CGTalk - I need help with making an oval access door on a cylinder

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unclebob

01-04-2004, 04:04 AM

I would like to know how to make an oval "access" door to a tank (cylinder) using the polys of the cylinder. I kinda have one by extruding (inner & outer) the polys and throwing the cylinder in a hypernurbs. But this method screws up the rest of the details on the tank. Of course I could do the door first then the rest of the details. It would be useful in case I would like to add another door as an after thought once the tank is complete without screwing up the whole works.

I know I could make the door seperately and prolly would be the easiest way, but I want to reduce the poly count and just would like to know how to do it.

This project is based on a Feng drawing and I've included a pic of what I am after, the tank door I am trying to do has a "1,2,3" on it.

Thanks in advance.
bob

Neoklassik

01-04-2004, 05:07 AM

Looks like a job for a Boolean. You want the doors to open? Otherwise just texture them. If they are gonna be always closed no reason for extra geometry.

Swissphil

01-04-2004, 06:20 AM

Or simply make two objects...a door and a cylinder

Rabbitroo

01-04-2004, 06:44 AM

Hmmm . . . three good ideas so far:

1) Boolean it into the cylinder
2) Model the door seperately (perhaps using hypernurbs
3) Texture it on with paint and bump

Here's a fourth:

4) Project a oval door shaped spline onto the cylinder and extrude it. Depending on the curvature, the caps may triangulate on you more than you wish. If this is the case, convert to polys, hand patch the caps with quads, and drop it into a hypernurb for smoothing.

My personal favorite is #3--no need for geometry unless the door needs to work.

If the door needs to work I would use two setups: I would paint it on as in #3 for long establishing shots and then have a closeup of the door, frame, and tubewall for the working shot, building each out of hypernurbs using a combination of techniques from #2 and #4 as necessary to get the look I want to animate.

-K

thorn3d

01-04-2004, 07:38 AM

If you're trying to keep the poly count lower and/or want a clean mesh, absolutely don't use a boolean. Either make the door a separate piece, or model it flat and then use a wrap deformer to create the cylinder.

thorn

LucentDreams

01-04-2004, 07:49 AM

Neverwakes suggestion is a good, one I'd also recommend simply polygonal modeling with some werighting cylinder whole in a solid object isn't that hard to make. Booolean could easily make a horrible mess (even better boole while not as bas will add messy unneccessary geometry)

Cartesius

01-04-2004, 10:49 AM

Here's an animated GIF showing how I did it.

/Anders

http://www.cartesiuscreations.com/wips/loop_crop_anim2.gif

unclebob

01-04-2004, 02:58 PM

Thanks guys. The doors won't open and the texuture idea is the "smartest" way to do it, but at best I suck at texturing, so I think modeling the door is prolly going to be my best bet.

Kaiskai and neverwake's idea is the way I think will be easier. I like the animated GIF Anders and may give that method a try too.

Thank you again for the suggestions. I do appreciate it very much.

regards,
bob

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