which do u think is the best method?

[Dave Black]

Is it possible that the poly by poly method feels stupid because you are using edit mesh instead of edit poly? Really, I mean, why even use max 5 if you are not going to use the new modeler.

Aside from that, this really should go in the WIP section.

Use whatever method works. If you don't like this one try another. But for god's sake, man, use EDITABLE POLY!!!

Good luck, man. It's definately a good start. It really looks like you've got a few too many polys too, just from looking at the MS.

-3DZ

:D

[Marcel]

Hmmm, I never use edit poly much, except when I need clean cuts with the quickslice tool.
I'm also missing something: how do I make a hidden edge visible with Epoly? I'd much rather have the 'turn edge' controls than the clumsy 'edit triangulation'

[mouj]

Slap me if i'm wrong : )
What would be the use of displaying hidden edges while using Epoly, since it seems to me one of the nice things about Epoly is to model with quads ?

Considering, as already said by LFShade in another thread, that anyhow Epoly is most of the time treated as Emesh (triangulated), by Modifiers and suchs, and say you'd be exporting your Epoly object to a .3ds file or any other, to be used for instance in a real time or gaming environment, it will be triangulated as well.
I guess one issue would be polycount, and having to keep a closer eye on it while using Epoly, then again, scripts allow you to display tris while using Epolys.

Actually LFShade has it right when he says that Epoly is sort of "a base-level modeling aid", it brings new tools and allows quad modeling, so why go and try to somehow use it as Emesh ?

mouj

[Marcel]

Slap me if i'm wrong : )
What would be the use of displaying hidden edges while using Epoly, since it seems to me one of the nice things about Epoly is to model with quads ?

SLAP! :)

I'd like to make edges visible to make my mesh look 'clean' when things are somehow messed up. For example after merging lots of vertices some edges should be invisible and the other way around.
And sometimes you have to edit the visibility a bit when you use the chamfer funtion (which reacts on edges being visible or not).

But isn't toggling visibility of edges possible with Epoly at all? :surprised

The new tools of Epoly are great, but they should also have been implemented into the editable mesh, a bit lame that they didn't do that.

[mouj]

:wip: <-- Marcel
:insane: <-- Epoly

Yep i get it, i think i tend to create new edges to be able to remove old and unwanted ones, which anyway ends in same result : )

As far as toggling visibility i don't know about an option to do it from the rollout..:shrug:
I agree about new tools not implemented in Emesh, i just hate to weld that much vertices when slicing !

mouj

[Ryno]

EPoly manages interior edges for you, preventing crossing edges. It tries to be smart about things, so that you don't have to micro-manage everything. However, if you do need to tweak something, you do have Edit Triangulation. Discreet has continued to develop this toolset over the last 2 releases, and will likely continue to do so, whereas Edit Mesh hasn't been touched for about 4 years now.

I was a long time Edit Mesh modeler, and working in games, assumed that EPoly wouldn't give me good enough triangle control. Trust me, it's not that big of a deal, and the tools available cut down my modeling time by at least a third for a typical model. Common tools like Quickslice, Welding, Edge Connect, and Sub-Ds are integrated in a nice little package, and are quite helpful on an everyday basis. For some models, where things like Insets, Hinge From Edge, Extrude along Spline, etc. are usefull, I'd confidently say that modeling time can be decreased by 70% with EPoly, as these were a real pain with Edit Mesh.

It's really worth keeping an open mind and trying, even if it means you've got to fumble around for a day or two until you get the hang of it. It will definitely be worth it.

[LFShade]

The new tools of Epoly are great, but they should also have been implemented into the editable mesh, a bit lame that they didn't do that.
Many of those tools require an underlying data structure that EMesh doesn't provide. Conversely, the winged-edge data structure that makes those tools possible prevents certain operations that are possible in EMesh (such as an edge sharing more than two faces).

I would guess that EPoly is intended to be an evolutionary step from EMesh, and the preferred new method of poly modeling in Max, which would explain why development of EMesh has been halted. EMesh will probably continue to be a part of Max, though, so I'd say it's still perfectly valid to model with for anyone who really prefers it;)

RH

[visualboo]

Slap me if i'm wrong : )
What would be the use of displaying hidden edges while using Epoly, since it seems to me one of the nice things about Epoly is to model with quads ?

True, quads are very nice, but..... those edges are still there and if you do realtime work then it's crucial to be able to turn edges.

It's really worth keeping an open mind and trying, even if it means you've got to fumble around for a day or two until you get the hang of it. It will definitely be worth it.

That's the truest thing I've heard anyone say on this forum. Don't bother telling the LW guys that tho.

[EricChadwick]

To show invisible edges in Editable Poly, go to the object Properties and uncheck Edges Only.

[Marcel]

To show invisible edges in Editable Poly, go to the object Properties and uncheck Edges Only.

I don't want to show all visible edges, I just want to make some hidden edges visible and some others invisible.

I guess I have to work more with the Epoly to get around the bad sides, it's good sides are obvious to me. It's just that I still have the really bad taste in my mouth from Max4, where the over-hyped Epoly couldn't even SHIFT-clone an edge.

Must keep open mind...must keep open mind..must keep open mind :)

[gaggle]

I've totally gone to the side of ePoly as well, after a while of clinging on to eMesh and it's fine edge-control and whatnot. Nowadays though: bah. Bah to edges while you're modeling. From time to time when enough edges starts annoying you, collapse to eMesh, do some tuning, then collapse back to ePoly.

Couldn't be easier :)

And actually that Edit Triangulation mode isn't halfbad I think, I'm slowly starting to warm up to it. Pop off Hide Edges in the properties for the object, and run wild with it I say.


Sk-Heretic, I can't see the image you refer to in your post, hence my lack of an on-topic answer :|.

[Marcel]

Couldn't be easier

Sorry for my sarcasm, but what about three buttons: 'turn' 'visible' and 'invisible'? :)

That system was working really well for me (especially when bound to shortcuts on the keyboard), it's a shame they have ripped it out in favour for a more glamourous system that doesn't work as well in my humble opinion.

Keep an open mind...keep an open mind :)

[gaggle]

Ah, well just for the record I was infact refering to the whole Turn in-/visible feature set. That, and Edge Turn, is a nicely slick way of handling everything edge-related.
eMesh is still the best imo for tweaking the edges, so that's why my workflow works off of collapsing to it from time to time. Personally I just had to get used to not fixing edges the second I spotted them but instead wait until more had accumulated.

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