Please help...*begs*

[JimCarruthers]

Well, first thing if you're concerned about mesh size--though this begs the question, is is really that necessary to be worried about it?--then the first thing is to use the Mesh command to mesh the piece with separate, optimized settings. What you listed there sound like roughly the approach to take, though you may want to also use the "simple planes" option. The setting for the max dist depends on the scale of your object.

There is also, I think it's in V2, the "reducemesh" command, which lets you plug in a desired polygon count and it will try to simplfiy it. Of course Rhino is simply not really made for low-polygon modeling.

[andrewjohn81]

Jim gave some good advice.

Mesh each piece seperate. Then you can select all the meshes and export them at the same time, if you need to give your client one object. Do you have any aditional software like maya, max, or another common poly modeler? You may be able to optimize in there alot easier, then export it to poser.

With the black problems. That indicates either that a face is backwards, or you have some duplicate faces usually. Explode everything and run the command "SelDup" If nothing try "SelBad". That's just a quick thing to try to make sure that isn't the problem. If either of those gives you problems, fix it.

Make sure all the surfaces are facing out. This makes a big difference with polys because you can't join polys properly if a joining face is completely turned the other direction. This will either put a seam, or turn the adjacent face black, depending on the program/renderer.

Meshing: Play around with those settings. Don't leave them all at zero. In poly programs you only need 1-3 polys for most fillets. Many people will make it look completely smooth. NOT necessary unless it will be zoomed in quite close and be shown at an angle. The renderer can soften those corners and make them look smooth. You just want them there for the highlights. For the handle you probably won't need more than 16 polys around. I often will set the angle very high, like 90, then limit the edge length to a specified distance. This creates alot of quads and some cleaner geometry which is easier to optimize later. You can also control the size of your boxes a bit better.
To limit those long skinny triangles, if that's actually your "black" problem, then limit the ratio to a smaller number. I often use 1-4 for that. That ensures that there aren't skinny triangles going all the way accross your object (most of the time).

I believe there are some other meshing help threads here as well. Read those for more tips. The only real tip though is that each piece will need different numbers using different strategies if you need a lower poly count. Obviously if you have two objects mirrored, or something like that, then you can do them at the same time. It's actually wise to do this actually. If it doesn't look the same, then just mirror the mesh and replace the mesh that isn't as good.

good luck

[Taria]

Jim-if it wasn't a huge concern I wouldn't worry about it, but yes it, it has to be smaller so it will run on slower machines, with it being so high it won't work on them I'm guessing. WHo knows. but that's the concern this person is having about it being so high and the fustration I'm having about not being able to get it down lower.

so use the Simple planes as well? the object isn't that big. it's the size for a poser character, like David, so it's not very big. it's just meshing really high.

Your right about the reduce mesh option, but when I select it nothing happens. so maybe I'm not doing something right cause I'm not sure how to make it work. any suggestions on that and I will try it out and see if it works.

and boy do I know that rhino isn't an easy program for low polys. I have to agree with you there.

Andrew-You know i thought about doing that but I thought that they wouldn't work if I did them all seprate.. I think it's this band that goes around the case that is giving me the problems here cause it' bending in at the corners, the case can be smooth but then that band moves in and that's what get's me. I may have to rebuiild just that band. I'm one for detail so there's a lot of detail on this case. I tried to boolean a few things but then thought okay no one will be able to find the studs on the back to do a texture ot the hinges, or the latches and the lock, or the bolts and such, so I left everything seprate and just grouped all the pieces that went together. like everything for the bottom of the case I grouped and export, all the pieces for the top and the same for the handle. there's a lot of detail, is there a better way to do this so others can find these peieces in case they don't want to have just one texture for everything? I know how some people are they like to add thier own detail to things and if the mapping is one soild piece they get fustrated cause they can't make the designs ont he top with a different texture than the main top it's self. did that make sence?

the faces pointed out? hmm I thought I made sure all those were pointing out. I'm wondering now.. I mean when I take it into poser I don't get an invisbale object on the strap. when I built it I did a surface from section and took all the extra curves out and kept the ones that I needed to make the strap go around, then I lofted and double checked that I didn't have any extra curves, hmm. I wonder now, but if it was in the wrong direction wouldn't the whole strap be black and not just half of one side? I'm confused. not meant to be hurtfull please don't take it that way.

I will try what you both suggested on this and see if it works. I am willing to try anything at this point. I'm trying to aviod having to rebuild the whole case. :(

but thank you both for the tips and the replys, it means a lot to me, thank you very much. *hugs you both*

thank you.

[Taria]

One more question, is there anyway to check the poly count inside rhino? before I save it and put it in uv mapper to check it that way, cause that's how I'm doing it now I'll go to tools>statistics and see what the top line says, is that the right way to do this? but is there a why to do this in rhino as well?


okay I'm still asleep..lol

[andrewjohn81]

to check polycount for any object:

click the object, hit F3, hit the details button at the bottom.

You should find what you need here. I don't think there is a heads up display in rhino though, probably more what you're looking for.

Also, when you convert something to mesh it immediately gives you feedback in the command line as you are doing it. Every time you preview it tells you how many polys were created. Doesn't work great though for multiple surfaces at once unless you make the command line taller because it would only show you the last mesh if it's only one line.

[erlik]

I'd say your problem was with using "initial quads" only.

In that case, remove the max distance completely. I mean, not even the zeros should be there.

If you're not using the initial quads only, then:

FIRST and FOREMOST, uncheck Refine mesh. It just creates problems.

For Maximum angle, try with 36. For aspect ratio try with 12. Minimum edge length, put zero. Maximum edge length, try with 1. Leave maximum distance at zero. Initial quads, also zero. Click on preview.

If that's not what you want, play with the values. Very small surfaces will give you less polygons if you put something small in Max edge, like 0.1, 0.2 or similar. Bigger surfaces will benefit from Max edge of 2 or even bigger.

Oh, yes. Reduce poly command in Rhino is almost useless. It will give you weird meshes.

[andrewjohn81]

This is a problem.

When people tell you the "magic" numbers, or even numbers to try it isn't going to help.

erlik just mentioned to try max edge 1. This may work, but may also be horrible advice. If you are working in millimeters and have the briefcase to scale then you will have the densest mesh possible.
Beware of these numbers. Just figure out what all the settings mean and use your own judgement based on what pieces you have, how they are built, and how much quality you need.

[erlik]

Ummm, the operative words were "try" and "play with values". Anyway, I'll post a link to an explanation of the values in the meshing dialog box to the thread above. I found something like what I was looking for.

[Taria]

let's not fight here. I'm willing to try anyone's 'magic nubmers' at this point, who know maybe one of them may work.

Plus I tried doing each thing separate as your suggestion and it came out even bigger when I exported the full obj. Maybe I just have to many things.

I will keep trying though.

[UVDan]

I have one thing to add. Rhino does not like to mesh, or fillet, or blend at small scale. If you select your object and scale 3d it to be very big it will mesh better than if it is small. You can always scale 3d it back down smaller to export it after you have completed your meshing.

Here is one meshing tut written by Xurge

www.runtimedna.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=5424

This interface will not let me copy and paste links, so I have to do this by hand. I am only going to post one more because of it.

Here is another one.

www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1964732

[Taria]

thanks everyone, this helps out a lot. I thought about the whole scaling it down issue, but never did it. can you bleive how blonde I am these days. duh. okay I will try that and see if it works. my only question on this is, won't it be the same problem when it's scaled down as when it's huge? cause even huge it tends to save them rather high then if I shrink it down won't they be the same thing?

if I'm wrong or confusing you please tell me I do tend to do that alot theses days.

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.