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Old 3rd April 2004, 11:50 AM   #1
Fafner
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Default Newbie confusion re Surfaces and Objects

I am a total, utter newbie looking to learn how to use ac3d to make some scenery objects for a game. I have been playing with the free edition for a few days, and I understand the general idea, but I am a little confused about some basics. In particular, the distinction between a Surface and an Object. The nature and extent of my confusion may be illustrated three questions.

If, for example, I create two rectangles and place them so that they do not overlap in any plane, then it seems clear that I have two Surfaces. As I expect, therefore, I can change their colour independently via Select> Surface > Colour. (1) Are they both also Objects?. It seems so, because can change colour by Select > Object > Colour

If I draw a bounding box around these two rectangles and click on Object > Select > Colour, then the colour of both will be affected. Did I make these two Surfaces into an Object even though they have no vertices in common and I did not use Object > Merge ?

I am not sure if my third question is part of the same confusion, or a separate one. I create a box. According to manual I should (I think), be able to select its vertices independently ("A Vertex is a single point in 3d space"). In fact any attempt to select one, results in two opposite vertices being selected - and the same applies in the case of a sphere, even if do Surface > Remove surface only. Why, - and why are those particular two vertices linked in this way and not some others?

I have googled for some *really* basic 3d tutorials, but so far everything I have found has been a little more advanced than I need - and has tended to be specific to some particular modeller that is not ac3d. If anyone can point me to the kind of tutorial I require I will be very grateful.

Sorry for the long post.
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Old 3rd April 2004, 12:38 PM   #2
Andy
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Default Re: Newbie confusion re Surfaces and Objects

An object is a collection of vertices and surfaces. A surface may reference vertices that are also reference in other surfaces (but vertices can't be shared across objects).

When you make a 'Rect', Ellipse or line/poly/line etc, these are creating an object with a single surface.

When you select an object and set the color (or perform some other surface-related function), each surface in the object is affected.

Select an object and switch between the select modes (object, surface, vertex) - look at the information at the top of the control panel to see how many surfaces/vertices there are.

If you are selecting more than one vertex, you are probably dragging over more than one. Try selecting from another view, or using a click rather than a drag. There may be > 1 vertex at the same position too.

Once you've worked out how to use the views together and work out how they are related, it will be much easier.

Hope this helps,

Andy
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Old 3rd April 2004, 05:28 PM   #3
Fafner
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Default Re: Newbie confusion re Surfaces and Objects

Thanks for the swift response Andy.

Looking at the information at the top of the control panel certainly helps, - I had not been taking note of that.

Probably I was trying to run before walking, but my question was a result of trying to understand the process of constructing a complex model - such as the f16 in the sample library. I was getting nowhere trying to isloate the consituent Objects by boundary boxing likely candidates. Since reading your post I have learned the value of the Tools > Hierarchy view - which does the isolating for me.

You are also right about the vetex selection. I was only dragging around one visible vertex, but that catches the one behind it. All works as it should if I simply click on that same vertex.

This is turning out to be more interesting/fun than I thought it would.

Fafner
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