controlling surface trough mathematical equations instead of control points.

Hello everybody,

First of all congratulations for the site! A very great help it is for me.
Being tired of moving vertex to and fro, of selecting them with the mouse and repeatedly changing from vertex to handles I am looking for a way to control surfaces and curves directly with mathematical equations.

A surface IS a mathematical equation (i.e. z = (x – y)^2). Is there a way max can put on screen a surface derived from a mathematical equation without the control points? Is there a way to make the surface exactly following the equation, with every point of the surface on its mathematical counterpart?

This would be a great tool for me because then creating details would be very simple. You just have to modify parameters in a slider.

Example: if x-y>g (parameter in a slider) z = (x – y)^2).
else z = (a*x – b*y)^2 where a and b are things like a =A*cos(c*x + d) + e. A would be calculated every 2 or 3 units and would be a carefully randomized number as c and d. Same for b. Continuity will have to be taken care of as well.

This will force the surface near the x – y = 0 line to be slightly up and off the line giving the surface the aspect of the crease on a muscular woman’s belly.

The only thing you’d need to add details is to find the right equation in the right zone. Being a mathematician myself, that should be less trouble than it seems.

What do you think? Does it makes sense? Would you think it possible? Do I have to go to the SDK and create a new object?

Anyway, if you want more information on this just contact me back.

Thanks for your time and attention and if you are not into this, please talk about it around.

John