ScriptSpot

Script

Face Breaker

By tlittle · 2012-05-21

Version
2.1
Date updated
2013-01-27
Votes
6
Homepage
http://littlevfx.com/3ds-max
Description

This is a short script to automatically detach faces from an object.
Select as many objects as you like at the same time.
The script will preserve the local rotation of each face so that an object can be easily "exploded" along its normals.

Installation:
Drag and drop the downloaded MZP file on to an open window of 3ds Max. An installer dialog will open automatically. The installed script can be found under the category 'LittleScripts'

UPDATE LOG
v2.1
New Features added by Shawn Olson
+ Bundled Script together as a self installing MZP file
+ Added Randomization to the Shell Inner and Outer width. When using randomization, the Shell modifier is not an instance between objects.
+ Updated Shell side texture coordinates to use the Interpolation mapping.
+ Added option to only detach selected faces. When on, objects with no face selection assume ALL faces in object.
+ Changed logic so that when the object is not being deleted, it won't be converted to a collapsed Editable Poly.

v2.0
+ Can apply instanced shell modifier to pieces
+ Fixed a fatal error that prevented script from compiling sometimes

Inspired by everyday production needs at Digital Kitchen

Based loosely on the script
Detach All Faces v.0.1 [2010-11.9] by Anubis [project3d.narod.ru]

Tim Little
timhlittle@gmail.com

Shawn Olson
http://dev.wallworm.com/

Attachments

Tags: align, rotation, object, local, face, faces, detach, breaker, explode, little, detach faces

Comments (8)

dsp_418 · 2014-01-22

This is a time saver!!
Thank you so much, I was going to do it manually splitting edges, then breaking faces, then... wow :)

Excellent

lightcube · 2013-02-01

Glad to see you liked the additions to the script. It's saved me a lot of time (here is a screen shot of the tool results... I've been using it to add detail/depth to brick/stone walls which you can see in one image with the bricks on the left).

It might be cool to add even some more variation. I'd like to see some Min/Max to the PRS of the objects after the shell is applied. So you can choose randomization for the XYZ position offsets and XYZ rotation offsets (and scale too). It would be really useful for creating delapedated walls, etc. I don't have time at this moment to look into it but it might be something worth your time to add :)

tlittle · 2013-02-03

Of course! Thank you for contacting me about your additions, they are very helpful! The ability to set a Min/Max randomness after the shell would definitely be handy for walls. If time permits I will work on that feature.

Fonte Boa · 2012-08-29

Great, Tim: it is working fine here! :)

Cant believe it is possible to align the Pivot of all the detached faces to their individual Normals!
And the option to add Shell Modifier to faces is great!

Congratulations and thank you very much!

would it be possible to fix this, Tim?

Fonte Boa · 2012-08-29

I've downloaded your maxscript Face Breaker because i hope it can be very useful to solve an issue here at my work. I am trying to "explode" an object into all its faces (detach all them simultaneouslly), but aling all the resultant objects pivots to their individual Normal.

Therefore, when i run your script i got the message:

" Compile error: No outer local vaiable references permitted here: RotatePivotOnly
In line:
alignROtationToFace == true then RotatePivotOnly n "

The error is due to line 76 of the code:

if alingRotationToFace == true then RotatePivotOnly newFaceObj faceNormal_XYZ

I thank you for your precious attention.

Sorry about that

tlittle · 2012-08-29

I took the opportunity to add some functionality as well as fix that bug. Try downloading version 2.0 from the page here

-Tim

?

logicoff · 2012-06-11

when I try to run the script I get the following error (Compile error: No outer local vaiable references permitted here: RotatePivotOnly
In line:
alignROtationToFace == true then RotatePivotOnly n

tlittle · 2012-05-21

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