simple inset question

simple inset question

on Sep 20, 2012 at 12:22:39 pm

Hey guys, new to 3ds max here. I've got what should be a simply task but the inset function under polygon modeling isn't behaving the way I'd like it to. I've got these 4 polygons I'd like to inset:

http://imgur.com/wprcM

but when I do, it looks skewed and not inset proportionally:

http://imgur.com/5WK69

The height and width of those 4 polygons are the same so I'm not sure why it's insetting it more vertically. I'm sure this is glaringly obvious to you guys but I'm clueless as to why it's doing that.

Thanks in advance! Much appreciated.

cheers,
Eugene

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 20, 2012 at 3:05:01 pm

Hi Eugene -

When you look at the Caddy - the mini interface which you show in your screen shot, the first box below "Inset" should give you your answer. When you click and hold you should get two choices, Group, or By Polygon. I think one of those will solve your problem.

Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 21, 2012 at 1:55:44 am

Hey, I've tried them both. It's definitely meant to be by group, which I have it set to. The other one is by polygon and that's not the result I'm after.

any other alternatives?

thanks
Eugene

Macbook 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 21, 2012 at 11:59:42 am

Sorry that didn't help. The only other thing I can see from your sample is that it looks as if the outline is being somehow constrained to an axis - is it possible that you have any constraints turned on that would limit the funtions of outline?

Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 23, 2012 at 6:27:06 am

nope no constraints as far as I can tell. I could have accidentally hit something though without knowing it. could it be the axis orientation or something like that? this is quite a pain as the inset function is integral to modeling in max and preventing me from going any further...

Eugene

Macbook 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 23, 2012 at 5:18:29 pm

Do you by any chance have Edit Constraints turned on in Edit Poly? That could be the culprit. It's in the Edit Geometry section.

Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 24, 2012 at 10:03:47 am

hey, under the Edit Geometry section I see a 'Constraints' section with 4 options

-None
-Edge
-Face
-Normal

Is this what you meant? Currently its set to None, but I've cycled through the other options and given it a go but get the same results when using the inset function.

Eugene

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 24, 2012 at 1:29:12 pm

That's what I was referring to. Sorry it wasn't the solution. There are so many possibilities here - I think the simplest solution here is to just use the grid, select your vertices, and move them around until they look right. Now that I look at the model, it looks as if the angle the edges are coming in to it on the top is affecting the way inset is working. If you notice, the edges on the bottom are coming in and attaching at an angle (excluding the middle one). On the top half of the model they're not. I think that may be the problem.

Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com

Re: simple inset question

on Sep 27, 2012 at 9:31:41 pm

cool thanks, I'll investigate.

cheers!

Re: simple inset question

by David Chappell

on Oct 3, 2012 at 12:01:39 pm

It may be worth resetting your x-forms - depending on how you modeled the structure it could have all gone abit wonky ;)

Under your hammer (utilities) select Reset XForm and then collpase your stack - then try again.

It often fixes unexplained oddities.

---
David Chappell
Freelance Motion Graphics / 3D
http://www.IncidentalTrees.co.uk

Re: simple inset question

on Oct 4, 2012 at 9:33:17 am

holy f***ing s***.

you sir, are a genius. inset function is now working perfectly. I cant thank you enough. I can now resume my 3ds quest I had so easily given up on.

cheers man,
Eugene

Re: simple inset question

by David Chappell

on Oct 4, 2012 at 10:10:14 am

Good stuff!

---
David Chappell
Freelance Motion Graphics / 3D
http://www.IncidentalTrees.co.uk