[Bf-funboard] Rigid Non-destructive sub-division

ilac bf-funboard@blender.org
Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:06:27 +0200


From: "Ton Roosendaal" <ton@blender.org>
> My intuition is to choose for a system where the user can easily define
> extra subdivision levels for the parts that need it. That also is quite
> easy to code... but leaves the work to the artist, not the programmer!
> <evil grin>

That's what using goofster's loop-cut-tool in conjunction with the requested
non-shape-alterating sub-surf would do! :o) Let the artist define where a
few subdivions occurs (cut-tool) but then increase mesh density non
destructively- ie sub-surf!
I wasn't asking for adaptive sub-division system! :o)

or did you have something else in mind?

> An adaptive subdivision system doesn't integrate that easy with the
> current renderer, main reason why I left it out for this first release.
> I thought of first releasing this simple integration, collecting the
> feedback and examples from artists that provide the material for the
> next stage. I really lack sophisticated testing examples here...

Then maybe I was jumping the gun at this stage but it would have been nice
to have in time with 2.29 seeing that mesh destructive solutions are the
only current option when catmul ss cannot be used!

Guess I'll be back after 2.29! ;oP

thanks!

Fabs

ps. Animation: For animation it is possible to move vertices around using
RVK or armatures (with a copy lock constraint in xy plane so its even
automated!) to make certain high density  patches follow a 'character'.
Especially if you're taking about a surface like a straight level floor.
The difference is that with the current system if you need 16x16 faces
beneath the charter for a decent shadow, you have to manually place 16x16
faces, rather than 1 face and just switch on subdivision! There are obvious
limitations, like possible artifacts when sub-divisions across different
planes don't match etc. ( If its not a straight level floor, there's a good
chance your mesh already has a high density, and you might even be using the
current sub-surf's!)


pps. Mesh Density Areas:
Just realised something. Is it possible to add user controled mesh density
areas? Would work like 'metaballs' but affects surface rather than volume,
ie.  mesh density increases wherever this shape comes in contact with it.
This 'border shape' could be parented to the moving objects (imagine a
charcter having an invisible force field, mesh density of anything within
the force field increases). Don't know if such a sytem would be any faster
than adaptive sub-division though so the problems Ton mentioned could easily
come back into play! :o(

 As usual, just shooting off ideas which might be of inspiration to someone
else! :o)