I created this simple shape in MOI:


This is what I get in Lightwave Modeler:


I highlighted the part in MOI because that particular part always comes in with the normals reversed - (also in XSI and ZBrush3 - it come in fine in Cinema4D!)

That part was created by mirroring the similar part on the opposite side of the sphere so my theory is that mirrored objects while they look okay in MOI, the normals are flipped when meshed - I'll try this again later; I'll create a part by mirroring and then by manual creation or perhaps a copy / rotate / move...

The strangeness comes when I render in Lightwave:


Now before you ask, YES all my points have been MERGED - I had set the tolerance so high at one point I started collasping stuff! So while all the points are merged (as far as I can tell) I'm still getting cracks within that particular part - not sure why??
(I haven't rendered the other side to see if that's cracked, I'm assuming it is UNLESS this has something to do with the fact this part was created by a mirror?)

-Will

PS - This may be due to the applied material - I'm still checking on this...

Okay, as far as the cracks, I've determined that it's due to switching from the Classic camera to the new Perspective one.

I was rendering a new scene with this object fine without cracks until I realized that I was still using the old classic camera (I usually use the new Perspective camera now for everything) - switching made the cracks come back!

So I'd imagine I need to report this to Newtek...

PS - So I guess what I'm still asking is, is there any way, Michael for MOI to adjust the normals for parts created by Mirroring? (I'm wondering now if MOI is set to render double-sided which would hide any flipped normals?...)

-Will

Hi Will, can you please post the .3dm file for that object? It will help if I can examine the geometry over here.

But from your LW Modeler screenshot, it looks like those pieces are not booleaned or actually attached to the central piece, and it also looks like the outside module is an open surface, not a closed solid.

If you get things cut up and joined together, then MoI will know that those pieces are all part of one continuous "skin" and will have the normals all consistent between different pieces.

If you've got objects that are just positioned next to each other but not joined together, then MoI does not know that they are supposed to be connected, and each one will get processed separately. Then combined with this is that the normal direction for an open surface may not always point in the direction that you expect, but for a closed solid it always should. Mirroring will typically reverse the normals for an open surface.

The cracky thing looks strange... not quite sure what is going on there...

- Michael

Hi Michael, yes, those are just seperate objects I'll recreate the two outer pieces to be one part and then boolean add that to the sphere, that'll help me stop seeing the cracks on the edges in my renders (earlier I was just sinking them into the sphere's surface a little bit...)

The normals aren't a biggie though (keeping in mind your suggestion about open surfaces) - it was the cracks that had me head scratching but that appears to be a Lightwave issue. (Lawd I don't want to buy Cinema 4D after all I've invested in LW (books, plugins etc.) nor do I want to buy Modo!)

Just trying to find a workflow for myself here...

-Will

Yeah, cracks between edges are the other part that is solved when you have a fully joined piece. MoI will do extra work along shared edges to ensure shared vertices between the meshing of each surface.

Since Modo is going to support vertex normals in the next version, I would assume that LW will do it pretty soon too... At least I hope so. That would make it easier for you to stick with LW.

- Michael

Yes, again it looks like it has to do with Lightwave's Perspective camera vs the Classic one which renders fine (of course that was also at work with my DELL and its lowly Intel (non-3D accelerating azz adapter...)

I would imagine that I'd get the same here at home though - I'll find out in a few...

As far as LW, yes, I have so much invested in Lightwave (coming in at v6.5); time, plugins, books etc., I'd hate to move on to something else over this but I'm not sure I'm as optimistic about Newtek improving this just because Modo is going to get improved, unless they're locked in some kind of never ending battle (reminds me of that Star Trek episode with Frank Gorshen; the half-black/half-white dudes... hmmm, seems like a fitting analogy :-p )

Yes, I would imagine Newtek has to stay competitive with Modo since basically (IMO) they're the same app - Modo is rapidly catching up as it is - I guess time will tell...

-Will