SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

SimCity 4 General Discussion and Tutorials => SimCity 4 General Discussion => General Custom Content Discussion => Topic started by: mrbisonm on January 29, 2011, 08:21:00 AM

Title: Extruding a Group?
Post by: mrbisonm on January 29, 2011, 08:21:00 AM
In gmax I would like to extrude (make it longer or higher) a model I made simply because I made it too short. Now instead of taking every single thing and make it longer (in height) is there a way to do so once it is grouped, like the whole model?
The encircled tool on the top of the picture is to make the whole model bigger in size, I know that, but there must be a way to either make the whole model larger, narrower, shorter or higher, right?

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg263.imageshack.us%2Fimg263%2F6468%2F4344l.jpg&hash=25b332b77207d0211dd8b933236a8d8c708fe577)

For the curious: I am building things for the GRV - Challenge 10.

Thanks for the help.

Fred
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: vester on January 29, 2011, 08:37:55 AM
Marked the group you want to make taller.

Then click on [Hierarchy] (3rd button in the side panel)

then  [Pivot] -> [Affect Pivot Only] -> [Center to Object]

then go down and set the z value to 0 (or what the lowers part of the group has)

Click [Affect Pivot Only] off


Then you can make a non uniform scale (click and hold to get a drop down from [Scale] )
(the small triangle in the corner of the button, indicate a dropdown)
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: mrbisonm on January 29, 2011, 12:08:17 PM
Super! That was clearly explained as I can understand it. It worked out fine just the way I wanted it to be. Many thanks, much appreciated.

Fred


Proof that it worked...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg820.imageshack.us%2Fimg820%2F1160%2Fpilons4344.jpg&hash=714525c631f02c97b5f2e60cc1a225e38c204f1a)
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: vester on January 29, 2011, 02:57:51 PM
Good to hear.


Did you understand what you were doing ?



Well the pivot is an anchor or zero point for the object (incl. groups).

Lets see how it works. Let take a simple box (made in the top view):

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic01.jpg&hash=a4c1c151d59168e4793c0cfce29830d8f8e23ae0)
Picture 1.
Have moved the box to point (0;0;0)
(For a group the pivot is always set to the center of the group.)

Let try to scale the box:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic02.jpg&hash=4e21f3fd0ef3898e6d36b78cf243c7540d6ca328)
Picture 2.
As you can see scale it scale from the pivot and out.

Lets move the pivot to one of corners of the box:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic03.jpg&hash=62f5f6a275606b9e6c24a3029ad819c384ca742d)
Picture 3.
The different arrows indicate that you moving the pivot.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic04.jpg&hash=c5eda12890ed76e216b26265a0848d938a0ebd58)
Picture 4.
As you can see the box is scaled in only 3 directions.



Lets try a column:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic05.jpg&hash=57a1011996aea56b35cfe7a53e6daf213b84dcba)
Picture 5.
As you can see I have already moved the pivot outside the column.

Now lets try one of my favorite and powerfull tool, the array:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic06.jpg&hash=8b2e34388f58c9c9de02b0397e9f7cad6d359275)
Picture 6.
Here the objects are rotate 90 degrees around the z axis and is copied 3 times, ending up with 4 in total.
Noticed that on the right you have a little calculator doing 4 times 90 degrees and getting 360.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic07.jpg&hash=4e38259328b88d31352097cef25b786f7d2ee9c3)
Picture 7.


and if I change the angle to 60 and the count to 6 this is the result:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic08.jpg&hash=a907545f9b068ffa0944200ddc2c92dcc1ce8938)
Picture 8.
(60 times 6 is again 360 degrees)
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: mrbisonm on January 29, 2011, 03:20:38 PM
Quote from: vester on January 29, 2011, 02:57:51 PM

Did you understand what you were doing ?


Well, NOW I do! This was an excellent lesson and now I can differ the sizes and understand also how it's done. I also understand the symbols on the scale icon now. Thanks. Great that you saw my thread.

Fred
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: vester on January 29, 2011, 03:35:40 PM
Glad my time was well spend!  :)
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: vester on January 30, 2011, 06:56:42 AM
The pivot in combination with the array tool, can be use to a lot of things.
Here is one thing is stairs.

A round stair case:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic09.jpg&hash=c2756e455ac6a27e405573ff5b8322276e0407be)
Picture 9.
Pivot for the step set to the center of the pole.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe242%2Fvester_DK%2FMisc%2FPic10.jpg&hash=7cb56dd9aafa9ca7035fa9a963f752ea658014f0)
Picture 10.
Rotating around the z axis and moving some in z direction.

Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: mrbisonm on January 30, 2011, 03:31:12 PM
Great.

How exactly, or should I ask, where do you change the pivot from the center to the side? And how do you multiply the stairsteps?

Hey, this is a great thread, glad that I asked and you came along, vester.....lol ;)

Thanks
Fred
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: vester on January 30, 2011, 04:18:00 PM
Not sure I understand why you want to change it to the side!

Click on the [Affeck Pivot Only]

and put in the coordinats of the side.

click on the [Affeck Pivot Only] again to turn it off.


To do mutiply stairsteps: just readjust the count number. (See picture 6)
Here I have given the array tool an angle-value, a z-value and a count number.
Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: jmyers2043 on January 30, 2011, 04:31:48 PM
QuoteFor the curious: I am building things for the GRV - Challenge 10.


I'm curious   ???  Where's challenge 9   ()what()    :D   


Title: Re: Extruding a Group?
Post by: mrbisonm on January 30, 2011, 09:33:56 PM
Quote from: jmyers2043 on January 30, 2011, 04:31:48 PM
I'm curious   ???  Where's challenge 9   ()what()    :D   



lol....It's on my gaming computer, which is waiting to get cleaned out. It has a virus and impossible to play any games at the moment.
Actually Challenge 9 is almost finished, all it takes is taking a couple more pictures and then write the story. Everything is built. The thing is that I am spending my free time already on Challenge 10's BATs at the moment while waiting for my son to come down and re-install windows. :)
Don't worry, Jim, I know that I have to do Challenge 9 before I ask you to make me my Challenge 10 (still wanna do it?)

Fred