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Old 1st August 2005, 08:19 PM   #1
whirlwind
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Default AC3D 5.x and Solids Subtract/Add

Can AC3D do solid subtract or add? For example, I want to subtract a sphere from a cube, can AC3D 5.x do this? The by hand method becomes kind of a drag after a while.... I might actually upgrade if AC3D can finally do a solid subtract/add.
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Old 2nd August 2005, 02:12 AM   #2
Dennis
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5.0 ships with a Boolean plugin (I believe this has been the case since 4.0). It handles subtraction, unions, and intersects very well.

hth

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Old 4th August 2005, 08:15 PM   #3
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Great, how much does it cost to upgrade from 3.6 to 5.0 and how do I go about doing that? More of a question for the company...
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Old 11th August 2005, 11:42 PM   #4
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As I think I posted before .... I don't think the boolean subtractions are very clean - the one feature I think needs improving ... just my opinion though.

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Old 12th August 2005, 10:09 AM   #5
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It isn't absolutely perfect but it sure beats the old way - by hand. It doesn't take long to correct any problems that occur with the plugin comparatively speaking.

Just in case it hasn't been posted, here is a list of artifacts that occur with CGS:

- When subtracting an object intersecting, wider, and taller than the object you are subtracting from faces sometimes are included in the resulting object from the subtracted object. However, when the object is just taller or wider than the subtracting object, CGS works just fine.

- Occasionally vertexs are put into the "wrong" order thus resulting in a dark face. Not a major issue as it is an easy fix.

These problems aren't a major issue for me and don't take long to correct. I think all in all the plugin is a refreshing and much needed tool for AC3D.

My only main grip is the default controls of the 3D view window just became a pain to use. I miss the left mouse button drag to rotate the camera in the 3D view window. I know the current method is more consistent with the other windows, but I'd rather have the old style AC3D 3D view with a toggleable select mode as opposed to the current toggleable rotate. I do more rotates than selects. Perhaps just using the alt key to select in 3D view would be a much better way to go.
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Old 12th August 2005, 04:58 PM   #6
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Well I guess what is better is a personal opinion ... and maybe some problems can be fixed ... just feel it is the weakest modelling tool in AC3D and needs fixing.

Here is a screen capture of a cylinder subtracted from a cube by three different methods (the cross sectional faces ... they all look the same in perspective3d):

1.Red ... A very old version of Truespace (3.2) that was available for free from Caligari
2.Orange ... AC3D using the boolean tool (done with version 5 demo download a few months ago)
3.Blue ... AC3D using a rectangle/ellipse/convexhull/extrude method/trick (by hand)



There is no obvious nice symmetry with the AC3D boolean tool.


And these are the geometry stats :

1. 40v, 60s
2. 220v, 280s
3. 40v, 60s

The truespace/by hand method yield essentially the same results ... the AC3D boolean subtraction is not even close. To me that is not a very clean efficient tool.

As I say, just my opinion, but I think it needs improving.

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Old 8th October 2005, 09:58 AM   #7
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true, those of us (flight simmers) who really need to have polygon efficient objects, which have complex cut outs for such things as windows/frame work really suffer on this, there does not seem to be any particular 'logic' behind what happens on boolean operations.........still ok, but could just do with a little extra work........just my 2p's worth
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Old 8th October 2005, 04:33 PM   #8
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Aircraft model window/canopy framework is better tackled with "make hole", % set around 90%.
Place a vertex on each intersection center-line and then make hole will generate your framework and glass area in one operation.
Try it, you'll like the method.
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Old 8th October 2005, 04:49 PM   #9
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i guess thats lateral thinking for you, I'd not heard of that, it sounds very efficient I'll give it a shot.......many thanks!
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Old 8th October 2005, 06:40 PM   #10
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Anything that works is my rule, hehe
We online sim modelers get such tight poly budgets its challenging.
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