Nuka's Blender help topic

[Anariaq]

Hey think this could be a good idea?

If you have a question about Blender, Ill try to answer as best as I can do. And if I am not able to do it. Ill try to find some resources that have something that can help at that topic.

So ask ahead. Though be warned I will not be here 24/7 so I will answer when I check the forum. That hopefully will be at least once a day.

[Evolution]

In a situation where I can\'t use a loopcut how would I go about either adding vertices to an edge? or cutting a face?

My knife tool just isn\'t working.

[Anariaq]

In a situation where I can\'t use a loopcut how would I go about either adding vertices to an edge? or cutting a face?

My knife tool just isn\'t working.

How do you use the knife tool? One thing I can say bad about blender. Is that the knife tool dos not work anymore. Wish they used the old from 2.4x era.

Anyway Could help more if you could post a screenshot of the part of the mesh you want to edit.

Can say sometimes when I end up in a situation where I cant use loopcut ore knife tool. I usually do it manually. Where I delete those vertices that I dont want. And then take the edge and extrude out, then edit it, then merge it with the other side. Dos take some extra time. But the end result is better.

But will be able to tell better solution if you can post a screenshot of it.

[Evolution]

Ah its just a general question as I run into the issue a lot, for example with cones loop cuts don\'t work horizontally like they do on cylinders.

I usually end up doing what you said, either subdividing a few times (which makes tons of faces to clean up) or deleting some vertices between the two points and extruding.

I wish we had something in blender like the pentool in PS, click point A and B cut down the line.

This is what I\'ve been working on lately, and boy has it been a hell of a ride:

I\'m still learning but in the matter of about 2 weeks I\'m happy with my progress, that moment when you get your first part ingame; feelsgoodman.

[Tiberion]

You can also select and edge of a group of edges and use the Subdivide tool on them; for a straight edge, sudividing it basically adds a midpoint; selecting 2 parallel edges or a 'ring' or edges and subdividing will create the midpoints and connecting edges between them.

Related things: If you have a cylinder without a cap and need it filled with 'pie' pieces - select all the vertices on the top ring, duplicate them, then Vertices -> Merge - select Center; You\'ll have a new vertex in the middle of the 'circle' that you can use the fill tool to create a new cap

Learn to use the Select _. Edge Ring and Edge Loop feature; It can save so much time, and leads into lots of great things like the aforementioned subdivide, as well as scaling or grabbing operations which can manipulate your whole mesh in very useful ways.

[Evolution]

You can also select and edge of a group of edges and use the Subdivide tool on them; for a straight edge, sudividing it basically adds a midpoint; selecting 2 parallel edges or a 'ring' or edges and subdividing will create the midpoints and connecting edges between them.

Related things: If you have a cylinder without a cap and need it filled with 'pie' pieces - select all the vertices on the top ring, duplicate them, then Vertices -> Merge - select Center; You\'ll have a new vertex in the middle of the 'circle' that you can use the fill tool to create a new cap

Learn to use the Select _. Edge Ring and Edge Loop feature; It can save so much time, and leads into lots of great things like the aforementioned subdivide, as well as scaling or grabbing operations which can manipulate your whole mesh in very useful ways.

I\'ve been using the vertex/edge snap for when I delete faces and want to reattach the remaining edge/face to the rest.

I\'m pretty much used to the different selection modes and how they are used, I tried subdividing an edge but it didn\'t turn out how I hoped (it was diagonal.)

Never heard of edge loop or edge ring, nothing I\'ve seen explained it and I haven\'t seen it shown in any of the menus :<

[Tiberion]

Its kind of hidden in the select menu (in edit mode) at the top of the scrolling list of options. You just select your first edge and then one of the options;

Its especially useful in KSP modeling since we use Cylinders so often; a loop might be the edges around a cylinder, while a ring might be all parallel edges around the outside of the same cylinder.

[Anariaq]

Ah its just a general question as I run into the issue a lot, for example with cones loop cuts don\'t work horizontally like they do on cylinders.

I usually end up doing what you said, either subdividing a few times (which makes tons of faces to clean up) or deleting some vertices between the two points and extruding.

I wish we had something in blender like the pentool in PS, click point A and B cut down the line.

This is what I\'ve been working on lately, and boy has it been a hell of a ride:

I\'m still learning but in the matter of about 2 weeks I\'m happy with my progress, that moment when you get your first part ingame; feelsgoodman.

Yes. For now the edgeloop cut dos not work on tris, only quads. Usually when I reach like the nose cone. I extrude and use edge loop cut to make all the rings I need. then I merge the tip.

Though also one of the easiest way to do nosecone. is only using extrude.

That you can see in the start of my G-200 modelling video on youtube. There I used the extrude.

Now I think about it. The best video that show how it is done, is the one fantasy aircraft I modeled.

There you can see how I did my modelling. And don\'t know if you use subsurface? it is really good when modelling something organic ( human, animals and aircraft ) though it is almost useless when model something angular.

Anyway. That is a really great model you got. Ill say fantastic work for only been using blender for 2 weeks. Great work!

I cant wait to get to the part where I have the shuttle ingame can imagine how it will feel though, made some aircraft for x-plane.

BTW edgeloop cut are by pressing 'CTRL+r' and you can then use mouse scroll to make it add more cuts. when desired, just click leftclick.

dont know if you knew that though.

[Evolution]

I actually haven\'t played with subsurf, I usualy just apply smooth on my models before I export.

Though from what I know subsurf could make them worlds better (as long as my mesh is good enough.)

[Anariaq]

I actually haven\'t played with subsurf, I usualy just apply smooth on my models before I export.

Though from what I know subsurf could make them worlds better (as long as my mesh is good enough.)

Yes subsurf is really great. Though as you say, it can bite if the mesh is not right. Like when 5 polygons is attach together at the same point. But for me. It is a really big help when modelling. Actually of all the models I have done, only small amount of them is modeled without subsurf

[tadeass]

Hello, I have some questions, thanks for replies.

1.) How to use Subdivision Surface, If I want some good results?

2.) How to remove the shading from the model, wihout Edge split?

3.) What\'s knife tool, where I can found it (toolboxes)?

4. And... I want create some as a Starliner by Moach, but for ksp, How to create this winglets AND cocpit/crew modul?

picture -->

(greatest shuttle-like model what I saw btw)

[dt890]

1: avoid using Subdivision Surface, i recommend loop cut instead(hotkey: ctrl+ r) because you will get less unnecessary vertices.

2: enable edge split and uncheck the edge angle and select the edges you want to be sharp then press ctrl + e and in the drop down select mark sharp.

3: knife tool do not exist in blender since 2.49 but fear not a new update is coming with a revamped knife tool (likely 2.63)

[dt890]

btw you can install the latest build of blender with the new mesh modeling interface for the 2.63 update today. THE LINK ----> http://graphicall.org/831

and for those who want to know more Google: Bmesh

[Anariaq]

Hello, I have some questions, thanks for replies.

1.) How to use Subdivision Surface, If I want some good results?

2.) How to remove the shading from the model, wihout Edge split?

3.) What\'s knife tool, where I can found it (toolboxes)?

4. And... I want create some as a Starliner by Moach, but for ksp, How to create this winglets AND cocpit/crew modul?

picture -->

(greatest shuttle-like model what I saw btw)

1. You can use subsurf. Just remember that it adds more polys when in use. When I started to model my shuttle. I only used a circle with 12 verts. because when I then use subsurf. It will get to the 24 verts that is the limit. Though as dt890 mentioned, there will be areas with where there is to many verts. But I usually clean them up, after I apply subsurf.

2. Currently I use the edge split, when I make my models. One other way you can do it, that seems to work with the collada exporter. Is to select those faces that need to be flat. When you have selected them, use the flat shading in mesh tools ( you can toggle it in 3d view with 't' ) though, that is only if you have a side of a model that is need to be flat in shading,not and egde. The best way to do it. Is like what dt890 says.

3. Knife tools at this moment is not in any menu at all, of what I know. To use knife tools you press 'k' and left click mouse, you can then draw a line where you want to cut it. before that select the area of the model you need to cut. Also you can edit some parameters of the knife tool at the side menu ( the one you can toggle with 't' ) But at this moment. It is mostly broken, compared to the old knife tool from 2.4x.

4. The way I do to make different modules out of 1 object. Is to use the boolean. Where I take the model I want to cut to 2 object. duplicate the it and name the one after what is going to be ( like cockpit ) then you make a cube, or any model shape that you need to make the 'cut'. When you have finished the model that will cut the cockpit out. Select the cockpit model. then go to object modifier tab ( the wrench logo ) it will have a drop menu where you can select the boolean. In the boolean menu, select the cube that will cut the cockpit. and use the intersect or difference, to make the new model.

To do the winglets. The easiest way is to select the wingtip of the wing and extrude it move it upward and then use the loop cut 'CTRL+r' to make the transition between the wing and the winglet tip, smooth.

My advice is to test all these on a simple model first. before you start using them on your model. Just to get to know how they work.

hope that help some.

An that is a really interesting shuttle design there. For me the nose actually look like the TU-95 bear.

btw you can install the latest build of blender with the new mesh modeling interface for the 2.63 update today. THE LINK ----> http://graphicall.org/831

and for those who want to know more Google: Bmesh

Hey thanks for the help here . And if you have the new blender 2.63 from graphicall. Try to test if the bmesh actually can be used by the collada exporter. And if so, can KSP handle it. The biggest problem I have been seen with the bmesh. Is that in many times it will only be a problem, than a solution. Thats why there have been a opposition in blender community about bmesh. If you are a freelancer. My advice about Bmesh. Is not to use it. For now. Think more and more will start to use the bmesh. So it will be a good thing to learn about at least.

[dt890]

i am not 100% sure but i think the scripts will work because the problem that appears when exporting from N-gon to polygon formats can be fixed just simply by making the n-gons to polygons through tesselation.

i also found this: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual/Data_System/Files/Import/COLLADA

'Import

Supported geometry types are

tris

polylist

polygons

ngons are triangulated automatically

trifans'

the reason i am not 100% sure is because i couldn\'t find some solid evidence that Bmesh is working with just Ngons (but its more than likely)

[tadeass]

Thanks for help a lot, I will test it all.

But I forgot one question.

@Nuka: How did you create the cockpit windows on your shuttle model? Only moved polygons?

An that is a really interesting shuttle design there. For me the nose actually look like the TU-95 bear.

TU-95 bear? I don\'t think so, look at the wings.

[Anariaq]

i am not 100% sure but i think the scripts will work because the problem that appears when exporting from N-gon to polygon formats can be fixed just simply by making the n-gons to polygons through tesselation.

i also found this: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual/Data_System/Files/Import/COLLADA

'Import

Supported geometry types are

tris

polylist

polygons

ngons are triangulated automatically

trifans'

the reason i am not 100% sure is because i couldn\'t find some solid evidence that Bmesh is working with just Ngons (but its more than likely)

Nice. The question is now if KSP supports it.

Thanks for help a lot, I will test it all.

But I forgot one question.

@Nuka: How did you create the cockpit windows on your shuttle model? Only moved polygons?

TU-95 bear? I don\'t think so, look at the wings.

The way the I usually do windows. Is to move or cut the mesh to look like the window. And then select the face ( the square ) and extrude by pressing 'e' and move it inward. That is the easiest way I know.

But the nose of that shuttle looks a lot like the nose of the tu-95

[tadeass]

Yes, nose is quite the same.

And... Can I have one question again?

Is possible to create (for example) both winglets at once, and mirror?

Or create one side, copy it and mirror it, without rotating etc.?

Thanks, Tadeass

[Tiberion]

Check out the mirror modifier (on the right side in the Modifier menu, the one with the wrench) - you can highlight a mesh and mirror it across any of the 3 axis, if you don\'t apply it you can even edit the original mesh and the changes will be applied to all of the mirrors; once you 'apply it' then they\'re all locked down as separate entities.

[Anariaq]

Yes, nose is quite the same.

And... Can I have one question again?

Is possible to create (for example) both winglets at once, and mirror?

Or create one side, copy it and mirror it, without rotating etc.?

Thanks, Tadeass

Sorry for late answer. Tiberion is right. Use the mirror modifier. Just remember that the center of the mirror, will be the little dot that appear when you select a object.

[tadeass]

Thanks.

[tadeass]

Hi,

I worked on my latest project and I wanted to soldify my (extruded) mesh. And when I did it, this happend:

What I can do with that? It damaged my texture and model in game.

edit: [glow=red,2,300]PROBLEM SOLVED[/glow]

[Anariaq]

Hi,

I worked on my latest project and I wanted to soldify my (extruded) mesh. And when I did it, this happend:

What I can do with that? It damaged my texture and model in game.

edit: [glow=red,2,300]PROBLEM SOLVED[/glow]

Tadeass, really sorry I did not answer sooner, But really happy that you figured it out. Was it because of the way the normals pointed?

[tadeass]

Yes. Usually when I extrude a face, I have problems with normals and after when I smooth, problem is here too, but flip of normals solved that. Don\'t be worry, I don\'t mind.

[Absolution]

Here\'s a quick one for you. I am new to Blender 2.63 and somewhat experienced with 2.49.

In 2.63 when I create a cylinder the top (and bottom) face is one single face where in the older versions it would be a series of triangles. How do I triangulate the face? Is there a setting where I can force blender to create a cylinder with the older format?

I\'d rather avoid having to delete the face, extrude the edges and merge them in the center every time.