Maya 2020 fundamentals - modelling the real world
Get halfway through a model and find it's an unworkable mess? Can't add edge loops where you need them? Can't subdivide a mesh properly? If any of this sounds familiar check this course out.
# 1 19-01-2016 , 11:22 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2016
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mesh a skeleton made out of edges

I want to mesh a 3d graph like this one, or even a more complex where edges might even self-intersect...

user added image

I have the edges but i want to mesh them with a certain thickness. One solution i came up with was to create a particle system with many tiny particles along the edges (scripting of course) and then convert the nparticles to polygn mesh.

This solution is not very good because 1) it doesnt give a smooth straight edge 2) it consumes a lot of memory 3) i cant make the particles smaller as they move away from the nodes (that would be a cool effect) Though it has the advantage that if edges self'intersect then the particle meshing engine will solve it.

I have looked into wrapping, clothing and skins.. but it doesnt seem likely that they can solve this??

I remember decades ago, there was a 3Dmax plugin called Metareyes, (see discussion and video https://polycount.com/discussion/71145/metaball-modeling ), that is really what i need but i dont think it longer exists - must have been replaced by something better..?

Additionally, it would be awesome if i could choose the color for each ball and propagate it over the output mesh...


Last edited by fartagaintuxedo; 19-01-2016 at 01:05 PM.
# 2 19-01-2016 , 12:35 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
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I know that Cinema 4d has a tool called Atom Array which may do the job - if you can get access to Cinema 4d that is.

# 3 19-01-2016 , 01:01 PM
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im looking for something more like this

user added image

with atom array its too simple, just a sphere in the node and all edges are straight (no transition)

# 4 20-01-2016 , 08:48 AM
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