3 <title>Q3Radiant Editor Manual: Page 5.1</title>
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4 <link rel = "stylesheet" type = "text/css" href = "../styles/q3rad.css">
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7 <h1 class = "MsoTitle">Q3Radiant Editor Manual</h1>
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9 <h1><a name = "tools3">Tools 3: Working with Curve Patches</a></h1>
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11 <div class = "subheading">Escape (ESC)</div>
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13 This is the all-purpose deselect key. Use it to back out of
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14 operations you don't want to complete or to stop working on a patch
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15 or group of patches.
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17 <h2><a name = "curvemen">Curve Menu Commands</a></h2>
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19 The next set of commands comes from the Curve Menu. Some are
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20 duplicated on the Patch Tool Bar.
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22 <p><div class = "subheading">Cylinder</div>
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24 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Cylinder)</div>
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25 This creates the simplest cylinder. Cylinders are always drawn
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26 with their open ends facing up and down. It does not matter which
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27 map view is open when the cylinder is created.
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29 <p><strong>More Cylinders:</strong>
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31 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > More Cylinders)</div>
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33 <ul><strong>Dense Cylinder</strong>
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35 <br>This is a cylinder with a set of extra rows. It allows a
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36 180-degree bend into a half donut (half torus).
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38 <p><strong>Very Dense Cylinder</strong>
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40 <br>This is a cylinder with two extra sets of rows. This allows a
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41 bend into a full donut (torus).
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43 <p><strong>Square Cylinder</strong>
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45 <br>This is a cylinder whose columns have been adjusted so that a
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46 square, with flat sides, is formed.
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49 <p><div class = "subheading">End Cap</div>
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51 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Endcap)</div>
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52 This is a half cylinder.
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54 <p><div class = "subheading">Bevel</div>
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56 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Bevel)</div>
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57 This is a quarter cylinder
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59 <p><strong>More End caps, Bevels:</strong>
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61 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > More End caps, Bevels)</div>
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63 <p><strong>Square Endcap</strong>
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65 <br>This is an endcap without the backside removed.
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67 <p><strong>Square Bevel</strong>
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69 <br>This is a bevel with squared off back faces
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71 <p><div class = "subheading">Cone</div>
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73 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Cone)</div>
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75 A cone is a cylinder with control points drawn together and
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76 welded at one end to form a point.
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78 <p><div class = "subheading">Sphere</div>
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80 <div class = "menu">(Not implemented)</div>
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82 <div class = "tip"><b>Design Note:</b> A curve patch sphere can be constructed from
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83 a cone. Start with a cubic brush. Convert into a cone. Go into edit
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84 vertexes mode and grab the control point at the peak of the
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85 cone. Pull it downward to half the height of the cone. Clone
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86 the resulting piece and flip it upside down.</div>
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88 <p><div class = "subheading">Simple Patch Mesh…</div>
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90 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Simple Patch Mesh…)</div>
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92 The patch mesh is the basic building block use to create all
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93 curves. All the curve primitives are deformations of this
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94 item. For this to work, you must first create a brush of the
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95 dimension desired for the patch. Selecting this opens a Patch
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96 dialogue window. This lets you select the vertical (rows) and
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97 horizontal (columns) complexity of the patch. The more complexity
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98 means being able to perform more deformations on the patch. It also
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99 means adding a greater number of triangles that must be
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102 <p><div class = "subheading">Insert</div>
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104 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Insert)</div>
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105 Adding control points increases the complexity of a mesh. This
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106 action does not increase the physical size of a mesh. Additions are
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107 usually done before manipulating the patch mesh.
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109 <ul><strong>Insert (2) Columns</strong>
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110 <br>This adds two columns of control points to the left edge of a
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113 <br><strong>Add (2) Columns</strong>
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115 <br>This adds two columns of control points to the right edge of a
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118 <br><strong>Insert (2) Rows</strong>
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120 <br>This adds two rows of control points to the lower edge of a
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123 <br><strong>Add (2) Rows</strong>
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124 <br>This adds two rows of control points to the upper edge of a
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128 <p><div class = "subheading">Delete</div>
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130 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Delete)</div>
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132 Deleting control points reduces the complexity of a patch mesh.
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133 Be warned that the features created by the removed points are also
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134 removed. It does not make the mesh a less complex version of the
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135 former design. Deletions also change the dimensions of the mesh,
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136 removing the area created by the deleted control points. A mesh
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137 cannot be reduced smaller than a 3 column by 3 row complexity.
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139 <ul><strong>First (2) Columns</strong>
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141 <br>This removes two columns of control points from the left edge of
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144 <br><strong>Last (2) Columns</strong>
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146 <br>This removes two columns of control points from the right edge
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149 <br><strong>First (2) Rows</strong>
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151 <br>This removes two rows of control points from the lower edge of a
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154 <br><strong>Last (2) Rows </strong>
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156 <br>This removes two rows of control points from the upper edge of a
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160 <p><div class = "subheading">Matrix</div>
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162 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Matrix)</div>
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164 This has nothing to do with Neo and Trinity. It's the patch mesh
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167 <p><strong>Invert</strong>
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169 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Matrix > Invert)
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171 <br>(Shortcut: CTRL + I)</div>
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173 This command inverts the normals of the patch mesh. The normals
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174 control the direction of facing for the texture skin and the
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177 <p><strong>Re-disperse</strong>
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179 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Matrix > Re-disperse)</div>
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180 This is used on a selected patch. When rows or columns are
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181 inserted or added to a patch, the dimensions of the patch are not
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182 changed. The distances between the new additions and the old points
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183 are not the same. This command averages out the distance between
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184 the points. It does not change the size of the patch. <b>
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185 WARNING!</b> Only apply this BEFORE adjusting the patch. Otherwise,
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186 you may lose your work on it. With some patches, selecting this
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187 command will destroy the patch itself.
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190 <ul><strong>Cols</strong>
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192 <div class = "menu">(Menu:
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193 Curve > Matrix > Re-disperse > Cols)
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195 <br>(Shortcut: SHIFT + CTRL + E)</div>
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197 The distance between columns is averaged and evened out.
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199 <p><strong>Rows</strong>
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201 <div class = "menu">(Menu:
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202 Curve > Matrix > Re-disperse > Rows)
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204 <br>(Shortcut: CTRL + E)</div>
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205 The distance between rows is averaged and evened out.</ul>
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207 <p><strong>Transpose</strong>
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209 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Transpose)
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211 <br>(Shortcut: SHIFT + CTRL + M)</div>
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213 (Function undetermined)
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215 <p><div class = "subheading">Cap</div>
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217 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Cap)</div>
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219 This command adds "cap" patches to the ends of the patch. The
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220 original brush and the caps are linked together as a func_group
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221 entity. A Patch Tool Bar button duplicates this command. The type
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222 of cap depends on the selected patch:
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225 <tr valign = "top">
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226 <td rowspan = 9><img src = "../Q3Rad_Manual_files/image032.png" width = 229 height = 147></td>
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230 <td width = 70%>The ends of the cylinder are sealed with circular patches.</td>
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232 <tr valign = "top">
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235 <td width = 70%>The ends of the cylinder are sealed with square patches.</td>
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237 <tr valign = "top">
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240 <td width = 70%>Both ends are capped (open and point). You will want to discard the
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241 cap on the point end.</td>
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243 <tr valign = "top">
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246 <td width = 70%>If you select to cap a bevel, a dialogue window pops up.
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247 A normal bevel cap covers the space between the curve and the
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250 <tr valign = "top">
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253 <td width = 70%>An inverted bevel covers the space between the curve and the outer
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256 <tr valign = "top">
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259 <td width = 70%>If you select to cap an endcap, the same dialogue window pops
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262 <tr valign = "top">
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265 <td width = 70%>The bevel/endcap window will pop up. Results will vary depending on
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266 the manipulations done to the mesh.</td>
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268 <tr valign = "top">
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271 <td width = 70%>Capped in the same manner as a cylinder</td>
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273 <tr valign = "top">
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274 <td><b>Square End Cap</b></td>
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275 <td width = 70%>Capped
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276 in the same manner as a cylinder</td>
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280 <p><strong>Cycle Cap Texture</strong>
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282 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + N)</div>
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284 Press this repeatedly until the texture on the cap patch looks
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287 <p><div class = "subheading">Overlay</div>
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289 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Overlay)</div>
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291 Overlay turns the grid of control points on for the selected
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292 patches and leaves them on until the Clear command is selected. By
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293 having the control points on a curve patch be visible, it is easier
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294 for the designer to align the vertices of adjacent solid geometry
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297 <ul><strong>Set</strong>
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299 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Overlay > Set)
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301 <br>(Shortcut: Y)</div>
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303 This is the command to turn on the control points in a selected
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306 <p><strong>Clear</strong>
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308 <div class = "menu">(Menu:
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309 Curve > Overlay > Clear)
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311 <br>(Shortcut: ALT + Y)</div>
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313 This is the command to turn off all control points in all
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316 <p><div class = "subheading">Thicken</div>
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318 <div class = "menu">(Menu: Curve > Thicken)
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320 <br>(Shortcut: CTRL + T)</div>
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322 If you think about it conceptually, Thicken transforms a curve
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323 patch into a three-dimensional object. It does this by duplicating
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324 the selected curve and moving it a distance away from the copied
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325 curve, and, if the "seams" checkbox is checked, it will cover the
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326 space between the original and the copy with patches. The distance
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327 between original and copy is selected in a pop-up dialogue window.
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328 The direction is determined by the facing of the curve's normals
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329 (the textured side). The duplicated curve appears on the opposite
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330 side of the textured face. The resulting object depends on the
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331 nature of the curve primitive being thickened. The following
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338 <td width = 90%>A pipe is created. Checking "seams" caps the ends.</td>
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341 <td><b>Bevel</b></td>
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342 <td width = 90%>A matching bevel is created. Checking "seams" creates a bent square
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346 <td><b>Endcap</b></td>
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347 <td width = 90%>A matching endcap is created. Checking "seams" creates an
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350 <tr valign = "top">
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353 <td width = 90%>A mesh that echoes the shape of the selected patch is created, but
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354 with XY dimensions smaller or larger by the measure of the
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355 thickness (smaller if the normals are on the concave side; larger
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356 if on the convex side).</td>
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360 <p>* Thickening an Endcap is not the best way to create this shape.
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361 Bending a square cylinder will produce better results.
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365 <h2>Patch Tool Bar</h2>
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366 <img src = "../Q3Rad_Manual_files/image034.png" width = 205 height = 22>
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367 <br>The patch tool part is turned on in the Preferences. Each
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368 of these buttons enables or disables a curve editing feature, or
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369 initiates a process on a selected curve patch.
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371 <p><div class = "subheading">Don't Select Curved Brushes</div>
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373 This button toggles the ability to select or not select curve
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374 patches in the map. If turned on (depressed), the user will not be
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375 able to individually select curve patches. Group selections
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376 will still include any curve patches within their boundaries.
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380 <p><div class = "subheading">Show Patch Bounding Box</div>
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382 This button toggles the display of the bounding box that defines
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383 the limits of the patch. On (button depressed) shows the bounding
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388 <p><div class = "subheading">Show Patches as Wireframe</div>
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390 This button toggles the display of patches between a fully
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391 textured mesh (off) and a wireframe-only mode (on). The wireframe
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392 mode makes it easier to see the deformations of the mesh and allows
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393 the user to see some control points that may be hidden by the
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394 texture when it is mapped on the mesh. It can also be a
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395 performance-enhancer for the editor (by setting the view to
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396 wireframe until you need to see the brush textured).
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400 <p><div class = "tip"><b>Design Tip:</b> When manipulating the control points on a
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401 patch mesh, using wire frame allows you to best see both the
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402 control points and the deformations.</div>
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406 <p><div class = "subheading">Patch Bend Mode</div>
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408 If a curve patch is selected, this button initiates a multi-step
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409 bending procedure. There are tutorials available on several
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410 sites that address the fine points of bending a patch, whether it
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411 is a cylinder or a simple flat mesh. The ESC key will exit the
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412 procedure at any point. The following are just the steps:
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416 <ul><li>Select the patch (and only the patch).
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418 <li>Press the Patch Bend Mode button. This brings up an instruction
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423 <div class = "menu">"Use TAB to cycle through available bend axis.
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425 <br>Press ENTER when the desired one is highlighted"</div>
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429 <p>This highlights (turns pink) a row or column of patch control
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430 points. One of these control points will likely be the axis for
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431 your bend. Pressing ENTER locks in your choice and advances to the
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436 <ul><li>A second instruction window message appears:</ul>
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440 <div class = "menu">"Use TAB to cycle through available rotation axis.
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442 <br>This will LOCK around that point. You may also
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444 <br>use Shift + Middle Click to select an arbitrary
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446 <br>point. Press ENTER when the desired one is
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448 <br>highlighted."</div>
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452 <p>This highlights the specific control point around which the
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453 patch will bend. Pressing ENTER locks in your choice and advances
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454 to the next step. You can also choose the control point by
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455 SHIFT + middle mouse button clicking on the map window. The
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456 click need not be within the bounds of the patch.
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460 <ul><li>A third instruction window message appears:</ul>
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464 <div class = "menu">"Use TAB to choose which side to bend. Press
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466 <br>ENTER when the desired one is highlighted."</div>
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470 <p>This highlights the side or end of the patch (relative to the
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471 bend point) around which the patch will bend. Pressing ENTER
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472 locks in your choice and advances to the next step.
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476 <ul><li>A fourth instruction window message appears:</ul>
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480 <div class = "menu">"Use the MOUSE to bend the patch. It uses the
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482 <br>same ui rules as Free Rotation. Press ENTER to
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484 <br>accept the bend, press ESC to abandon it and exit
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486 <br>Bend mode."</div>
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490 <p>Clicking and holding the Left mouse button on the map window and
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491 dragging it around will cause the patch to bend. Pressing ENTER or
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492 ESC at this point will accept any changes that you have made.
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496 <p><div class = "subheading">Redisperse Patch Points</div>
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498 This is used on a selected patch. When rows or columns are
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499 inserted or added to a patch, the dimensions of the whole patch are
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500 not automatically adjusted. The distances between the new additions
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501 and the old points are not the same. This command averages out the
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502 distance between the points.
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506 <p><b>WARNING:</b> Only apply this BEFORE making adjustments to the
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507 patch, otherwise you may lose your work on it. With some
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508 patches, the patch itself will be destroyed.
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512 <p><div class = "subheading">CAP (put caps on the current patch)</div>
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513 This is used on a selected patch.
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517 <p><div class = "tip"><strong>Design Notes:</strong>
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519 <ul><b>Endcaps:</b> Don't cap endcaps with this tool. Make a
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520 pair of opposing bevel caps that match the arch of the endcap
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522 <br><b>Messed Up Texturing:</b> If an inverted bevel endcap covers
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523 something other than an arc of a perfect circle, it is likely that
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524 the texture won't appear right when you apply the CAP function to
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525 the texture. Press SHIFT + CTRL + P a few times until it looks
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529 <p><strong>Weld Equal Patch Points (welds equal patch points during
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532 <br>(Patch Control Bar only) This feature, when selected (button
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533 pressed in) causes control points to weld together if they are
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534 moved to the same coordinates. Undo will undo the move and the
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539 <p><strong>Drill Down (selects drill down rows and columns)</strong>
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541 <br>When this is toggled on (depressed), clicking on a control point
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542 in a 2D Map view selects all the control points in the row or
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549 <h2><a name = "patchmove">Moving Patches</a></h2>
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551 <div class = "subheading">Moving Selected Curve Patch</div>
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553 These keys move the curve patch around the map in discrete map
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556 <ul><strong>Move Selection Down</strong>
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558 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: Keypad MINUS)</div>
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560 Each press moves the selected map component down along the
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561 Z-axis by one grid position (at current grid setting). Not affected
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562 by current 2D-map view.
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564 <p><strong>Move Selection Up</strong>
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566 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: Keypad PLUS)</div>
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568 Each press moves the selected map component up along the Z-axis
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569 by one grid position (at current grid setting). Not affected by
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570 current 2D-map view.</ul>
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572 <p><div class = "subheading">Nudging the Curve Patch</div>
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574 These keys move the curve patch around the map in discrete map
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575 grid increments. The movement is in terms of the selected window,
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576 not in terms of XYZ coordinates.
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578 <ul><strong>Nudge Down</strong>
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580 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: ALT + DOWN ARROW)</div>
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581 Each press moves the selected map component "down" the map view
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582 by one grid position (at the current grid setting). The movement is
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583 relative to the selected map view, not XYZ coordinates.
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587 <p><strong>Nudge Up</strong>
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589 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: ALT + UP ARROW)</div>
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591 Each press moves the selected map component "up" the map view by
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592 one grid position (at the current grid setting). The movement is
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593 relative to the selected map view, not XYZ coordinates.
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595 <p><strong>Nudge Left</strong>
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597 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: ALT + LEFT ARROW)</div>
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599 Each press moves the selected map component "left" the map view
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600 by one grid position (at the current grid setting). The movement is
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601 relative to the selected map view, not XYZ coordinates.
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603 <p><strong>Nudge Right</strong>
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605 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: ALT + RIGHT ARROW)</div>
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607 Each press moves the selected map component "right" the map view
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608 by one grid position (at the current grid setting). The movement is
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609 relative to the selected map view, not XYZ coordinates.</ul>
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611 <p><div class = "subheading">Snap Selection To Grid</div>
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613 <div class = "menu">(Shortcut: CTRL + G)</div>
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615 If you are using the map grid to keep curve patches in
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616 alignment, this is a great tool. Rotated curve patches and curve
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617 patches that have had their vertices tweaked can have vertices that
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618 no longer lie on map grid intersections. This snaps the vertices to
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619 align with the grid. Be warned that snapping to large grids
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620 may be hazardous to the health of your curve patch (Snap and it's
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621 gone! But that's what UNDO is for).
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622 <p align = "center"><a href = "../ch05/pg5_1.htm">Back</a> | <a href = "../index.htm">Home</a> | <a href = "../ch07/pg7_1.htm">Next</a>
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projects / xonotic / netradiant.git / blob