Microsoft KB Archive/168172

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

HOWTO: Technique for Creating a Realistic Planet
Last reviewed: May 9, 1997

Article ID: Q168172

The information in this article applies to:


 * Softimage 3D for IRIX, version 3.51
 * Softimage 3D for Windows NT, version 3.51

SUMMARY
This article is provided to show you how to create a realistic planet or other imperfect sphere-shaped objects using an alternative to the usual technique (Get->Primitive->Sphere and applying Effect ->Randomize). When you apply a randomize effect to a sphere, the resulting sphere has displaced joints on poles.

The following technique gives you a more geodesic configuration and prevents the undesirable joint effect:


 * 1) From the Model module, select MetaClay->Add System.
 * 2) Choose MetaClay->Add Element.
 * 3) MetaClay>Convert to Polygon.
 * 4) Now you have a perfect sphere without joints and poles.

MORE INFORMATION
If you want a larger sphere and are not concerned with the number of polygons, scale the Metaclay element upward first, then convert it to polygons. Inversely, to enlarge the sphere and keep the number of polygons low, convert it to polygon first and scale it upward afterwards.