Rubiks Cube model/animation ....using Polys.
 

Hi...

I'm new here and I need a little help as i just started using maya and seem not to be making any headway.....

i am trying to create a "Rubiks Cibe" model....see model below:

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1175/60330992uo1.jpg

now my problem is: i started making it with polys...i've been told that this doesnt make sense as there are waaaay too many vertices, edges, UVs etc etc (as seen in the pictures)....and that this would require way too many system resources to render....

(see below:)

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5109/29277147yj8.jpg

now, how can i redesign this cube using less vertices, Uvs etc....
i.e: how can i use the parts i have already modelled as reference m odels to create simpler parts.... or:

is there a fast, efficent way to reduce the details of the parts i have already created. I hope my question is understandable....
I'd really appreciate some help. Thx!

-afro..

Yes that's a little out of control, mostly because it'll soon be next to impossible to modify the shape with any time efficiency. The less points you have to push and pull the faster of a modeller you will become. Also you don't need anywhere near this many faces to describe the form you are modeling. So you can set this aside for now (save it) and start a new file. It's a bit of a mindbender but I think it will save you time in the end and you'll be more in control, and learn an armada of new tricks :)

The goal is to start with the simplest geoform (cubes, spheres, cones etc) with the fewest number of faces you possibly can to as closely match the shape you are about to model.

When you model you can have the channelbox open. Create a cube and have a look there. You'll see
Inputs
polyCube1

Click the polyCube1 and you'll see subdivisions width, height and depth. Set these three to a value of 1. Now you have all the faces you need to describe a cube.
Move it to the side and make another cube, this time set the three subdivisions to a value of 3. Voila. Instant rubiks cube. Underdetailed but both of these cubes serves as a good starting point. It's up to you to try the method you like better. Start with a building component (the 1 cube) or start with the whole shape (the three subdivisions)

PS: The inside of the cube is never seen unless you take it apart with force hehe. I wouldn't model it but then again I am always looking for shortcuts :]

Have fun now.

Hi AphaFlyte,

thx so much for your quick response...
however,....there are following points to note:

1. at the end of it all....I actually intend to create an animation...it will involve the parts of the rubiks cube scattering, rotating,...and coming together again , after which some columns of 3 segments (grouped) will rotate round the axis of the cube -first horizontally, and then vertically)

2. i have already tried the method you suggest, but ended up with the problem that it became much to complicated cutting the "bock" into its components....and besides if you take a look at the pics i posted you will notice that the faces of the components which make up the cube have parts of their faces individually extruded for added detail. i found this very difficult to realise using the block cube (i tried using: add vertices function to realise this - but the added vertices kept on overlapping unto the adjacent surfaces...)

so how do i proceed now? :confused:

cheers

-afro.

I figured you wanted to animate it with the taking it apart bit in there. Sigh, there goes my shortcut and lazy exit haha. Technically you could split edges, cut, extract faces, merge vertecis, and append to polygons, but the process is not very beginner friendly. It's not hard but maybe not for the first steps to take. It's fast and lovely later on though when you are more comfortable with those techniques.

For now:
You can proceed with what you have too no worries. If you want you can clean up edges that aren't needed to alter the form. The cube example again. If you have a cube it does not need 20 edges to describe that, right. So delete all unecessary edges. This is time consuming too :p and remember the object should still maintain all quads (four sided faces) so delete all the way around.
I am also saying you don't have to do this. With all of the above I just want to illustrate how you could of done different and more efficient for the next project or how to save this one if it would be 1 million polygons and up. Then you'd be in REAL trouble :p

Now, when you delete edges rather than pressing delete I recommend adding Edit Polygons->Delete edge on to the shelf and use that (hold ctrl+shift as you select the menuitem)
Using delete edge deletes the unwanted vertices too. If you just press delete, the edge will disappear, but not the vertices where it used to connect stays.

thanks alot AlphaFlyte!... :bow:

one more question:
is there any way i can clone a low-resolution (i mean less edges + subdivisions) shape off a high res one without having to painfully edit every little detail or reconstruct everything? :headbang:

cheers!

i just wanted to say:

i decided to start afresh:

i redesigned the cube components using 2 - 4 simple different sized poly cubes (each with one division )....

i simply overlapped one over the other, then-using 3 layers- did a step by step...

Mesh-->Booleans--->Union .....

and voila! :attn: ------->

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/7091/cuberj1.jpg