[Bf-funboard] Auto-subdivide

[Fabrizio Cali]

I've been asking for something of the sort from before when it was released
officially! :o(

No one seems to be interested in implementing a simple non-destructive
sub-division  even if it's not 'intelligent'. Quite honestly at this stage,
I'd much rather have a non-intelligent sub-division option and be able to
make use of rendertime radiosity - because the current destructive method
for sub-dividing doesn't make it feasible to use for inorganic meshes!
:o(  (Organic meshes can use the catmul-subsurfs so no problem there)

Last time I wrote about it, the people that replied said this would fit into
Madprofs reworking of the effects system - but I believe he's away atm!

Anyway, for anybody interested in the original discussion, you can find it
in the september funboard archives starting here:
http://www.blender.org/pipermail/bf-funboard/2003-september/000548.html


and the replies under the title  [Bf-funboard] Rigid Non-destructive
sub-division are to be found here:
http://www.blender.org/pipermail/bf-funboard/2003-september/subject.html#start


I've quoted the main body below for your convenience:
----------------
WHAT:
Would it be possible for someone to impliment a rigid sub-surf system? Like
the catmul clark sub-surfs but which doesn't distort the mesh. In other
words:  a cube remains a cube!

WHY:
To compliment and facilitate the use of the new animatable radiosity sytem
implimented by Ton.

THE PROBLEM:
The new radiosity system does not currently subdivide the mesh but works
with the available mesh. This is not a problem with organic meshes which
have sub-surfaces - but for 'rigid', non organic shapes like buildings,
furniture etc the user has to sub-divide the mesh manually before rendering.
This increases polygon count unnessesarily and makes editing harder after.

So a sub-surface system which leaves the mesh as-is would be great!
Especially with Goofsters new loop cut tool, it is possible to easily
control the density of such a subsurface to specific places, while only
increasing the face count of the non sub-surf mesh minimally!

WHERE:
I would put it as a toggle button next to the current Sub-surf buttons in
the edit buttons. So the user switches on Sub-surf normally but then toggles
between Catmul-clark (current) and the non-smoothing system (proposed). You
wouldn't need both at the same time after all! :o)

Eventually it could be moved to Madprofs effects buttons, though I don't see
any use for such a sub-surface except in conjunction with the new radiosity
system as it currently is.
-------------------------




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Bartlett" <johnnyb@eskimo.com>
To: <bf-funboard@blender.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 9:07 PM
Subject: [Bf-funboard] Auto-subdivide


> The new radiosity stuff is excellent!  However, it requires subdivinding
> the models before rendering.  This can really slow down the modelling
> phase if you wind up having to tweak your designs after subdividing.
>
> I propose the following buttons for radiosity renders:
>
>   * Auto-subdivide - if selected, it would activate the following slider:
>
>   * Max Line Length - this would determine the maximum length of a line
> before subdivision.  Basically, before rendering each frame, Blender would
> follow each vertex and subdivide it if the distance between two vertices
> were too great.  It would repeat this process until there were no vertices
> above the max line length.
>
> This would probably greatly increase the run-time of radiosity renders,
> which is why I had it selectable.  However, it would make life worth
> living for those of us using it :)
>
> Jon
>
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