3DS Max Freeform Retopo Tools. Anyway to Ignore backfacing?

sidx30

So currently I am trying to retopo a really complex high poly object(Tons of gaps and little nooks) and get a decent looking Low Poly. Sadly the Freeform tools in 3DS Max are making me rip my hair out.

Whenever I use "step build" or "surface" to fill in areas with open vertices, the damn tools pick out vertexes that are directly behind the surface areas I'm working on and connects the polygons to them. Is there a way to ignore vertexes that are completely out of view or backfacing? The "Ignore Backface" Tick under the Modify Panel doesn't effect these freeform tools.

I know there are way better tools like Maya and 3DCOAT that handles this type of stuff way better, but I'm currently stuck with Max and am hoping for a solution for this issue.  

musashidan

The freeform retop tools in graphite are from a really old engine (polyboost plugin) and can be a pain in areas like that. A bit of a hack is to create proxy filler planes and attach them as part of the high poly to avoid arsing around with open border nooks and crannies.  Then just adjust these areas when finished the retop.

sidx30

@musashidan  Interesting, thanks for the tip! If thats the case then I probably should try and get out of retopo in 3DS in the future lol. I'll try those proxy planes for now.

YannickStoot

@sidx30
To be honest though. Anything in 3Ds Max look hacked together. Any mayor task whether that be UV mapping or Retopologizing I try to do in another package. For retop you could look into TopoGun. I'm not 100% sure if that is the best bet with geometric objects like buildings but hey, for those you could just use the modeling tools in max.

C86G

Max´s UV editing and unwarpping tools did awesome jobs for me years ago and they still do. And for retopo I use a small script that lets me use _all my standard modeling/ editing_ tools, but just with the retopo funtionality. Flawless.

sidx30

@YannickStoot Yea, definitely heard of that one. May have to get my hands on something that'll work for me and try some of these tools out.

@C86G Sounds Interesting, any chance that script is sharable?  Been looking into scripted alternatives, but no luck yet.

C86G

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/max-retopo-1-5

This should be it. Simply drag and drop into viewport and have fun.