quick 2 questions about FFD and gizmos

[schmoron13]

I am yet again asking a stupid ERRR silly question but I looked in the online help guide, and in the 3dsmax 5 bible, and can't find out how to do two simple thing.

 

First off, I have a simple a set of planks(4) that lie on an upside down trangle ( imagine a house sitting on top of a hill). My first task it to animate the the "hill" and planks shifting forward. I managed to do it easily by applying an FFD 2x2 box and simply animating it. Now they want to have a slight curve in the planks occur (so the center shifting point extends farther than the ends), but when I apply a new 3x3 FFD (after erasin the 2x2) I can select the center vertices, but nothing happens when I shift them (the 4 planks-done with boxes, and ground/hill-done with a vertices modified box).am I missing a step? I assumed this can be done easily, but you never know?

 

Second, on the same object, I want to rotate it, but at a corner. I looked in the 3ds max 5 bible under gizmo preferances but I don't see how to allow a gizmo to center on a specific point on a box? once again, any suggestions?

 

thanks in advance for everyone's help,

 

as usual, struggling, but learning...

[Sawyer]

Without looking at your model I will just make a quit assumption that you do not have enough subdivisions on you boxes. Add more segments to the boxes. Also have you tried a bend modifier?

 

2. Under the hierarchy tab ( think that is it it is the 3rd one in from the left sorry, not infront of max right now) click affect pivot only. Then you can just move the pivot point. Read Ted Bowman's great article on coordinate systems.

 

I am not sure if this really answers your question. I hope it helps at least

[schmoron13]

thanks sawyer...you were absolutely right about not having enough segments...by the way, I always have this problem: when I want to change the number of segments on a modified box (for instance, moving some vertices) I can't add or alter the number of segments? is there a reason for this?

 

2nd, I did the "affect pivot only" but it does nothing?

[Sawyer]

NOt too sure I understand what you mean by not being able to add or alter. If you have modifiers on top of the box & try to add more segments you may get funny results. If you need to create segments use the slice plane command on the subobject level. (Apply edit mesh modifier, dont convert to editable mesh) For this select a face, then hit slice plane, rotate or move the slice plane to the angle position you need and then click slice. Make sure to unclisk slice plane.

 

And for 2:

When you hit affect pivot only your transform giz should be flanked by a new gizmo that has the same colors but outlined not single lined. Move this new giz to the local you need. Unclick affect pivot only and then you should be set. The oultined giz is just a target to place your new location.

Hope this works

[Craig Ramsay]

Try downloading meshtools if you have max 4 or get meshtools of your 2nd CD if you have max 5. These tools are great for adding extra sub-divisions to editable polys

 

Craig

[schmoron13]

thanks...I'll try that and see if it works