MeshTools User Manual

mtSubDivider

mtSubDivider generates subdivisions on base geometry.

Overview Video

 

Torus as a child of mtSubDivider, using a Noise shader with Subdivision layers set to 2.

Torus as a child of mtSubDivider, using a Noise shader with Subdivision layers set to 2.

Object

Object Properties

Selection Map

You can use vertex map or selection tags to define where subdivisions are generated. Drag the tag from the Object Manager into the Selection Map link field.

The Plane on the left has a polygon selection tag, which is displayed in the viewport. An identical Plane is on the right, as a child of a mtSubdivider, driving the subdivisions.

The Plane on the left has a polygon selection tag, which is displayed in the viewport. An identical Plane is on the right, as a child of a mtSubdivider, driving the subdivisions.

The Plane on the left has a vertex map, which is displayed in the viewport. An identical Plane is on the right, as a child of a mtSubdivider. The vertex weights are driving the subdivisions.

The Plane on the left has a vertex map, which is displayed in the viewport. An identical Plane is on the right, as a child of a mtSubdivider. The vertex weights are driving the subdivisions.

Texture Source

You can use shaders, images and even animated video sequences to control where subdivisions are generated. There are two options: Shader and Texture Tag. Both use color value to define which areas are selected.

Texture

This mode requires a CInema4D material. Place the material on the mtSelect and you will see a texture tag appear alongside it in the Object Manager. Drag this texture tag into the Texture Tag link field.

Texture Source set to Texture Tag, with the Noise material on the left driving the subdivision generation on the right-hand Plane.

Texture Source set to Texture Tag, with the Noise material on the left driving the subdivision generation on the right-hand Plane.

Texture Source set to Texture Tag, with the bitmap material on the left driving the subdivision generation on the right-hand Plane.

Texture Source set to Texture Tag, with the bitmap material on the left driving the subdivision generation on the right-hand Plane.

Animated video sequence driving the subdivision generation on the right.

Texture Channel

Use the Texture Channel pull-down to select which material channel you wish to reference. This is set to Color by default.

Shader

Use the Shader drop-down to select an image, sequence or shader.

The Noise shader is driving the generated subdivision settings on this Plane.

The Noise shader is driving the generated subdivision settings on this Plane.

Tolerance

Use the Tolerance slider to adjust the point at which subdivisions are made.

Lower tolerance values will allow darker areas to be subdivided.

Higher tolerance values will allow only lighter areas to be subdivided.

Demonstration of the effects of the Tolerance slider with a Noise shader.

Subdivision

You can set multiple levels of subdivision by using this slider.

mtSubDivider Subdivision is set to 1. The base mesh has four polygons and the generated mesh has sixteen.

mtSubDivider Subdivision is set to 1. The base mesh has four polygons and the generated mesh has sixteen.

Hide Faces

There is the option to change the scene geometry further by hiding polygons, which you have subdivided, to give an interesting look.

Hide Subdivided

Subdivided polygons are hidden.

This Plane has Hide Subdivided enabled.

This Plane has Hide Subdivided enabled.

Hide Non-Subdivided

Non-Subdivided polygons are hidden.

This Plane has Hide Non-Subdivided enabled.

This Plane has Hide Non-Subdivided enabled.

Selections

You can create polygon selections based on the mtSubdivider operation. Each selection is stored within a selection tag, which is automatically generated on activation.

Selections can be visualized by activating Display Selection. You can change the color of the displayed selection using the color picker.

Plane subdivisions visualized in the Selections tab color options.

Plane subdivisions visualized in the Selections tab color options.

Subdivided

Create a polygon selection from subdivided topology.

Non-Subdivided

Create a polygon selection from any remaining base-mesh topology.

Advanced

Optimize

Newly generated topology can include duplicated points and surfaces. These can be eliminated by selecting Optimize.

Polygons

One or two point surfaces will be eliminated.

Unused Points

Any unused points will be deleted.

Points

Duplicated points will be eliminated.

Tolerance

Duplicated points are merged if they are within the Tolerance range setting.

Fields

You can use the Fields options to control where mtSubDivider operates.

A Spherical Field is being used to subdivide polygons.

A Spherical Field is being used to subdivide polygons.

 

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