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Software Discussion
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3D Studio Max
Best way to make a bunch of wires/cables?
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Jonathan 480 posts30 Mar 2007So what's the best way to make a bunch of wires/cables laying how they normally would like across a computer desk? Would you?
Make a circle and then a line, celect circle and the line and "extrude along path" so it'll extrude the circle and make it a cylinder along the path of the line?
Then perhaps apply a physics algorithm so it'll deform according to whatever it's lying on? So basically, it'll deform over other wires, items on the desk, etc?
What's the Max-imized workflow?
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30 Mar 2007If I was doing this I'd just use renderable splines and adjust them by hand, no physics solution (I am assuming this is for a still picture).
There was a recent thread at cgsociety with close to the same problem:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=6&t=478158
Might want to check that out. -
Jonathan 480 posts30 Mar 2007Thanks for the fast response.
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Double Supercool 10 posts04 Apr 2007Blur Studios has a nice little maxscript that will string cables from one piece of geometry to another. They are essentially just splines which can then be edited, but the script lets you easily choose a lot of things (number of hoses, thickness variation etc).
So, you make two boxes as start and end positions, and add a couple more if you want to make the splines follow a particular path. Choose the number and thickness, press the button and it creates them.
As for making them flex, bounce etc . . . well, that is a different story.
I recall a 3Dworld mag having some tutorials on rigging a walker style exoskeletong (matrix 3 style) with pistons, wobbling cables etc. Very maya centric, but I will check and see if I still have the tutorial on disc.
If I can find the blur maxscript I will post it up. -
04 Apr 2007If its just for a still image you'd be best doing it by hand. You have much more control over the exact output.
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