Hello!

Is the “set volume” option really broken in the FDD modifier??

Also the same question here: http://www.maxforums.org/thread.aspx?tid=501081
The strange thing is that there aren’t much posts about this.

The “set volume” is used in this tutorial but I don’t even think it is working there also: http://www.cgcookie.com/articles...ta-plant-in-3d-studio-max

Thsi is very annoying...is there a fix? Any alternative plugin?

Thanks

I just tried it, and you apper to be right, it doesn’t work.
To get it fixed, you will have to make them aware of the problem. You could send a defect report:-
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/ser...id=5600504&linkID=9241177
and add it to the bugs thread, with a link to this one for others to test.
http://area.autodesk.com/for...gs-master-thread/Page-70/
There is still no garuntee they will fix it, but you have to at least try.

RubberDuck 08 January 2009 10:24 PM

Hello!

Is the “set volume” option really broken in the FDD modifier??

What is wrong with the FFD Modifier?
Here it is working as expected:
First set the volume then move the control points. (See Attachment.)
Or maybe I just don’t see the issue.

ivan

	Attachment

Try it on somethig simple like a box with segments, move the pointa along its length with Set Volume.
Pic 1. The original FFD lattice.
Pic 2. Move the point up 20 units.
Pic 3. Reset the FFD, use set volume to move the middle points to the right. Then move the same points as before up 20 units. The resulting shape is identical to Pic 2. Before set volume was used.

	Attachment

	Attachment

	Attachment

I think it was always like this, it is better to set the volume only once per FFD modifier.
The workaround is to set another FFD above and set a new volume, or collapse the stack
And do the FFD deformation again.

Actually (at least here on my machine), the newly set volume do the next deformation from the old position of the points, it is like this by design I think.

(Attached image is from test done in Max 5.1).

ivan

	Attachment

Hello Ivan.
I think you don’t see the issue…
Nevertheless...if you can explain how is “set volume” intended to work I ask you to please edit your post with the final explanation in order to reduce the Entropy in the thread.
Thanks

RubberDuck 11 January 2009 12:20 PM

… in order to reduce the Entropy in the thread.

:)

I don’t like how it is working too Rubber Duck, but I think we had this particular problem in the older versions as well.
Actually the only thing I can say is that I always have got more predictable results when I put a new FFD modifier above the old one and set there a new volume when that is needed. Setting the volume twice in one FFD modifier never gave me what I wanted.
I am maybe wrong but this is my experience.

So put into few words I set the volume I need in the assigned FFD, move the control points until I ‘m happy with the picture and if after it, if from some reason I need a new volume, I set it in a second FFD, or collapse the stack and start the operation with a brand new FFD modifier that’s all. (The attached test is done in Max 2009.)

ivan

	Attachment

Hi again…
Could you please try to do the same thing but without altering the so called “initial volume”.
You’ll see no difference between them proving “set volume” does nothing.
So...what’s the a reason to change this initial volume that has no real effect???
Again....if you’ll be so kind to edit your initial post to something like “it’s true...it does nothing...what the f***” I’ll be appreciated ;-)
Thanks anyway....

RubberDuck,

In my humble understanding the Set Volume option is here just to let us
set the initial state of the Lattice. (See Attachment) This is important by complex geometry especially when fine-tuning is needed. One set the volume without damaging the primary object and then moving the Control Points achieve the desired deformation.
Actually defining the volume is extremely important if you need to do something locally with precision. One needs enough Control Points and precisely set Volume.

BTW if a Control Point is already animated Set Volume works just like the Control point level, moving the (animated) point there, deform the object, therefore is better to set it once but not twice.

As I already said above I am not absolutely happy with the modifier, it could be better,
But I’m afraid it worked always like this, is not downgraded. 

ivan

	Attachment

Ivan, what Rubberduck is experiencing is the same as me.  If you “Set Volume” and then move Control Points, it affects the geometry the same as if you had NOT done the Set Volume.  No matter what I do to Set Volume, the object is deformed in the exact same way.

And as far back as I can remember (3ds Max 2.5) this has been the case.

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And as far back as I can remember (3ds Max 2.5) this has been the case.

Yes it’s the same in older versions.
Maybe we are misunderstanding what it is for, mabe it’s not supposed to alter how the object deforms, but is nothing more than a visual aid to move the control points closer to the surface of a non-box shaped object. Soyou shouldn’t move them along the surface like in my example, only to the surface. To get the level of control needed to deform the box as I would have expected, I would have to use an FFD Box with more divisions.

But if that’s the case, what are the Deform options, Only in Volume and All Vertices for? Since the default volume encloses all vertices, how is only in volume supposed to work?