sephcor
06-01-2005, 04:35 AM
Typical scenario (for me): I have always used Rhino for modeling and love it. I use Max 6 for rendering and animation. Typically I import STEP files/import CATIA .model files (with datakit plugin) into Rhino or create models in Rhino 3. I then export models out as .3ds to import into Max. I usually export out at a very high poly/tri count which ends up being anywhere from 5,000 to 300,000 tri/polys. Sometimes I may need to use the Normal modifier as I don't want double sided materials to add to render times. Next I use the Optimize modifier to dramatically reduce the face count until I have a good compromise in mesh quality. I use instances to save on RAM. My typical scene is an aircraft interior (with all the bins, ceilings, extrusions, sidewalls, seats, etc...) and it is not uncommon to have more than 10 million faces.
Problems: In my opinion this produces way too much geometry and anyone who has fiddled with the optimizer knows that this can take forever to find a happy medium. That said I don't know if I should continue becoming a better NURBS modeler and use IGES/plug-ins as suggested in other threads or learn to use Max's poly tools. I have experimented a bit and it seems like you could make lower poly geometry in Max that would look just as good where as I would think NURBS data would choke anyone's computer if you had a lot of geometry. For example, if you do a simple metal extrusion with fillets in Rhino and export that out in 3ds, you might end up with 75,000 faces. If instead you build the curves in Rhino, export them as an Illustrator AI file, and import into max, you can extrude the spline and end up with under 1000 faces. Now I understand that relationship and it would seem that building the mesh in Max would be better. However, I dont know if sending it over as IGES would be even more superior. If I created a complete aircraft interior scene in Rhino, I'm sure it would just crash from all the NURBS geometry. I have no comprehension as to how to compare NURBS and polys when trying to consider the quantity of geometry to render.
Exporting: Having read some of the earlier posts about exporting filleted surfaces as OBJ rather than 3DS (because of the tri issue), I tried this method but Max won't natively read the Wavefront format and I didn't see where the person posting said you needed a plug-in for it. Do you need a plug-in or was this a reference to bringing the mesh into Maya?
Mostly, I'm looking for some guidance from some of you guys/ladies who do scenes with lots of geometry in Max, especially mass transit kind of stuff. I'm sure any advice would help. Thanks.
Problems: In my opinion this produces way too much geometry and anyone who has fiddled with the optimizer knows that this can take forever to find a happy medium. That said I don't know if I should continue becoming a better NURBS modeler and use IGES/plug-ins as suggested in other threads or learn to use Max's poly tools. I have experimented a bit and it seems like you could make lower poly geometry in Max that would look just as good where as I would think NURBS data would choke anyone's computer if you had a lot of geometry. For example, if you do a simple metal extrusion with fillets in Rhino and export that out in 3ds, you might end up with 75,000 faces. If instead you build the curves in Rhino, export them as an Illustrator AI file, and import into max, you can extrude the spline and end up with under 1000 faces. Now I understand that relationship and it would seem that building the mesh in Max would be better. However, I dont know if sending it over as IGES would be even more superior. If I created a complete aircraft interior scene in Rhino, I'm sure it would just crash from all the NURBS geometry. I have no comprehension as to how to compare NURBS and polys when trying to consider the quantity of geometry to render.
Exporting: Having read some of the earlier posts about exporting filleted surfaces as OBJ rather than 3DS (because of the tri issue), I tried this method but Max won't natively read the Wavefront format and I didn't see where the person posting said you needed a plug-in for it. Do you need a plug-in or was this a reference to bringing the mesh into Maya?
Mostly, I'm looking for some guidance from some of you guys/ladies who do scenes with lots of geometry in Max, especially mass transit kind of stuff. I'm sure any advice would help. Thanks.