Copyright: Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997


Overview

Mesh Forge: Overview

Mesh Forge

Mesh Forge is a trueSpace3 plugin which provides stackable modifiers. Modifiers change the geometry of a polyhedron, or Mesh, to produce Bends, Twists, Tapers, etc.

Installation

Mesh Forge is a standard trueSpace3 plugin. Please follow the instructions in the trueSpace manual for installing and accessing plugins.

Operation

Mesh Forge has a primary Interface and a popup Menu. You should also review the Tips.

Primitive Itch

For updates and information regarding Mesh Forge or other Primitive Itch products, consult our website at:

http://www.primitiveitch.com

or send email to

info@primitiveitch.com

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Interface

Mesh Forge: Interface

Right-click the Stack Window to access the Menu. You may also reference the Overview and the Tips.

Click an area on the interface for help on that area:

The Mesh Forge interface is divided into five sections:

•	Primitives

•	Modifiers

•	Modifier Stack

•	Animate

•	Finish

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Primitives

Mesh Forge: Primitives

Use the Primitives controls to select a Mesh to modify.

Stock Objects: 	To use a Stock Object as your primitive, click one of the orange Cube, Cylinder, Cone, Torus, or Sphere buttons. Once you are using a Stock Object, its shape can be changed at any time by clicking one of the orange buttons.

Example: Modifying a Stock Cube. Click the Sphere button to change it to a sphere. Click the Cube button to change it back into a cube.

Resolution and Size: 	The complexity of a Stock Object can be changed at any time with the Resolution knob. The dimensions of a Stock Object can be changed at any time with the Size knob.

Selected Button:	To use a custom Mesh as a primitive, select it in trueSpace, and click the Selected button. Mesh Forge will import a copy of the object.

Name:	The name of the selected primitive appears to the right of the Selected button.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Modifiers

Mesh Forge: Modifiers

Mesh Forge contains five separate Modifiers:

•	Bend

•	Twist

•	Taper

•	Scale

•	Noise

Some Modifiers utilize axis settings that control position and orientation of the Modifier effect:

•	Axis

Modifiers are used in combination on the Modifier Stack.

•	Modifier Stack

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Modifier Stack

Mesh Forge: Modifier Stack

Modifiers are listed in the Modifier Stack window. Modifiers are applied sequentially from the top of the Stack to the bottom. Right-click on the Modifier Stack to use the popup Menu:

Move Modifier: 	Use the Move Modifier buttons to change the position of a Modifier in the Stack.

Delete Modifier: 	Remove a modifier from the Stack.

Enable Modifier:   	Use these checkboxes to enable or disable any modifier in the Stack. Checked modifiers are enabled.

Disable All: 	Use this checkbox to disable all modifiers.

Triangulate: 	When Triangulate is checked, Stock Objects are automatically triangulated before Modifiers are applied. It is easy to produce improper geometry on non-triangulated objects. Improper geometry can cause problems with trueSpace, especially in real-time render modes (e.g. D3D mode). Use the Triangulate option to prevent improper geometry.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Menu

Mesh Forge: Menu

Right-click on the Modifier Stack to use the popup Menu.

Delete 'Modifier': 	Remove a modifier from the Stack.

New Stack:	 	Discard all modifiers and keyframes.

Open Stack: 	Load all modifier and keyframe information from a .MFS file.

Save Stack: 	Save all modifier and keyframe information into a .MFS file.

Save Stack As:	Save all modifier and keyframe information into a .MFS file.

New Animation:	Discard all keyframes.

Show All Messages: 	Unchecks all 'Don't show this message again' checkboxes.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Bend

Mesh Forge: Bend

Use the Bend modifier to introduce a curvature to the mesh.

Bend: 	Amount of curvature.

Direction: 	Angle to bend the mesh relative to the modifier axis. For example, from 0° - 180°:

Radius: 	Radius of the circle around which the mesh bends.

Axis:	See also the section on Axes.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Twist

Mesh Forge: Twist

Use the Twist modifier to produce a helix from the mesh.

Twist: 	Degree of peak rotation.

Axis:	Position and orientation around which the Twist is performed. See the section on Axes.

Example: Twist with different axis positions:

Axis Pos: (0, 0, 0) 	Axis Pos: (1, 1, 0)

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Taper

Mesh Forge: Taper

Use the Taper modifier to bulge or squish the mesh.

Taper: 	Degree of squishing (if positive) or bulging (if negative).

Level: 	Midpoint of Taper along the modifier axis.

Axis:	Position and orientation around which the Taper is performed. See the section on Axes.

Example: Taper a torus with different Taper settings

Taper 120 [image] Taper -120

Example: Change the level

Level 0.1

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

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Scale

Mesh Forge: Scale

Use the Scale modifier to change the size of the object in World Space axes.

X, Y, Z: 	Percentage change in size in World Space axes.

Get Scale From Object:

You may use the more flexible trueSpace scaling tool to scale your object, and then use the Get Scale From Object button to transfer the scaling information for trueSpace to Mesh Forge.

Notes on Expert Usage:

1. You scale the object using the trueSpace scaling tool

    If you use Autorecord, this scale is recorded

2. You click the Get Scale From Object button

3. Mesh forge shrinks the object with the trueSpace scaling tool

    Even if you use Autorecord, this scale goes unrecorded

4. Mesh forge uses the X, Y, Z knobs to expand the object back to its original size.

    Even if you use Autorecord, this scale goes unrecorded.

5. If you do not use Autorecord, you're done

6. If you use Autorecord, now the mesh looks the same size, but trueSpace has recorded a Scaling operation for this  trueSpace frame. Next time you return to this frame, the object will be erroneously scaled.

7. You scale the object slightly with the trueSpace scaling tool.

    If you use Autorecord, the new proper scale is recorded

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Noise

Mesh Forge: Noise

Use the Noise modifier to add random variation to the vertices.

Noise: 	Amount of variation in vertex positions.

Seed: 	Seed for the random number generator. A specific Seed value will always produce the same shape.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Axis

Mesh Forge: Axis

The Axis controls allow you to specify orientation and position of certain modifiers; specifically Bend, Twist, and Taper.

X, Y, Z Buttons: 	Preset settings that select the X, Y, or Z axis of the mesh as the axis for the modifier. For example, use the X button to Twist a mesh around its X-axis. Clicking this button loads the XY angle knobs with the preset values.

X-, Y-, Z- Buttons: 	Same as X, Y, Z Buttons except flipped 180°.

XY Angles:	Control the angles of the X and Y modifier axes. Click the X, Y, Z buttons and examine the presets for the XY Angle controls. Fine changes and animations through axes can be created with the XY Angle knobs.

Example: Taper a sphere with different axis orientations:

Axis X 	Axis Y 	Axis Z

XYZ Position: 	These knobs position the axis of the modifier. For example, use the knobs to change the shape of a twist from swizzle stick to spiral staircase. Note that the axis position is in world coordinates.

Example: Twist a cone with different axis positions:

Axis Pos: (0, 0, 0) 	Axis Pos: (0.1, 0.1, 0)

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Animate

Mesh Forge: Animate

Animations are constructed by setting up Key Frames in Mesh Forge and then recording the frames into trueSpace. Use the Animate controls to build Key Frames and use the Apply key to record the frames into trueSpace.

Current Frame: 	This is the current Key Frame.

Frame Buttons: 	These buttons are: Rewind to frame zero, Rewind to previous Key Frame, Advance to the next Key Frame, and Advance to the last Key Frame.

Play: 	Preview the animation by playing all frames.

Record: 	Record all settings for all modifiers as a Key Frame into the frame number specified by the Record Frame..

Record Frame: 	The Record Frame specifies the frame number recorded to with the Record button. The Record Frame is automatically kept the same as the Current Frame, but you may manually enter a different Record Frame. Use the Record Frame to copy Key Frames between positions:

Example: Set the Frame to 10. Now both Frame and Record Frame are set to 10. Set the Record Frame to 20. Click Record. Now the contents of frame 10 have been copied to frame 20.

Delete: 	Delete the current Key Frame.

Reverse: 	Usually, the animation plays from the first frame to the last. When this box is checked, the animation plays from the last frame to the first.

Rate: 	Display the frame rate achieved by the Play button. The maximum is 30 fps.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

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Finish

Mesh Forge: Finish

Help: 	Displays this help file.

Redraw: 	Redraw the scene.

Cancel: 	Disconnects the mesh from Mesh Forge and applies no modifications.

Apply: 	Disconnects the mesh from Mesh Forge and applies all modifications. Records any animation into trueSpace.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com


Tips

Mesh Forge: Tips

•	Right-click the Modifier Stack window to access the popup Menu.

•	Use Triangulate with Stock Objects to avoid crashing D3D.

•	For interesting texturing effects, modify an object, apply a UV-mapping, and then cancel the modification. The UV-mapping stays modified.

•	Double-clicking a knob to resets its default value.

•	Save your stacks often.

•	Use the Show All Messages item in the popup Menu to show hidden warning dialogs.

•	Use small amounts of Noise to make your objects appear more realistic.

Copyright © Primitive Itch 1997

http://www.primitiveitch.com