or “Uber tools” vs “building blocks”. mainly in regard to modifiers. Say for example UVW map modifier vs planar map modifier/face map modifier/box map modifier etc (not the greatest example I know as UVW map modifier is long term max thing and the thought of it separated out into “mini” tools may seem daft). What’s your thinking on this ? in some ways I think the modifier stack can be better served with smaller more numerous Tools even though they clutter up the interface and increase code duplication and the fact UberTools can be used in the same manner as the smaller versions with added complexity and possible slight memory & speed overhead.
it’s a very good question. many times i were asking it myself starting a new tool.
and i can say straight off that i don’t have a universal solution.
here are two my resent tools:
#1 proHelper – the node that can take any shape – mesh or spline shape, solid or wire, circle, triangle, box, bone like, cross, …
it’s a node that is very helpful for a character rig pickers
#2 paperWorks – the things that you can do with a sheet of paper – swirl, band, wave, flip, etc.
both are done. any thoughts about how was it done?
are you saying more items in the stack or less?
theres no difference in the number of items in the stack just in the number of modifiers available to pick from
well then, always better to have more things to pick from. They could be quicker doing doing smaller tacks and take up less memory
there is another example… the good one:
#3 … let’s call it onTheWay – anything you can do along the path (spline) – populate nodes, deform, extrude, substitute, …
you can say that max already has all these made somehow. true. but what if they all have to follow the same rules and conditions. let’s say the base spline is a Road
I have been starting to make small purpose modifiers with MCG. Such as “SelectElementBySize” and I plan to make a “SelectElementByDensity” modifier that I can then use a DeleteModifier above to simplify objects for LODs.
When I started playing with float controllers in MCG I made controllers for Add/Subtract/Divide/Multiply but I found have separate ones was taking up lots of UI space so I made a “Float_Math” controller where you could change the operation instead. Both have pluses and minuses.
Speaking of which… a new demo of a tools package made with MCG.
I think that MCG was not designed for “UBER” modifiers. that means a set of ‘simple ui’ modifiers probably is the better solution with the using of MCG.
more or less everyone understands how to make Bend, Taper or Extrude modifier using MCG, but not many have an idea how to make Skin or Normals Paint. and it’s not just an algorithmic problem, but UI complexity as well