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Kail
11-12-2002, 06:56 PM
Does Maya have a lofter that works like the pathlofter in 3dsmax?

I want to loft a shape along a path, the only lofter I've seen in Maya 4.5 creates a surface from a series of shapes.

Thanks!
dmcgrath
11-12-2002, 07:06 PM
you can loft between curves that you create, or extrude a shape you drawn with the create polygon tool. There are lots of options. Look up in you manuals, about lofting, extrude, revolve, etc.
Kail
11-12-2002, 07:07 PM
I've done so. But it seems the Maya lofter can only loft between shapes, not loft a shape along a path like the lofter in 3dsmax.
Kail
11-12-2002, 07:27 PM
Thanks. The extruder solved the problem for me, but didn't make my life much easier as it also gave me a new problem.
The pipe is elliptic at the turns, and circular at the straight sections, and looks odd (see attached image). How can I stop this from happening?
dmcgrath
11-12-2002, 07:30 PM
you need more points on your curve. Just delete it and try again, rebuild the curve, then extrude. Some stuff just isnt in the book.
gmask
11-12-2002, 07:33 PM
Originally posted by Kail
Thanks. The extruder solved the problem for me, but didn't make my life much easier as it also gave me a new problem.
The pipe is elliptic at the turns, and circular at the straight sections, and looks odd (see attached image). How can I stop this from happening?


You need to rebuild the curve so that in the area where there is high curvature there are more CV's and this will maintain a round pipe shape that you desire.
Kail
11-12-2002, 07:34 PM
Will try that, thanks!
Kail
11-12-2002, 07:57 PM
Checked the manual, says the same. Well, I guess I have to place those circles really close, what a nightmarish task! I hope they will include a path lofter in the next release of Maya because this extruder sucks!
gmask
11-12-2002, 09:18 PM
Originally posted by Kail
Checked the manual, says the same. Well, I guess I have to place those circles really close, what a nightmarish task! I hope they will include a path lofter in the next release of Maya because this extruder sucks!

Uh.. I don't think you understood our suggestions so please don't jump to conclusions and blame the software.. OK.

You need to rebuild the curve.. under edit curves->rebuild right now you probably have like two or three CV's where it is really curved and you need to add more CV's there.
Kail
11-12-2002, 10:34 PM
Thanks! Will try that, I really like Maya, wouldn't trade it for 3dsmax, but IMO some things are better solved in 3dsmax than in Maya.
gmask
11-13-2002, 12:41 AM
Originally posted by Kail
Thanks! Will try that, I really like Maya, wouldn't trade it for 3dsmax, but IMO some things are better solved in 3dsmax than in Maya.

That may be true but it is allways hard to compare packages that way. With Maya and nurbs it is best to allways place CV's evenly .. you could of course write your own version of extrude that rebuilt the curve for but the way it is setup currently it puts profiles where you have put CV's. If you have worked with nurbs for awhile you will know that this is what you normally want. That way it does it now is not arbitrary.. it obeys the input curve.. if you wanted a MEL script could be added so that there is an option to ignore or rebuild the input curve and use X number of profiles.

If you mainly work with polys then orderlyness may not be as important as it is with nurbs..

So you are saying that if you extrude on a path in Max with Nurbs that it magically comes up with the number of profiles despite the number of CV's in your path? I would not want that most of the time but more options are allways better.

Please visit my Maya Wish List thrad and add anything you'd like to see.
Heinrich
11-13-2002, 01:52 PM
Kail, the one thing that you have to keep in mind is that the normal tools you use in 3D Max are being used on polygons, the ones that your using in Maya are Nurbs. You have to stop thinking Polys when you make nurbs. The other thing is your using nurb curves to make the line of the tube not a bezier curve.I had the same problem when I moved from Max to Maya. Try and use Max to mak a poly tube as easy as Maya. Good Luck!:D
klinker
11-13-2002, 02:42 PM
@kail,

use max and be happy in your own way!

greetz klinker- discreet sucks!
Kail
11-13-2002, 04:52 PM
Originally posted by klinker
@kail,

use max and be happy in your own way!

greetz klinker- discreet sucks!

LOL! Why?

I got the extruder working now! Thanks for your help! I wouldn't want any other 3D modeling and animation software!
stunndman
11-13-2002, 05:02 PM
Originally posted by Kail
I've done so. But it seems the Maya lofter can only loft between shapes, not loft a shape along a path like the lofter in 3dsmax.

blasphemy!!! - you could also do an animated sweep - you would not have to care about cvs then - you'd simple set up a little animation (your circle animated along a path) - and maya will make an object out of the animated circle - you can do wiered things with animated sweep - check it out - and don't ever again...well you know
Kail
11-13-2002, 05:06 PM
...clarifying, I wouldn't want any other software than Maya.
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