3DSMax: Accurately align object to vertex/face normal

AtticusMars

Is there a good way to do this? Normal align seems to do what I want but it's completely unaffected by snaps which makes it annoying to place things correctly. Any ideas?

AlecMoody

What are you looking to do with it? I add surface details using a plugin that allows for custom primitives and then use the auto grid feature to align them on the surface.

AtticusMars

Basically trying to do what you're describing, add spikes (or anything else that would commonly need to be evenly spaced) to the surface of an object that is curved in more than one direction.

May I ask what the plugin you use is called?

kary

Tried using object painting? IE: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo8zPOS_1ds"]Sneak peek: Object painting - YouTube[/ame] Neil Blevins has a version in his Soulburn scripts pack as well. http://www.neilblevins.com/cg_tools/soulburnscripts/soulburnscripts.htm

AtticusMars

Object paint has the same problem as normal align: can't snap.

A custom primitive with auto grid looks like it would work but the only one I can find is Primitive Maker on scriptspot which is giving me write errors when I try to save.

Noors

I guess you could place regular primtives with autogrid then align your spikes to the primitives. Not really straightforward tho...