of modelling until Subdivision Surfaces became more popular in the industry because its basically derived from a polygon with a smoothing algorythm allowing for easier editing.

Nurbs have a bit of a texturing issue with stuff so with polys and subds you get the best of both worlds. It is dying out though some well known companies do like you to know them.

Yeah zbrush 3.5 is almost here, I'll be on the free upgrade list so Im especially stoked for it!!

Jay

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# 6 19-09-2008 , 02:45 AM

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Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Derby

Posts: 1,241

Nurbs aren't used as much in Organic modeling anymore. Mostly because of they're technical restrictions. You see, Nurbs have to be constructed of uniform spans (Isoparms) in the U&V directions (Horizontal, and vertical are a good way to understand it) There can not be any changes in a spans direction. Also no more than 4 edges can meet on a Nurbs surface. Making extrusion an impossibility. So to get around this you need to use several Nurbs models Stitched together (patches) This allows for more complex objects to be constructed. But of course there are obvious pros and Cons to this method. Nurbs are surfaces constructed upon math (Bezier Math) which calculates an infinitive curve (or something alike) giving a nurbs surface Infinite smoothness. Obviously Nurbs can only appear as smooth as your computer can compute the Bezier math, But anyway, While this gives your objects a truly organic look with an easy to tweak mesh, the down side is everything's in Patches, and while you try and animate your model, you may come across tearing between the patches. which you will have to use multiple constraints, and other tools to try and cover up. Which in turn makes the animation process a royal pain.

Anyway, Nurbs are still great, people just prefer the convenience of Polygons, and Sub-D modeling better. Plus with the introduction of powerful tools like ZBrush... You can't blame us.
I still use Nurbs mostly for either roughing out forms to be converted to Polys, or for Car modeling.

Anyway, I'm just repeating everything that's already been said...

All I can say is have fun! Nurbs modeling is a great thing to learn.

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# 7 19-09-2008 , 04:57 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
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interstingly enough to add to what Mayaniac has said is that Nurbs were used on the Shrek characters, noteably Puss.

For the seams pulling apart there are indeed issues but if ou have a good td like Ive had in the past a script can be obtained to keep such things from happening.

In my experience in the industry so far Ive found nurbs to have an advantage for pipework, arteries for the body etc, (why the hell use polys!!) these can be pushed and pulled around and still mange to keep the uv's condusive to the surface whereas a poly will not once its edited in such a way. Dont forget also that if you are using nurbs but prefer poly you can convert them, as Kurt likes to do for his method of work.

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