TP Collapse is a Utility invoked right from the Utility section of 3ds Max's main user interface. TP Collapse is a simple yet powerful tool. There are no UI controls for this tool; the workflow is as follows:
TP Collapse is a Utility invoked right from the Utility section of 3ds
Max's main user interface. TP Collapse is a simple yet powerful tool.
There are no UI controls for this tool; the workflow is as follows:
1.) Select a rigged (linked) object hierarchy
2.) Call/Activate the TP Collapse tool
This tool will collapse any linked hierarchy into one mesh and automatically
apply a HFragment
Modifier with proper heirarchy and naming convention, based on the
linking of the source object.
In the illustration shown below, a simple 3ds Max object setup was created
to illustrate the functionality of the TP Collapse Utility. The object
to the left is composed of multiple objects, all linked together. The
object to the right was created with TP Collapse (one mesh with the HFragmenter
applied).
Find below a screenshot of the hierarchy and structure of the linked objects
in 3ds Max. Note, the joints are all linked to the "root" dummy
object. For the TP Collapse utility to work properly, the thinkingParticles
joint helpers can be linked to any hierarchy level within the main object.
The exact position of the joint helpers within the hierarchy does not
matter. However, for the ease of finding or handling the object - attaching
all joints to the root is always a good idea.
The 3ds Max hierarchies created, by linking objects together, will be automatically
transfered to the HFragmenter modifier. The modifier will create one
single mesh, splitting all elements with the proper FGroups assigned.
In the illustration below, you can see that the automatic assignment of
FGroups based on the elements found in the hierarchy joints, are automatically
created and assigned properly.
