Patch-Mesh 101
Apse
Alright, let's start off by adding some brushes to
surround the apse (half dome) that we are going to build.
Notice all the brushes that are going to be behind the
apse are textured with common/caulk.
For this tutorial I'm building the apse in the wall behind
the small ledge that we made on the last page.
Looks like this before we make the apse.
We are going to build a brush the same
size as the hole we just made. I textured this brush with
the base_trim/pewter_shiney texture. Now turn it
into a endcap (curve menu then endcap)
Next hit the shift+S key and then hit the fit
button.
Looks like this
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| 3d View |
Top down view. |
Now make a couple of
inverted bevel caps for this endcap.
While the endcap is still selected, hit the shift+C
and pick inverted bevel.
Now ungroup these meshes by right clicking in the 2d
window and selecting ungroup entity. Next unselect them
all (esc key). Move the inverted caps into
position so they look like this.
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| 3d View |
Side View |
Now unselect the inverted
bevels (esc key) and select the endcap. Next turn
on vertex editing (V key).
Now the real fun starts. We are going to shape this endcap
into a nice apse.
Let's get at it from a side view of the endcap. Start by
moving the control point numbered 1 toward the control
point numbered 2 but stop it short of 2. Next move control
point numbered 3 to where 1 started at (upper left
corner.) Now move control point numbered 4 up to just
below control point number 2.
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| Before side view |
After side view |
Now switch to the x-y
view and move the control points toward the middle as in
the pic below. The upper right and left corners of the
mesh have three control points. The easiest way to
select the vertex you want is to click on it in the 3d
view and then drag it in the x-y view towards the
central point. Once you've moved the top left and top
right control points, move the two control points that
were below them in the top view towards the central
point as well. At this stage you should have something
resembling the following picture.
Now that the correct control points have
been moved, select the top middle ones and move them all
to the middle point.
Like this:
Now switch to the side view and move the
control point that I numbered 4 up to the middle point
number 2.
There ya go - it's done.
This particular apse looks like this in the test level.
Check out John Hutton's tutorial on
making an apse here
Next a domed ceiling.
Patch mesh page 8
The
following short cut keys will come in handy while
working with meshes:
ctrl-G
Snap to grid (I use this one a lot)
ctrl- I
Invert texture
shift-control-N Cycles cap textures patch
V key
Turns on vertices so you can drag them.
control-N
Naturalize patch texture
Control-P
Toggle show patches
shift-C
Cap selected curve
shift-S
Patch Inspector (I use this one a lot)
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