3DS Max mesh to ffd

Husch

Is there a way to turn a simple poly mesh into a FFD object to deform another or several other mesh objects? Box or cylindrical FFDs will not work well with the objects I want to deform.
I am working with Max 2009 64 bit.

pior

Skinwrap modifier!

http://vimeo.com/7846122
@3:40

Husch

I have tried the skinwrap modifier before, but somehow it did not gave me the control about the high poly mesh I wanted to deform . I am looking for some kind of reverse subdivision modelling, when you only have the high poly left and you want to deform/modelling the general shape of the objects with a new lowpoly cage. Maybe I did something wrong with the skin wrap modifier, and I have to play around with the settings? I will test it again.

MoP

Yeah, Skin Wrap is definitely what you want for this. The description of what you're trying to do is pretty much the definition of what Skin Wrap is good at :P

Mark Dygert

Skinwrap works best when the verts from the deforming mesh are roughly the same density and placement as the verts in the control mesh. It was originally designed as a way to transfer skin weights between similar characters. When the meshes are drastically different, you get problems. Up res the low poly control mesh and it will deform better, normally just a few extra loops is all you need.

Husch

OK, I tested the skin wrap modifier and now it works the way I need it. Only one problem is left, the mirror selected seems not to work properly. When I am in the Control Vertices mode I can see the green circles on the mirrored side in the position they should be, but when I click on mirror selected nothing happens. I think the vertices of the control mesh should move to the position indicated by the greens circles, right? Playing around with the Mirror Threshold does not solve the problem.

Mark Dygert

You might need to reset xform then reapply skin wrap. Or the mesh might not be symmetrical.