Hello

Is it possible to automaticaly create round text (see below) in MoI ? More generally, is it possible to automaticaly create round object from extrude object, created in MoI ?

If it is not possible in Moi, I can export to another softwares. I've tried to export to cinema 4D an obj file, then to add hypernurbs, since it seems to round objet, but it didn't works.

Thanks for any help/advise.

PP

Hi pp, you can use the Fillet command in MoI to round off edges.

But Text can be pretty difficult to fillet, it often times has sharp corners and compressed areas which are more difficult for fillet to handle.

MoI is not generally the best tool to use for making rounded text quickly for rendering, if that was what you were thinking.

But for pretty simple text Fillet probably should do it, for example:




> is it possible to automaticaly create round object from extrude
> object, created in MoI ?

No, extrude in MoI only makes things that are punched out in a straight direction.

You can use some other tools to make more rounded things initially though, for example using several profile curves you can then use Loft to make a surface going through them like this:





It sounds like you may want to be using a polygon modeler for the kind of stuff you are talking about, MoI uses a mechanism called NURBS modeling which works differently than that.

- Michael

Hi PP, one other note,

> I've tried to export to cinema 4D an obj file, then to add
> hypernurbs, since it seems to round objet, but it didn't works.

The problem there is that hypernurbs/sub-d surfaces do not really just automatically round any kind of shape, it's more intended to work with shapes made up only of 4-sided polygons.

When you're exporting text out from MoI, you're probably making one large many sided polygon for the top face of the text, rather than a tiled set of 4-sided quad polygons which the hypernurbs mechanism wants to work with.

There is a process called "retopologizing" which involves restructuring or recalculating a polygon mesh object to have a quad-based layout to it. You would probably need to do that kind of a process on it for that to work, topogun is a tool used for that: http://www.topogun.com/

But I would think that Cinema4D should likely have some tools in it to make rounded text for you directly within it, it's a bit easier to do that in a polygon modeler than in MoI because the NURBS approach in MoI is focused on accuracy and won't tolerate things like mushing a bunch of overlapping points together in a corner or things like that which do not bother a polygon modeler so much.

- Michael

I always try first in MoI because for me, it's the best software on earth.
But, you're right, for this very specific work, I need a polygonal tool.

Thanks for the answer.

I hesitate to add something which might sound stupid, but depending on the intended use of the text. If you're just going to need a 'picture' of extruded text and maybe rotating it or so then several 2d drawing programs can handle that with an extrusion and a beveled edge. Xara 3D or Xara Xtreme pro can do that. I made this sample text using Xara Xtreme Pro. Xara 3D would be as good or better for this. I have 360 degree rotation and can control colors and lights as well as bevel and extrusion depths (as long as I set the bevels before extrusion). If I remember correctly Serif 3D plus could do this as well, back in version 2 or 3 or whatever. This means the free version should be able to do this. You would have to register and let them try to sell you new versions of their software (I did, I rather like them too), but you can register with a throwaway address and get only the registration email then get rid of the account if you'd like. Xara 3D costs $29 I believe and does flash animation as well. The Xtreme pro 5 version cost me $167 cross-grade from Corel Draw.




Please excuse me if I said something that was not applicable to your situation. It's just that sometimes 2D will work especially for text.

Thanks for taking time for an answer.
I already use Xara (the best 2D tool) and xara 3D.
Xara 3D do great job, for animating letter. But unfortunately, I want to go further than Xara3D is able to do.
Thanks again for your answer (I second you to recommend Xara products).

Nice to know someone else appreciates Xara products. :) I'm into electronic music as well as 3d. I've noticed that the majority of the 3d illustrations I've seen of Virtual Audio instruments are obviously using Xara to get the 3d interface look. I'm sorry that I couldn't contribute anything useful to your request, but glad to meet another Xara user. :)

Hi PP,

> But, you're right, for this very specific work,
> I need a polygonal tool.

Yeah for some kinds of things the NURBS focus on generating something completely accurate can be a hinderance if you only want to render the shapes instead of actually physically construct them.

With text that you are just going to render, a polygon modeling program is generally set up to be more free to make messy structure in the model that doesn't really show up in the rendering though.

Here's an example from Xara3D with some text:




If you switch to wireframe view, you can see that the model is not quite exactly the same as that outside appearance, various pieces are overlapping and running through each other beneath the outer surface:






The filleting mechanism in a NURBS modeling program tries to avoid that kind of a thing and instead actually produce the full accurate model with all pieces trimmed up and the inside actually all hollow. But that's a much more difficult task.


Anyway, this is an area where a polygon modeler can have an easier time making this kind of stuff since their tools are not really focused on making physically accurate results so much.


- Michael

Xara3D does not seem to be able to export 3D model data instead of only 2D rendered images though?

No, that's true it can't export 3d data. That's why I was pointing out that if all he was looking for was a pre-rendered picture of the text or a rotating lit animation then 2d might be an option. If he needed model data then Serif Impactplus (no longer produced - but exports to .x) or Ulead Cool 3D Production studio (no longer produced - but exports to 3ds or .x) would have been totally simple and perfect for automatic extrusion and bevelling. I wouldn't recommend something like Cool 3D production studio for modelling something complicated, but for automatic extrusion of items it's pretty hard to beat. It was like modeling for dummies (perfect for me) :) I will never get rid of my copy. It's fun and useful, and people still use it for DVD menu animations today.

Hello

just wanna say, that VUE (i got 7 infinity) has a nice and easy to use 3d text editor, it can also handle eps and AI files.
you can choose presets or custom bevel profiles.

and there are cheap versions available (starting at 0:-))

and vue can export 3d geomtrie (the 0$ version not:-)

Another reason why Carrara is such a good companion app to MoI!
Brian

I'm sorry for forgetting about Carrara, Brian. You're right that request was totally in Carrara's area of expertise. I just bought that Daz book about figures and avatars (just for the Carrara 6 and hexagon) just a bit ago too.

Thank you so much to every one.
MoI is the best software, but it also as the best support and the best community.

I can't imagine big software company support, like autodesk, answering : "we tried the software xara3D" and give explanation about polygon and nurbs.

I tested Carrara text tool, which is very good, but haven't test "VUE" yet.

Thanks again to every one, I now just have to choose the best solution.

http://www.armanisoft.ch/webdesign/elefont/Elefont.html