D Former Tutorial- Screenshots
Novica
Posts: 23,859
I did this over a year ago- The product was Hidden Waterfalls and I don't think it is in the store any longer.
Someone asked on a thread if there were any new tutorials on D Formers, and I remember I had screenshotted and done one but never published it. Other people are welcome to chime in and answer questions or comment if something isn't quite right. I haven't used D-Formers in over a year so I won't remember much other than what's posted.
Ever want to make a rocky surface flat so you can put people on it? Buildings? Horses or other animals? Yeti? (couldn't resist) Here's how to do it.
Hope this helps! (Again, feel free to post any questions, suggestions, whatever and others will appreciate it / help you.
Cathie
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Comments
1.) A very steep, rocky uneven slope. We're going to flatten it.
2.) End result.
3.) You want to Create a new D-former. Be sure you have your item selected in the Scene tab. This is still the same in version 4.8, go up to your top left corner and find Create. A popup appears, name it, click Ok.
When you go to your item in Scene, you will see submenus under it, one will be the Base, the other will be the Field. The field is exactly that, made of dots- it spreads over an area and the color of the dots will show you what will be affected the most.Yellow is affected the least, orange is medium, and red is the most affected. You can move and scale the field. (Parameters, using the XYZ translation, scale, etc.)
Your Base is what "pulls" and exerts influence on the field. For more precision, I like for it to be close to the area I want changed. The Field and Base are a team, so to speak. Play with each one and get your red dots (most influence) where you want them.
4.) You may need to move (translate XYZ) and scale your field to get it into position. The fourth image shows you red, orange, and yellow dots of the field.
5.) This is what the Base looks like. The trick for newbies mentioned there- out in the viewport, if you have an item selected in Scene Tab, when you click that + surrounded by brackets, you will zip to the item you have selected. (Very helpful in large scenes btw, it keeps you from scrolling to zoom in) By selecting the Base over in scene then clicking the + bracket, you'll be at the Base.
6. You can see where the Base is- and it's not where I want it. So I'll move it to get it closer to the action (where I want the red dots.)
7. Try to get your scale right from the very beginning, and use the specific ones (X, Y, Z), not only "scale."
8. I like Top View when changing landscapes, it gives a great view.
9. You can really see the dots here. Make sure you have yellow if you want to "fade out" when your deforming. I'm moving the Base.
10. Experimenting with moving the field.
11. Settings for a large field, if you want to duplicate this.
12. Settings for the D-Former to go with the field.
13. Ta-dah!
14. IMPORTANT- Select your item in the Scene tab. And this is VERY IMPORTANT! Be sure your D Former is actually deforming something, or you won't get a morph created. If your translations and rotations are at 0 then you aren't doing diddly squat. Go to Windows>Panes/Tabs>Deform
15. Check the two boxes (Create Root Control Parameter and Apply Spawned Morph--but do NOT check to delete Applied D-former. You want to ensure it was made first!!!!) and Spawn Morph, enter a name for your morph.
16. Although you can delete and say "Yes to all" I would recommend checking to see if your morph has been created first.
17. There it is!
18. Look at the sliders and then look at the effect. I can really change the landscape now, making it flat or even making steeper hills!
19. But you're not done. If you close the studio, you haven't saved your morph. Need some assistance here as my screenshots got overwritten or deleted- I know it's Save As> and I was taught Save As> Support Asset> and I think it was Modified Asset. Can someone explain (first confirm if that's correct) what Save As>D Former Preset does, and Save As>Support Asset>Morph Asset?
Okay- so do a Save As> Support Asset> Morph Asset, and you can close your studio. Next time you come back, your morph will be safe and sound.
It's Save As Morph Asset.
Thank you!