Simply Maya User Community - View Single Post - Rubiks Cube model/animation ....using Polys.

Originally posted by AlphaFlyte
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.

Originally Posted by

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? user added image

cheers

-afro.