Tip/Tricks – 3dsMax: Edge Connect and Loop is a HUGE modeling time saver
Edge connect in conjunction with Ring is a great tool to introduce geometric resolution (more polys) in a very clean and efficient manner. And its incredibly fast once you get used to it. Used wisely, it can dramatically increase your ability to generate clean edge loops and sub divisions quickly. In the image on the far left, you will see the area of the command panel which we will be using.
Using Edge Connect is very simple. Just do the following:
- Be sure your object is an Editable Poly or has and Edit poly modifier on it
- Select any edge that has contiguous neighbors (see image).
- Click the “Ring” button on the modify command panel.
- From the Edit Edges Rollout select the Connect button
- A new edge is automatically drawn to the midpoints of the selected edges.
If you use the Connect Settings (the smaller box shaped button next to the Connect button). It allows you to choose the total number of new segments to be created.
Here is the final version of model that was made with heavy use of this technique. Click on any of the images to see them full size.
hey! thanks!
that was the reason to give up my 3dmax 7, and jump to 9.
why the hell this doesn’t work on polys…. is it really so different to implement such feature in poly modeling… grrr.. i guess i have to download 2008 demo.
Not sure I understand the question. Its designed for polys. It works great on polys. Its the point of polys.
no… right here u have it in edge mode, u select, loop and ring edges, not polies… thats what i meeeen
Even though it’s in a tool mode, it’s still in Poly Edit. If you want to do similar at the polygon level, use the poly tool and select, grow and/or inset, extrude or bevel to define. Either way, it’s still poly editing.
hi im quite new to max. is there a way to do do this with editable mesh instead of editable poly? whats the difference?
Do what with edit mesh? you mentioned no example.
Difference. Epoly tools are stronger. (i.e. new graphite modeling in 3dsMax2010.) Emesh’s are smaller (use less RAM). Model in Epoly and collapse to mesh when done.
Chris
Also, know that edit mesh doesn’t have any record of its neighbouring vertices, edges and faces (triangles).
It means that the faces are there alone without any kind
of idea of what its neighbours are, if they have 4, 5, 6 sides
and so on. That happens because the Edit Mesh works only with triangles. The Edit Poly came exactly to maximize your selection
options as well as your poly modeling options.
The polygons in Edit Poly in its core are made of triangles because thats the base of all the polygons. I.E. a side of a cube is made of 2 triangles.
The Edit Poly know what all the neighours are (if it is a square with 4 sides, a pentagon with 5, a hexagon with 6, and so on) so it is easier to select and make sub object modeling because it knows which vertices, edges and polygons are neighbouring each other and can make selections all around, by edge loops or rings.
Sorry for being too wordy… -__-”
btw im trying to achieve something like this in the picture before exporting it back to zbrush. anybody help please? http://www.pixologic.com/docs/images/e/eb/Alex_pinup_image013.jpg
thxs
Mudbox (from Autodesk) has a premade humanoid form starter geometry already. You might want to check it out. there is also a free trial. http://www.autodesk.com/mudbox
Otherwise it looks like simple poly extrusions is the way to go for you.
good luck,
Chris
it also selects polys when u select the ring of edges jst keep pressin de ctrl key n same time click on polygon directly from edge but make sure u keep pressin ctrl thts it u will hav ur polygon selected