Bevel splits the current edge in two, giving you two edges and maintaining the original shape, but not the curvature so it will shrink a little, not that it makes a big difference but you can't keep the original edge position. I use it too when I have to use old Softimage versions.
Now, If you slide the Center, you can keep the original edge but you won't have curvature. This is useful when you need to add an edge with distance in SI Units with precision and not percentage like Split Edges w/ Control. Another case but kinda useful so I wanted to shared it. But if you want curvature in a new edge and you are using 2012 SAP or later version, you can use the Curvature Continuity option in Subdivide Edges or Split Edges with control . This gives you more control of the edge's curvature. I haven't stop using it since I knew about it. In Maya, this option is called Insert with edge flow inside Split Polygon Tool. The difference is that Maya doesn't show you the curvature in real time so you don't know how the final curvature will be until you press enter. Martin On Sat, Mar 29, 2014 at 4:14 PM, Tim Leydecker <[email protected]> wrote: > After brooding about MMB vs. M key for a day or two. > > I just realized that I use Softimage´s beveling a lot. But differently. > > When adding an edgeloop or edges in general, I will usually resort > to beveling that selection instead of just adding an edge loop. > > Beveling gives better curvature, averaging the postion of the now > two egde (loops) nicely in relation to the selected edges and it´s > neighbours. It is convenient to adjust the bevel width slider and > interactively tune the result to taste. For that, I often use bevel > settings wider than 2. > > The benefit is that the polygon surface´s curvature doesn´t get as > unevenly modified and it becomes easier to add detail or even out > topology in wip basemeshes/cleaned up meshes. > > Together with the option to slide components across the surface and > the phletora of transformation modes (REF, Global, etc) this makes > clean organic modeling a lot easier. > > Cheers, > > tim > > > On 27.03.2014 07:48, Tim Leydecker wrote: > >> Can I trade the MMB functionality against the "M" key workflow? >> >> Personally, I don´t use MMB much because when modeling, I will usually >> resort to using either the "M" key or rick-clicking to access polygon >> operations. >> >> Sliding a component (selection) around on a polygon surface is a >> wonderful feature >> in Softimage. >> >> I would say that using a combination of variations of the M key settings, >> add edge, >> and extrude is covering 65% of my work for modeling, with a Split Edge >> (with split control) >> here and there. I tend to model my bevels due to legacy shortcomings in >> tools. >> >> A good 15% is the ease of using "U"/"T"/"E" with raycast perference >> options that prevent >> selecting unwanted (backfaced) areas. >> >> 10% is viewport interaction. Tumbling around and view modes. >> >> 10% is unfold3d. (It´s a lot more this brings but it´s become so easy :-) >> >> Using wheighting edges in subD models I refuse to use until it is >> consistenly supported >> in something as reliable as a blank *.obj format in any other app >> available. >> >> There´s no point in wheighting a (subD style) edge hardness when you >> realize you can´t import/export it anywhere >> like that. >> >> Cheers, >> >> tim >> >> P.S: Merging vertices in Maya is nicer, with it´s treshhold options. >> >> >> >> On 27.03.2014 00:45, Luc-Eric Rousseau wrote: >> >>> We are keeping MMB Repeat under consideration for Maya, thanks all for >>> the feedback. >>> >>> On Wednesday, March 26, 2014, Matt Lind <[email protected]<mailto: >>> [email protected]>> wrote: >>> >>> I fully understood what your post was about, Luc-Eric. >>> >>> What I stated is what many users here liked MMB upon learning about >>> it as, other than myself and one other person, nobody had used Softimage >>> before. They had all come from >>> 3DSMax and/or Maya. Many of them have commented they wish the MMB >>> feature was in Maya as it's simple, intuitive, and saves repetitive work >>> freeing up a spot or two on the >>> keyboard for something else. While you can use 'g' in Maya, it's >>> not the same as MMB in the menus as each menu can have its own history >>> remembering a different command whereas >>> 'g' can only remember one command - the most recent. That's >>> important. Users here have a mentality burned into their skulls from those >>> other software that they have to make >>> lots of keyboard shortcuts and toolbars to get anything done. >>> Introducing something like a MMB is a revelation as it's both simple and >>> powerful. >>> >>> What should also be conveyed is that when artists feel like they >>> have to make lots of keyboard shortcuts and toolbars, they often tend to >>> start dabbling in scripting to make >>> those customizations. Artist code tends to be a frequent cause of >>> fires I have to exterminate and generally a waste of my time as a TD. If >>> artists have these nice UI workflow >>> touches such as MMB to repeat, they're less inclined to write crappy >>> code which means fewer fires to fight and more focus on productivity not >>> only for the artists, but also for >>> me as it allows me to spend more time focusing on writing tools >>> which can provide bigger impact than quickie buttons. >>> >>> >>> Matt >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] [mailto: >>> [email protected]] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric Rousseau >>> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 12:25 PM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: humanize Maya, SOFT top 5 >>> >>> On Wed, Mar 26, 2014 at 3:00 PM, Matt Lind <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> > Here at Carbine, users like the MMB to repeat a menu command. >>> It's popular. They're not as fond of tear off menus. They don't hate >>> tear off menus, but given the choice >>> they'll use a custom key as 1st option, custom toolbar as 2nd >>> option, and tear off menu as last option. The issue being that tear off >>> menus don't allow for customized menus. >>> You only get the existing menu structure in a different place. >>> > >>> > What users want is clutter free and minimal effort to execute >>> commands or a series of commands. Tear off menus are good for situations >>> where the entire menu is a custom >>> menu of commands like a custom toolbar would be, and the commands in >>> that menu are very closely related to the task at hand. If the menu is >>> full of built-in commands, they're >>> less liked because usually the user only cares about one or two >>> tools in the menu but is stuck having to take all of them as part of the >>> package deal resulting in clutter. For >>> example, go to the property menu and you have entries for >>> visibility, display, etc..., but also a lot of unrelated tools such as >>> rendermap or gator. It's a very tall menu but >>> the user only wants 3 or 4 items out of 30. If tear off menus >>> allowed individual items to be torn off and merged into a toolbar, then >>> that would be ideal. >>> > >>> > Implementing MMB to repeat a command in a menu would be a popular >>> move. >>> >>> that's OK, but that's in Softimage. The bit that's not obvious is >>> whether someone using Maya needs a MMB, that's what my post is meant to be >>> about. >>> In Maya, you can even hold shift+ctrl while selecting a menu to make >>> it a button the shelf. (Doing the same thing in Softimage would be a >>> pain) You'll be working differently, have different reflexes. >>> >>> >>> >>
