Hi Henry and all.
Here are a couple of ways, they both have their pros and cons. and I myself
like them both for different things.
I hope it will help out.
If something is unclear or you need more help, just ask !
Method A
Real GreebleZ free script plugin, Easy way to do Tentacles. (and many other
things)
Download and install Zaug's lovely Real GreebleZ. (I can also recommend his
awesome Real RangeZ as well !=)
1. http://www.catmtn.com/rr/realgreeblez/
2. Unzip it into Realsoft folder called "scripting" !
Creating Blobby/tentacle thingy using Real GreebleZ (RG=Real GreebleZ).
1. Start RS and then start Real GreebleZ from the menu
'Scripts/GreebleZ!...
2. Create a SDS Cylinder, set it's 'Points' field to 3, (during the
creation process), Finish it in 'View' win with two clicks(Center and
Radius).
3. In 'Face' Edit Mode, Select the three sidefaces.
4. In RG uncheck the 'Activate Nurnies Creation'.
5. Click the 'Iteration 1' Tab, and then its sub tab 'Extrusion'.
6. Set the 'Extrude Likelyhood' to 100 (so all, in this case, three faces
will be worked on)
7. Set the 'Extrude Elevation Min' to 0.1, both min and max are now 0.1.
8. Set the 'Face Scaling Min/Max' so they all are at 40. (You might want
other value here suiting your needs)
9. Click the 'Extrude' button.
10. Set the 'Extrude Elevation Min' to 1, both min and max are now 1.
11. Set the 'Face Scaling Min/Max' so they all are at 80. (You might want
other value here suiting your needs)
12. Set the 'Face Rotation Min/Max Y' so those are at 15. (You might need to
set X, or Z instead and/or other values=)
13. Click 'Extrude' a few times, and your Tentacles will sweep out.
(Ofcourse you can change any value while you create things to get Curly
tentacles etc)
14. Finish things off doing a manual Extrusion and sizing of the end face to
get your wanted endblob as you want it.
(Seeing the steps above, it might look like much work, but its really a
breeze ! and the more advanced model, the easier and more intuitive its to
use the Real GreebleZ way....!
Method B
The Tentacle using Nurbs Rotate Method.
1. Draw your Tentacle 'Path' Curve as you want.
2. With your 'Path' Curve selected, Restart the Nurb curve tool (a key)
3. Set the 'PEN' Mode to 'Rotate' and then draw this curve along the 'Path'
curve (This will shape your Tentacle tube !) Accept the tool.
Convert it to SDS
1. With the Nurbs Mesh created above selected, Goto the 'Tabbed Toolbar'
'SDS' Tab and click on the 'To SDS'.
2. Uncheck the 'Use Default Resolution' and then set the 'U' field to 4
(That if you will use 4 sided faces for the Main SDS object where the
Tentacles will be attached) and Accept the tool.
3. Delete all but the last object (the last one is the Tentacle in SDS)
Finish touch on the Tentacle.
1. Select the four startpoints of the open Tentacle, then in the
'Controlbar' click the 'Add' button (will add a Face that closes the
Tentacles start).
2. Do the same for the four endpoints.
3. Enter 'Face' Edit Mode, extrude and size the endface so you get your end
as you want it.
4. Enter 'Object' Edit Mode, move the 'Pivot Point' to the start of the
Tentacle (its not so important to be very accurate..)
5. Now click the 'Green' Rotate handle so the 'Rotate' tool starts, then
change the 'Target' to 'Handles'.
6. Click a 2nd time in the 'View' Window, after releasing LMB move the mouse
to rotate the Handles, so that the 'Blue' Axis Handle is pointing to the
Tentacle. (Use the (Shift Key) to rotate in 45 deg steps)
Create the Main SDS shape (From which the Tentacles will "grow" from)
1. Create a simple SDS cube. (Or a SDS cylinder set to 3 sides, if you want
your 3 tentacle similar to your image)
2. In 'Properties' Window, 'Wire' Tab set the 'Show Control Polygon' to
'Always' so faces are easy to see even when the Main SDS isnt selected.
Position the Tentacles on the Main SDS.
1. Select the SDS Tentacle.
2. In the 'Tabbed Toolbar' 'Lattice Mapping' Tab click the 'Paste' Tool, set
'Project' to 'Surface' and 'Rotate' to 'Normal'.
3. Now click one time for each wanted face of the Main SDS, and the 'Paste'
Tool will place a Tentacle on each click according to the surface normal !
4. Accept the 'Paste' Tool.
Merge the Main SDS and all Tentacles.
1. Multiselect the Main SDS and all Tentacles, in 'Controlbar' click 'Merge
Objects' Tool button and accept it.
2. In 'Face' Edit Mode select one face of original Main SDS and the start
face of the corresponding Tentacle and in 'Controlbar' click the 'Tunnel'
Tool and accept it.
3. Repeat step 2 for the rest of the Tentacles, so they all are smoothly
joined with the Main shape.
If you want, you can read more about the combined workflow using Nurb Tools
and then convert them into SDS object, in the part of the manual "SDS
Modeling/Converting Objects to SDS Form", there is an example there about
creating a Coffee cup and its handle separatly using Nurb Tools and then
converting them into SDS and "melt" them together using the 'Tunnel' Tool.
I hope I havent missed or made too many error in here..
Have fun and good luck !
Take Care
Best Regards
Stefan Gustafsson ( Beg-inner )
A Proud Owner and User of Real3D and Realsoft3D..
In other software I was making some "blobby" objects and rendering
them. In trying to do the same with RS I am encountering problems.
See attached graphic.
I made a "tube" using a bi-rail. (BTW, when making the object there is
an "Orthogonal" check box, but after making it, in the Specs
properties the choice is a drop down list with "Sweep" or "Rail."
Anyway, I made my spheres and tube from the top view. Then I used the
NURBS Fillet tool (which makes a "Weld" object, btw).
I didn't notice until later that when viewed from the "Front" that the
tube flattens in the middle. It seems I cannot use the Orthogonal and
Bi-Rail together. What is making the tube flatten?
Anyway, the Fillet/Weld between the tube and smaller sphere looks like
it has a sharp seam. I would like it to be much more smooth.
Also, both spheres seem to render with artifacts that look almost like
nipples. What causes that?
--
--
Henry Tjernlund
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?username=henrytj
http://www.modelmayhem.com/HenryTjernlund
http://imdb.com/name/nm2519729/
http://www.myspace.com/henrytj
http://henrytj.deviantart.com/
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