Help with making a stair case using Duplicate multiple command using Softimage

synergy11

Hey folks.

I am trying to model a stair case that gradually get's scaled as you go up the stairs.

So the bottom stair is the largest and it incrementally get's smaller as you ascend.

I am using Softimage's duplicate multiple where it let's you select the Transforms. Howevever whenever I type in a Scale value. It doesn't not do anything.

The translate and rotate values work fine..

I would like each step to scale in by 2 Units per step.

Any help would be great.

Also I am using Version 6.

Thanks.

cryrid

It's not a problem I can recreate, so I'm not sure what the issue would be without actually looking at the model.

As for an alternative approach, you could do a 2-frame animation, keying the translation and scale values to your desired step. Switch to the f-curve editor to make them linear, make the curve a relative cycle, and then use Edit: Duplicate/Instantiate: Duplicate/Instantiate from Animation.

synergy11

To clarify I would like to take a cube that is say 10 x 2 and duplicate it so everytime it gets one unit wider. So next cube would be 11x2 then 12x2. So at the end I'll have a basic staircase that goes from smaller step to larger. (Or opposite)

So using the duplicate multiple options I can get the "steps" to incrementally move down and over. But when I try to increase the width by 1 unit each time(as described above), it does not work. I swear I;ve seen the Duplicate Multiple function used in a similar way before...

Thanks!

cryrid

What are you entering for a value? If you're only entering 1, it's multiplying the scale by 1. A formula might work, and the animation method would be just as valid

synergy11

I'll have to try the animation method. I've never done anything like that before.

Well I tried different values. Nothing has any effect.

I know Duplicate Multiple must do this. Google sketchup can do this.!

But for now. I was trying a different way. Because the duplicate with options will remember your transforms. So you transform one and then just keep pumping Ctrl-D.

My question however is. When I hold the Control button when I scale in one axis. Both sides of the object will scale out, however the increments are too far. ... How do I change it so that when I scale an object in one axis while holding Ctrl. It will only scale by 1 unit?

synergy11

I just re-read your post...So i should be entering a value of +1 in the Duplicate Multiple function? otherwise it defaults to multiplication?

cryrid

I think the scale is always a multiplication to be honest. If you enter a formula like +1 it seems to do the math first and then use the resulting number as the value. A simple script could probably get around it, but it would be one of those things where creating it would take longer than the alternative method.

My question however is. When I hold the Control button when I scale in one axis. Both sides of the object will scale out, however the increments are too far. ... How do I change it so that when I scale an object in one axis while holding Ctrl. It will only scale by 1 unit?

The increments can be changed under Transform: Transform Preferences. The problem is that it will use the current scale of the mesh. So if the object has a sclz of 2 and the ctrl+ increment is set to 0.5, then it will snap to adding 1 as you drag. But as soon as you release the mouse button then the sclz value changes. If it's now 8, then the next time you ctrl+drag it will snap +4 or -4

synergy11

Is this a bug in Softimage?

I just can't imagine box modeling without this function.

And using animation seems like a bizarre workaround.

Thanks for all the help though.


Can Max and Maya do this function?

cryrid

I don't think it's a bug so much as the way scaling works (ulike translation and rotation values which are absolute, scaling values are multipliers and use only the local coordinate system). Again it would probably be easy enough to get around it with a script/expression (especially with an ICE compound, but I forget if v6 had it), but as far as default behavior goes, that seems to be it.

If you wanted to snap to the world grid, you could just translate the verts instead (with sym on).