[Bf-funboard] Some useful features from other modeling tools

[Tom Musgrove]

I've been looking over two modeling programs - amorphium 3d and 
solidThinking

Here are some of the useful features I found

Amorhpium 3d - has a really impressive modeling tool called wax modeling.  
This is by far the easiest and most intuitive modeling tool I've come 
across.  Start with a geometric primitive(ball, cube, cone, etc) and then 
build it or cut into it progressively by adding wax or melting wax 
respectively.

Amorphium also has a number of other useful features - a fairly wide array 
of distortion effects.  Tools for wieghted morphing (interpolated or vertex 
matching).  The ability to do masking (via vertex painting) to have areas 
not affected by distortion or other tools.

This review will give you a better idea of what it can do visually, although 
I'd highly recommend downloading the demo.
http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/Flash/Dev/flashdev4-1.html

The next tool is Solidthinking - it has a large number of surface creation 
tools that are nice (variations on the loft tool mostly).

	FillPath. Create a surface by filling one or more selected curves.
Skin. Create a surface that fits across a number of cross-sectional curves 
by a smooth interpolation.
	Rule. Create a surface that fits across a number of cross-sectional curves 
by a linear interpolation.
	Pipe. Create a surface by sweeping a cross sectional profile curve along a 
second path.
	Birail. Create a surface by sweeping a profile curve along two path curves.
Trim surface. Interactively trim a surface and retain specified regions of 
the surface while discarding others by projecting a curve on it.
	Blend. A new technique to build accurate surface forming a blending between 
two surface edges.
3sides. Create a surface blended between three boundary curves.
	Coons. Create a surface that is fitted between four arbitrary boundary 
curves.
	N-Side modeling tool. Create a surface that is fitted between "n" arbitrary 
boundary curves.
	Curves Network. Create a surface by interpolating a network of curves.
	Fit points. Create a surface from a point cloud data sets.
	Make manifold. Creates a manifold object starting from non-manifold 
surfaces or objects.
	Linear Stretch. Stretch an object along a path curve.
http://www.solidthinking.com/products/New_in_5.5_ENG.htm

Lastly I had an idea unrelated to the above that might be useful for both 
modeling texturing.  Basically creation of a virtual environment and allow 
it to 'weather' objects.  Would be really useful for realistic automated 
rusting, dirt or dust accumulation, fading, and wear due to rain.

Tom M.

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