Aaron2004

Hello,

I believe I may have seen a post recently on this, but I forgot where it was and I believe that replies didn't help out.

I'm trying to model a roof. It's nothing special...just a normal roof with a couple of gables on it. My problem is everything I do with it is SO sloppy. I really need some better direction.

I think I need 2 things:

1) Really good tuts that have helped you out on poly modeling (even books).
2) Help with where I am right now (picture attached). It's a really simple roof, that's why it's driving me crazy. I just want this gable to shoot out, but I end up making 2 seperate roofs and tossing them together. I can't use welding, since nothing really lines up.

Any help?

Thanks!

Aaron

Attached Images

poly.jpg (86.5 KB, 105 views)

okmijun

you have to check 3D palace tutorial called "Stormbringer" I think, it is about modeling some space ship, but it is PURE HARDCORE POLY modeling!
a lot of stuff to learn even you know a lot of before!

MazenSamir

Also the Audi a3 tutorial on the same site, I learned allot from it.

nazcaLine

i model roofs like this:
-draw the contour, converto to edit poly
-in poly mode, cut the inner drawing lines.
-in vertex mode, pick the right vertexes, and move them up, to the specified height of your roof.
-shell modifier.

hope this helps.

Eduardo

__________________
"I have nothing to do with the real world anymore. Please don't insist."
Eduardo Romero

2hot

nazcaLine's method is cool ... but not when the roof is complex (combinations of HIPS, Gables and Dormers) or when you need to be precise - No Guessing!

Getting a decent roof straight-off from VIZ or MAX can be frustrating. I'd suggest you do a "PLAN" drawing of the Roof in a CAD software (autoCAD for example) and import the plan to VIZ.

While drawing the PLAN in CAD, make sure the lines bounding the faces of each sheet are independent -- for a Simple Gable (Pyramid type), you should have four distinct triangles arranged to look like a Square (or rectangle) with crossing diagonals.

In VIZ, go to FILE>IMPORT and import the CAD drawing (select layers corresponding to the ones in the CAD software). The imported object will be a Spline.

At subobject level, grab the center vertex (or vertices as the case may be) and move them up the required height (right click on move botton, and type the height on the Z-axis field for precision -- I'm assuming you are modelling in perpective view)

Apply an EXTRUDE modifier and you should have a Gable Roof with the desired proportions. The Extrude amount can be 50 (that works well for me as I work in Millimeters). Play around with that until you get what you like. The Extrusion adds depth to the roof much like the "Flashing" over the FACIA.

APPLY a MESH EDIT over all that for more flexibility.

.... You can take over from here. See attached file for a visual guide. You can adapt the above procedure to any roof type or combination.
If you encounter problems afterwards, keep this thread alive!

Attached Images

Roof_Tut-All.jpg (98.9 KB, 73 views)

malevy

Thanks that worked pretty easily. I cannot figure out the extrude portion of it because it always extrudes a side polygon instead of the peak of the roof.. but i guess some more messing around and i will eventually figure it out..

AFK_Matrix

Personally I would put in a XY Grid activate it, then draw a rectangle to the correct width and height. Then with the Midpoint snap and vertex snap on I would draw in the roof outline from the bottom corners to the mid point of the rectangle. Then select the line go to sub-object spline select the line then use the Outline tool to give it the thickness. Get out of sub object mode and then apply the extrude modifier and then extrude the right amount. Then make it an Editable Mesh. Voila one roof.

malevy

Thank you that method worked great for me !!!

Hobo Monstrocity

For complex roof shapes I usually draw a 3 dimensional spline cage and then add a surface modifier. Works like a charm.

AFK_Matrix

Glad it worked for you With this method you can do gables on any side of a building quite easily. You can also model flat tiles onto it if you wish, it isn't hard. This method also is quite handy if you have bought in the CAD elevations as well, as you can just setup the grid and trace over the elevation with the gable end. Anyway better get back to learning Mental Ray