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Modular Object System

draconis_purpuradraconis_purpura Posts: 11
edited November 2014 in Carrara Discussion

Hello All,

I'm just getting back into 3D modelling after a long absence, and Carrara seems the most similar to the applications I used to use did back in the day.

This is probably really simple, but how do I create a modular system e.g. a number of different accessories that would connect (or conform?) to one of a number of parent objects (rather like the various STANAG magazines which all fit various military rifles, some of which are bullpup designs)? I want to be able to drop the parent (rifle) into the scene, then add an accessory (magazine) which conforms automatically into its correct position (the magazine housing).

Thanks in advance.

Post edited by draconis_purpura on

Comments

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,086
    edited November 2014

    Hi,

    Welcome back.

    Usual disclaimer, there is more than 1 way to do most things in Carrara. Without knowing more about your project, here is one way that I might try. If you have pro, use the polyline tool to draw the silhouette of the base item on the front drawing plane in the vertex modeler. Then duplicate and use construct : loft to have a 3d silhouette. Save that to the browser. You now have a base shape to work from that will fit the other shapes. That is, you can fill inside and model the base. You can extrude outward and model an accessory.

    Definitely not the only way. Probably not the best, either.

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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • Design AcrobatDesign Acrobat Posts: 459
    edited November 2014

    draconis_purpura said:
    Hello All,

    I'm just getting back into 3D modelling after a long absence, and Carrara seems the most similar to the applications I used to use did back in the day.

    This is probably really simple, but how do I create a modular system e.g. a number of different accessories that would connect (or conform?) to one of a number of parent objects (rather like the various STANAG magazines which all fit various military rifles, some of which are bullpup designs)? I want to be able to drop the parent (rifle) into the scene, then add an accessory (magazine) which conforms automatically into its correct position (the magazine housing).

    Thanks in advance.

    This is common in game engine where customizing one part or different versions of a thing is doable from a menu.

    With that said - someone still has to model in a 3D program the different pieces.

    One can see a clothing counterpart to this in DAZ3D 'autofit' where they attempt to make clothing fit to a particular version of a Daz figure.

    --------------
    The most common adaptation is using morphs - which has some limitations as all it does is move vertices and then one uses sliders to adjust the 'size' (height or width). Some people use morphs to control various aspects of complex equipment pieces so that a video can be made or different instances of single camera shots preserved for viewing.


    Once modeled - there are a couple options for the gear - make it invisible and put a new part already in place visible.

    Or make morph targets to affect the size by movement of adjacent vertices.

    One may need multiple morphs so that various target functions can be accomplished (button push - extension of cartridge - sliding bolt different position with a combination of moving it and morphing it.

    Post edited by Design Acrobat on
  • draconis_purpuradraconis_purpura Posts: 11
    edited November 2014

    Diomede64, Thanks for replying. My problem isn't with modelling the parts, but with sticking them together. As usual, I've obscured the wood with the trees by using too complicated an example. My project is a narrowboat (canal boat). If I make a few different hull/cabin sections of varying lengths and designs, plus bow sections and stern sections, I just want o be able to select hull 1, bow 3, and stern 2 , and have them all join up as a single group.

    I hope that's clearer.

    Design Acrobat, would poses do the job? I can use morphs to open doors, swing the rudder, etc. but I don't see them assembling the sections.

    Post edited by draconis_purpura on
  • Design AcrobatDesign Acrobat Posts: 459
    edited November 2014

    draconis_purpura said:
    Diomede64, Thanks for replying. My problem isn't with modelling the parts, but with sticking them together. As usual, I've obscured the wood with the trees by using too complicated an example. My project is a narrowboat (canal boat). If I make a few different hull/cabin sections of varying lengths and designs, plus bow sections and stern sections, I just want o be able to select hull 1, bow 3, and stern 2 , and have them all join up as a single group.

    I hope that's clearer.

    Design Acrobat, would poses do the job?

    Yeah - one can model various versions of the boat hulls right over the top of the original or starter hull using the button below to jump into the model room on to the original object. Then - it's a matter of making parts invisible or visible. Naming parts would be the obvious thing to do here so one doesn't end up with Vertex 1 - Vertex 2 - Vertex 3 etc. :)

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    Post edited by Design Acrobat on
  • draconis_purpuradraconis_purpura Posts: 11
    edited November 2014

    Design Acrobat said:

    Yeah - one can model various versions of the boat hulls right over the top of the original or starter hull using the button below to jump into the model room on to the original object. Then - it's a matter of making parts invisible or visible. Naming parts would be the obvious thing to do here so one doesn't end up with Vertex 1 - Vertex 2 - Vertex 3 etc. :)

    I think I follow. So the model would include all the variations of each section, just with all bar one of each section made invisible? And to make a longer boat, it's another pose for the elongated centre section with additional superstructures? That makes for one complex model instead of more but less complex bits that fit together.

    Edit: probably more sensible to have a separate model for each length of boat.

    Post edited by draconis_purpura on
  • Design AcrobatDesign Acrobat Posts: 459
    edited December 1969

    draconis_purpura said:
    Design Acrobat said:

    Yeah - one can model various versions of the boat hulls right over the top of the original or starter hull using the button below to jump into the model room on to the original object. Then - it's a matter of making parts invisible or visible. Naming parts would be the obvious thing to do here so one doesn't end up with Vertex 1 - Vertex 2 - Vertex 3 etc. :)

    I think I follow. So the model would include all the variations of each section, just with all bar one of each section made invisible? And to make a longer boat, it's another pose for the elongated centre section with additional superstructures? That makes for one complex model instead of more but less complex bits that fit together.

    Edit: probably more sensible to have a separate model for each length of boat.

    Yeah - it's one way of doing this. The problem with Carrara is that does not have true 'layers' system where one can turn on or off each layer to make and or show various parts.

    I would make a design flow chart before I started so I would know which design goes to which hull. Doesn't have to be precise - just reasonably accurate.

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  • draconis_purpuradraconis_purpura Posts: 11
    edited December 1969

    Design Acrobat said:
    draconis_purpura said:
    Design Acrobat said:

    Yeah - one can model various versions of the boat hulls right over the top of the original or starter hull using the button below to jump into the model room on to the original object. Then - it's a matter of making parts invisible or visible. Naming parts would be the obvious thing to do here so one doesn't end up with Vertex 1 - Vertex 2 - Vertex 3 etc. :)

    I think I follow. So the model would include all the variations of each section, just with all bar one of each section made invisible? And to make a longer boat, it's another pose for the elongated centre section with additional superstructures? That makes for one complex model instead of more but less complex bits that fit together.

    Edit: probably more sensible to have a separate model for each length of boat.

    Yeah - it's one way of doing this. The problem with Carrara is that does not have true 'layers' system where one can turn on or off each layer to make and or show various parts.

    I would make a design flow chart before I started so I would know which design goes to which hull. Doesn't have to be precise - just reasonably accurate.

    Got it. I'll give it a go.

    Many thanks for your help. I would never have thought of doing this way.

  • Design AcrobatDesign Acrobat Posts: 459
    edited December 1969

    The other option and what one can use for detail is do what is called kitbashing. (keeping random assets for your 3D creations)

    People who make model aircraft or boats from plastic will often scavenge detailed parts from one model and apply it to another model. (this is why it's important to name all parts so one can have an inventory of spare parts i


    Here's a video suggesting a technique (Blender - but it's generic enough to apply it to any 3D software.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpMhIf49Xq8

  • draconis_purpuradraconis_purpura Posts: 11
    edited December 1969

    Thanks, but I think I like the morphs and poses approach more than kitbashing. I should be able to get more variations from a much simpler mesh than my original method would have created, and I will learn new techniques (rather than re-learning old ones while finding my way round the tools I have now). Things have changed a bit since I used Imagine 3D on an Amiga 4000 (that dates me)!

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