The information in this article applies to:
- Softimage 3D for Windows NT, version 3.51
SUMMARY
In the following procedures you create a model with a highly variegated
surface (like a mountain range or a close-up view of a clump of grass)
using Polygon->Fractalize.
Method One
- From the Model module, choose Get->Primitive->Grid.
- In the Create Rectangular Grid dialog box, select Polygon and click Ok
to accept the default values.
- Choose Effect->Convert, this triangulates the grid.
- Choose Polygon->Fractalize. The Fractalize dialog box appears allowing
you to adjust how jagged or rolling your mountains are. You can control
the number of iterations, the magnitude, or the jagginess of a simple
mesh object.
- Pick your polygon mesh object to apply the fractalize effect. The model
is now fractalized. Be aware that this makes your model heavy.
- Choose Effect->Rounding to round the model edges. This makes the model
even heavier. You can delete parts of the polygons to lighten the model,
but be careful not to remove anything that you want to remain.
- To further lighten the weight of the model, choose
Effect->PolygonReduction.
Method Two
In this procedure you create a model with a highly variegated surface
(specifically a mountain range) using the Edit->Proportional option on a
NURBS grid.
- From the Model module, choose Get->Primitive->Grid.
- In the Create Rectangular Grid dialog box, select NURBS, Cubic and
click Ok.
- Select the grid, then choose Effect->Randomize. This allows you to
randomly displace points on your NURBS surface.
- To customize the mountain peaks, choose Show->Points, then choose the
select Edit->Proportional option.
- In Tag mode, select and move points in the grid. In the Proportional
Setup dialog box, you can define the influence that the selected point
has on the surrounding points, when it is moved.
- From the Matter module, choose Texture->2D Global to define a bump map
to suit the look that you want for the mountains.
- In the 2D Texture dialog box, set Displacement and increase the
Roughness value to a level that is appropriate for the fineness you want
for your model.
- Render your model with the mental ray renderer.
REFERENCES
Softimage 3D Reference Guide: A to H, Interface, page 416,
(Edit->Proportional) pages 421-422 (Effect->Rounding), page 436
(Effect->Convert->Polygon), pages 437-438 (Effect->Randomize),
pages 478-496 (Effect->PolygonReduction) and pages 809-810
(Get->Primitive->Grid).
Softimage 3D Reference Guide: I to Z, Appendices, pages 1114-1117
(Polygon->Fractalize).
For information on polygon modeling, see Softimage 3D Modeling User s
Guide, pages 74-85.
If you have any questions concerning the information contained in this
article, contact support@softimage.com by email.
NOTE: Softimage Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.
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