Basic modelling question

#1

Hi I’m quite new to 3d modelling but not to 3d coding etc.

I’m using Wings3d - I love the program and here’s a rough form of one of the objects I’m creating:

This is a part of the curve you might see at an intersection between two roads - basically a cylindrical section cut out of a cuboid.

I want to know what method experienced users would use to create such a section. I just used:

create 10x10 grid
tools > connect
draw curve on top plane
extract the region (top plane)
extrude bottom

I also mirrored on the bottom plane (though that’s not important)

Is there a better way? e.g. actually cutting the geometry out? Draw loop sounds nice but it doesn’t seem to work in the current version?

Thanks for any help.

Rob

#2

<< Is there a better way? >>

Well, ‘better’ is fairly subjective - but one of the many great things (imo) about wings is that there’s rarely just a single way of doing something :slight_smile:

Re the actual example - it’d depend a lot on exactly what I was trying to do - but for smooth circular / elliptical arcs, here’s a couple for starters.

Create default cylinder
Select top circular face
Face | Inset > 50% (say) … hold Cntrl for 10% ‘steps’

You’ve now got the basic essentials for an internal curve.

Select any 4 adjacent new faces (prob between any pair of axes will make other ops easier)
Face | Extract Region > Normal (or Y) to suit
Face | Extrude Region > to suit.
Tidy up the outer curve (if you want to) using (vector) Flatten ops (need advanced menus enabled - see prefs)

No step by step - but check out Vert | Deform > Inflate > 100% - especially RMB option with adv. menus, as this places all selected verts onto a circular path (in 2D or spherical surface if 3D)

If you want elliptical stuff - I’d be tempted to create circular first, then scale along the relevant axis.

Keep things as simple as poss - makes life easier :slight_smile:
If a (standard / default) shape already exists with the properties you want - use it as a reference and cheat - no point re-inventing the wheel.

Tools | Connect does the same job as Draw Loop - so you’re not missing anything …

There’s various bits of info here www.puzzledpaul.com which might be of interest - if you’ve not already had a shufties.

pp

welcome to wings, btw :slight_smile:

#3

I’d probably start with the cylinder first and extract out the cube part. Then delete the cylinder part and clean it up manually. But that’s just my way of doing it.

Also if you plan on smoothing it, you’re going to want to change the edge flow along the curved portion. You’ll need some edges going parallel to the curve, otherwise it won’t smooth nicely. If you’re not smoothing it, then you can ignore this suggestion.

#4

Thanks for the help!

The cylinder sections were very useful and I just figured out that I can use flatten via the middle button to define the position of the plane to which I wish to flatten. Very useful advice.

Now I’ve got the attention of experienced ppl can you recommend any particular plugins for wings?

Also if anyone’s remotely interested why I’m asking these questions I’ve written some PHP to convert OBJ files to SWF graphics/animations via the Ming library (which comes with PHP). I’m using this together with Wings3d to make an isometric game in Flash, I’ve also written a BVH parser so I can create animated characters etc with motion capture data.

Puzzledpaul, nice site & great content! I’ll use it to help me learn wings, much appreciated.

#5

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