Hi,
Sorry I couldn't seem to find that clip :( but I'll post it if I stumble
upon it.
But although Nurbs surfaces in DCC apps still have their uses
(ie; for reliable bending
http://www.si-community.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3269
<http://www.si-community.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3269> )
and that implementation greatly varies from on app to another
(some internally managing nurbs patch networks with tools that treat
networks as single elements such as rhino)
But Polygon Subd's have largely superseded Nurbs for both their
versatility and intuitive usage,
providing smooth surfaces with few control points (which was the main
idea of using Nurbs),
without any of the numerous limitations such as the ability to branch-off,
to create local detail without affecting or having to readjust the
entire model,
and to have arbitrary uv information related yet independent of topology.
Nurbs are essentially grid surfaces, and to make for for example a hand,
(traditionally) implied having a network of nurbs grids stitched
together in a seemless way,
while seemlessness being very sensitive, with the slightest normal
variation showing a hard edge.
If you needed a bit more detail somewhere, OMG!
adding a line would run the entire length of the grid, and the entire
network had to be readjusted in consequence lol.
So especially if the host app doesn't have means to automatically manage
continuity between theses grids,
is a real pain to deal with ;)
Surface continuity is(was) one thing, but texture continuity is(was)
another major issue.
You can project textures across surfaces, but for you texture to stick
and wraparound, need(ed) to be mapped in UV,
so having your UV texture on one grid to smoothly go across to the next
was a real challenge,
and the areas with a higher subdivisions automatically meant areas of
higher texture density...
Back in the day, a number of people (including me) were bugging Marc
Petit for subd's for good reason I think ;-)
I couln't believe it was not a priority (or at all in the plans) in
Sumatra, let alone for the first XSI version.
Yet once it was implemented, has become one of the best Subd systems to
this day :-)
in terms of performance, versatility, and features (ie; direct on
surface control points)
Anyways, thank goodness for sub-d's! :)
Cheers
On 03/02/2013 6:12 AM, David Saber wrote:
Nice!
I remember seing these images years ago, but I’d like to see this
short in its complete form, if possible!
I wonder if nurbs are still used for characters in big productions? I
knew Shrek was made of nurbs in the first movie, is it still the case
today?
David
