Copy Edit_Poly Modifier (including poly alteration!) and add to multiple obejcts?!

By MarkRacoon · 2008-10-23

Description

Hi SS,

I am currently trying to automate an often occuring process when modelling characters.

Case:

1. model character
2. create 20 morphtargets
3. all works
4. you NEED to do changes (adding faces / ajusting existing)
5. BUMMER!
6. solution:
- 6a. add modifier Edit_Poly to original obj
- 6b. do your changes
- 6c. Rightclick in stack and copy modifier
- 6d. Paste onto each morphtarget
- 6e. reassign all targets and reassign skin if nessesary
7. sigh and take a brake trying to gather new motivation :/

This process is something ive come across OFTEN during my years in the business!

Now... i am doing a script that can handle all this in one button press after the change has been done on the original...and the framework looks plausible... and then my work comes to an abrubt stop.

why cant i do the copy paste modifier thing INCLUDING the changes stored in the modifier (editpoly) from script?!

i really hope sombody out there can say - just do this... :)

Best regards

MarkRacooon

Comments (4)

br0t · 2010-10-20

Like kaczorefx said, I think references are the way to go.
Have a look at this nice tutorial by Daniel Martinez Lara, the whole thing is explained very briefly:
http://www.daniel3d.com/pepe-school-land/misc/videotut/reference_morph/R…

It is important to note, that references in 3ds Max work like instances on their base level, which is the Editable Poly in this case. But you can then add changes (in this case the morph expressions) to each separate model by adding an Edit Poly modifier etc.

Greets

I think without script ...

Budi G · 2010-10-20

Hi there ...
Composition the stack modifier on the object ( read from the bottom to the top ) :


- Turbosmooth / meshsmooth
- Skin
- Edit_Poly <--- you can edit mesh from here
- Morpher
- Editble Poly

If we put modifier Edit_Poly on the bottom modifier Morpher then we are not safe ... I think is like your case.
If we put modifier Edit_Poly on the top modifier skin then we are not safe ...
But if we put modifier Edit_Poly on the top modifier Morpher then we are safe ... is it right ? :)

tvjoe · 2009-04-16

Hi all!
I found a little workaround for this issue. If you need to copy an Edit_Poly modifier with its information (moved vertices etc.) to many Objects you can group them temporarily, add an blank "edit_poly" modifier (this is important! Otherwise it will not work!!!) then drag and drop your desired modifier to the group, ungroup this group, select all group members and delete the 'blank' - in this case instanced - edit_poly modifier, and voila! Your done! It's not quite as fast and flexible as a script, but it can safe a lot of time in the end.

Short explanation:
1. group your desired objects
2. add an 'empty' edit_poly modifier to the group
3. drag and drop the desired edit_poly modifier (with your changes) to the group
4. select the group
5. delete the edit_poly modifier from step 2
6. ungroup the group
7. your done!

Now your objects should all have the changes from the modifier with vertex deformation etc.

Cheers,
Tino

kaczorefx · 2009-04-16

Hmmm, I think the answer to your prayers is using the copies of the original mesh for morph targets as reference. Then all the changes you make to the base mesh even after sculting the morphs are distributed into the morphs, but the changes to the morphs are not distributed to the base mesh (as they would if you used instances) :)