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View Full Version : What are folks using (now) for their lofts?...

WillBellJr
09-06-2006, 01:50 PM
Currently I'm focusing on using Lightwave with the LWCAD 2 tools which are hella great, but now I got two gorgeous curves, one for the start shape and the 2nd for the ending shape and now I need to skin between the two and there's no Loft function?? :shrug:

The rail extrudes only work with the one starting shape. And all of Flay's references to lofting plugins have gone missing... :love:

With LWCAD2 I can create all kinds of gorgeous profile curves and shapes but sometimes I need more than a straight or curved extrude.

Similar to say blending in Corel Draw between the starting square and ending circle, I need to start with one curve shape and end on another?

Any recommendations or plugin pointers are appreciated!

-Will

PS - This is using LW 8.5 (I haven't really started using v9 yet...)
ursa
09-06-2006, 02:21 PM
You probably are looking for the Create Skin tool, under the Multiply tab in the Extend group.
It works with polys, but I don't know about curves.
Hope this helps
cyphyr
09-06-2006, 02:33 PM
You could always try "Morph Polygons" Multiply>Extend>More>Morph Polygons in 8.5 I think. As long as your points are in the right place you should have no problems.
cyphyr
ursa
09-06-2006, 03:00 PM
The difference between the Morph Polygons and the Skin Polygons tools is that with Morph Polygons, you have to have the same number of points in each of the polygons that you are trying to skin, and Skin Polys tries to interpret how best to connect the shapes and proceeds
algorhythmically (is that a word?) , try em both and see which one works best for you.
WillBellJr
09-06-2006, 03:39 PM
Thanks guys, I was just coming back to report my findings - Morph Polygons in my case.

I decided to try out LW v9 thinking that perhaps all those missing plugins got folded in to v9 somehow.

I'll try the Skin version next to see if that works out better for me. I just knew LW had to have sumpt'n, yanno! :scream:

Again, thanks for your pointers and suggestions!

-Will
TrueArt Support
09-07-2006, 03:03 AM
With EasySpline (http://www.easyspline.com)that you purchased week ago you can receive such results by connecting some points on both curves using control-p.. Result until frozing is completely editable and new points on both curves and temporary 2-point curves between them can be made to receive better and smoother effect.

http://www2.trueart.pl/Products/Plug-Ins/EasySpline/Graphics/Loft.png
phamarus
09-07-2006, 07:11 AM
There was a free plugin called cm loft...that is pretty good for lofting between two curves or eve multiple curves..closed or opened lofts..
donīt know if it is available still and where...

otherwise do a search on loft ...at www.flay.com....I did a quick search...and there seems to be some free stuff there..

Phamarus
phamarus
09-07-2006, 08:16 PM
Hmm...cm loft doesnīt seem to be working with lightwave 9 thou...thatīs bad.
phamarus
09-08-2006, 07:17 AM
OOpps ..my mistake...it seems to be working ok...got some initial crashes.. but rebooted the system.
cm-loft from the guy who made polysew...and more...

works with splines that has different point counts.
Phamarus
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