MODO retopology

Spoon

Hi guys,

I normally use 3DC or Max for retopo, and I am missing a bit that approach in MODO.
I would create vertex 1, vertex 2, then finishing the quad. Cant remember the tool name in coat, but I believe it is step build in max.

In MODO, everything seems to be build around extrusions. Is that correct?
I just really feel I am missing sometihng.

Atm, I need to retopo a hard surface model, where I need to touch every vertex by hand, so it just seems easier to place them like in max or coat than to drag them out, and THEN place them.

What am I missing? How do you go about retopo in MODO?

PolyHertz

I think either the Pen or Topology pen does that...

Spoon

Except for the very first polygon (which I create with 'pen'), I have used only that.
But I still feel I am slow.

You shift drag out edges, then go vert by vert adjusting, and thats it?

EDIT: Just found "fill" mode, that already helped a bit

EDIT 2: Aaahh, and the point mode, of course. Thanks!

Stranger

When you get the hang of it, Modo's retopo tools are some of the best.

Spoon

Tidal Blast wrote: »

EDIT 3 - Smooth

Since it's hard surface, I dont think I want to do that?
But actually, is there something like the opposite? Where I can push verts to nearest cavity or convexity or something?

Why is MODO's retopo stronger than the others, you think?

I have already found, that alone the fact that verts dont drop through the mesh, and are difficult to retrieve, like in coat, makes the process way more pleasant.

WarrenM

Why is MODO's retopo stronger than the others, you think?

One of the biggest advantages, honestly, is it's integration. You can use the modeling tools right alongside the topo tools so it creates a really powerful toolset.

And it works both ways ... I will often use the topo pen to create new geometry. Like, drop a reference image into the viewport and then use the topo pen to cover a shape with quads before extruding it into a real mesh.