Hex Them All!

5 votes
Version: 
1.1
Date Updated: 
12/06/2017

UPDATE v1.1 brings 3rd option for quads conversion, minor interface changes and fixes the bug with giant n-gon.

Hi there people :) This is my first attempt of creating script, no coding, just using standart 3DS Max actions (+500 to compatibility, -200 from speed). I haven't used any tutorial as a foundation because i found this method myself while experimenting with edges.

So, this script converts quads or triangles topology to hexagons (better not to have n-gons). For quads there are 3 options avalible. Once conversion is over script adds Edit Poly modifier on top of your geometry, so that you can easily toggle between results and get back to the original if needed.

Some tips: I reccomend you to have evenly spread quads and triangles if you want to get evenly spread hexagons as well, and in case where you're not happy with the way hexagons are rotated, you can delete the resulting modifier and manually retriangulate original polys.

I hope you guys will find it useful ;)

P.S. I've got to tell that it becomes pretty slow when it comes to 10k polys and higher. If someone could code this scipt as a mini-plugin in C++ it would be awesome! Steps are easy and pretty much readable from the script itself.

Version Requirement: 
2008+
AttachmentSize
Examples.jpg1.19 MB
HEX THEM ALLv1.1.ms3.32 KB

Comments

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Eternal_Dreamer's picture

Bug

Unfortunately no, still cannot recreate the issue to solve it. Also I can barely see my PC during a day (only for this week) so as soon as I get some results I'll answer back again

jimmylee's picture

Bugs

Dear Sir,
Thanks for your reply.
Have you re-test the scripts yet?It not only one button but four botton.
Only the first botton can work 90% sucessfully with a error message.
The others botton fuction can not go on..
Msgbox :the same ....indefined..

Eternal_Dreamer's picture

Button bug

That's strange, cuz I've made and tested script exactly in 2014 (but with extensions and updates). I'll look into that issue and see why it does happen.

jimmylee's picture

It is a Bug,Sir

I tested it In Max2014,It cann't work.
It said on bent pressed do,$.modifiers[#Edit_Poly].ButtonOp #Retriangulate this line stop!
msgbox:ButtonOp indefined

Eternal_Dreamer's picture

Request

I don't know how much that cap can be useful since it's being produced from bad topology (n-gons and vertex-stars), also there are no edges left after conversion to support the shape. Even if assume that it may be useful (in very rare cases) you can just add cap holes modifier. If you'll provide me with more examples where it can be useful i'll add an option to HEX without removing n-gons.

vusta's picture

al.........................most

now works great for 2D...but say you got a sphere (normal one, not a geosphere) it will delete the top/bottom coz they're sorta odd ones out...dunno how you can get around this tho....

(bit lame but, I thought I should put my thinking cap on....cap...hmmm...cap.....hmmm....that's it.....CAP it !!!
Still, how do you know when to cap or not? Maybe just provide the user option 2D/3D...so if user picks 2D, you delete, if not...don't delete as previous version)

Eternal_Dreamer's picture

Bug

Fixed

vusta's picture

hehe...noice....

but it somehow doesn't work on 2D objects...ie. a simple plane

(if at the end you could somehow remove the BIGGEST poly, it'll work )

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