3ds Max: Offset border polygons?

Playdo

Just wondering if there's a way to extend the border polygons outwards, creating a new border loop?

Basically the opposite of 'inset'. 'Outline' doesn't create a new loop, and 'shift+drag+scaling the border' doesn't respect the direction.

cptSwing

SyncView made something similar a while back (PC thread: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67834). Not sure how much support you can expect if it doesn't work anymore because he's hella busy from what i gather (IC_Shape development is on hold as well) ;-)

Adam L. Gray

The edge selection has an extrude function. It does get messed up every now and then though

Don't remember if it takes the direction into account, but I think it should, if you just get that second slider right.

poopipe

edge extrude will work but put the geometry in the wrong place.

shift+uniform scale will probably get you closest to what oyu want without using a script/plugin

Butthair

poopipe has the right idea. You could also try enabling face constraints or using local/gimbal gizmo modes when extruding to follow the mesh normals better.

Playdo

@cptSwong: Cheers. I was hoping that there was a method native to Max that I didn't know about.

@others: Thanks but those methods wouldn't work.

poopipe

the shift+scale followed by moving does - I tried it before I posted.

It won't work with constraints enabled cos they have nothing to act on but local pivot should work provided you're working on a border

Playdo

It's ok poopipe, I'm aware that shift+scale creates a new border edge. Having to tweak the individual verts after, defeats the purpose of what I'm after.

Ghostscape

I've used a shell modifier, followed by an extrude on the new shell "thickness" faces, followed by deleting those shell faces.

Oniram

this script may help

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84365

Playdo

Cheers for the replies. Good thinking Ghostscape.