Chapter 36: Using Space Warps


Space Warps sound like a special effect from a science fiction movie, but actually they are non-renderable objects that let you affect another object in many unique ways to create special effects.

You can think of Space Warps as the unseen forces that control the movement of objects in the scene such as gravity wind, and waves. Several Space Warps, such as Push and Motor, deal with dynamic simulations and can define forces in real-world units. Some Space Warps can deform an object's surface; others provide the same functionality as certain modifiers.

Space Warps are particularly useful when combined with particle systems. This chapter includes some examples of Space Warps that have been combined with particle systems.

Creating and Binding Space Warps

Space Warps are a way to add forces to the scene that can act on an object. Space Warps are not renderable and must be bound to an object to have an effect. A single Space Warp can be bound to several objects, and a single object can be bound to several Space Warps.

In many ways, Space Warps are similar to modifiers, but modifiers typically apply to individual objects, whereas Space Warps can be applied to many objects at the same time and are applied using World Space Coordinates. This ability to work with multiple objects makes Space Warps the preferred way to alter particle systems and to add forces to dynamic hair and cloth systems.

Creating a Space Warp

Space Warps are found in the Create image from book Space Warps menu, which opens the Space Warps category (the icon is three wavy lines) in the Create panel. From the subcategory drop-down list, you can select from four different subcategories.

Each subcategory has buttons to enable several different Space Warps, or you can select them using the Create image from book Space Warps menu command. To create a Space Warp, click a button or select a menu option, and then click and drag in a viewport.

When a Space Warp is created, a gizmo is placed in the scene. This gizmo can be transformed as other objects can: by using the standard transformation buttons. The size and position of the Space Warp gizmo often affects its results. After a Space Warp is created, it affects only the objects to which it is bound.

Binding a Space Warp to an object

A Space Warp's influence is felt only by its bound objects, so you can selectively apply gravity only to certain objects. The Bind to Space Warp button is on the main toolbar next to the Unlink button. After clicking the Bind to Space Warp button, drag from the Space Warp to the object to which you want to link it or vice versa.

All Space Warp bindings appear in the Modifier Stack. You can use the Edit Modifier Stack dialog box to copy and paste Space Warps between objects.

Some Space Warps can be bound only to certain types of objects. Each Space Warp has a Supports Objects of Type rollout that lists the supported objects. If you're having trouble binding a Space Warp to an object, check this rollout to see whether the object is supported.




3ds Max 9 Bible
3ds Max 9 Bible
ISBN: 0470100893
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 383

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