Vertex Weld operator

[Laserschwert]

Just as there is a shell operator, it would be very cool to get a vertex weld functionality as well. This could somehow be the half-way solution between cloth and a fractured shape, because the bind operators allow for some very different looks compared to cloth. So you could ultimately have a torn metal/paper look by welding the vertices of a fractured mesh, so that the gaps between the particles disappear.

I don't know if it's even possible to weld (let's say voronoi fractured) mesh if it has thickness, but using a Birth Shape without thickness (like a standard Max plane) should allow for this (and shell the whole thing after welding). Then again, we should be able to tell tyFlow a theoretical thickness to be used for simulation, before the shell opeartor gets applied. Or is that functionality already in there?

This is an example of what I'm talking about (basically smashing through paper/cardboard/drywall) - and getting rid of the faceting and gaps between the voronoi chunks):



Maybe with an option to only weld between unbroken binds or something like that?

[tyFlow]

Couldn't you just place max's vertex weld modifier on your tyFlow object? Just remember to turn off 'render only' in the mesh op.

[Laserschwert]

Mh... putting any modifiers on top of tyFlow doesn't do anything to the mesh. I've placed the mesh operator at the end of the flow, removed "Render only" and set it to "Triangle Mesh". Even simple stuff like a bend modifier doesn't do anything. And most modifiers can't even be selected (not EditMesh/Poly, no TurboSmooth, no Shell, no Slice. Volume Select can be put onto the tyFlow, but doesn't do anything either.

Also sometimes you only want to weld a specific part of the flow (like the wallpaper layer of your wall destruction flow), which can't be done with welding the whole tyFlow object.

[tyFlow]

Do you have "particle interface" turned on?

[Laserschwert]

Oh boy, yes, I do... that at least fixed the modifier issues.

But there's still the thing about welding only the vertices from a part of the flow, and only welding particle vertices that are bound together.

[tyFlow]

Yea that's a tougher question to answer....there's not an easy way to do it in or outside of tyFlow in a generalized sense.

Eventually I'd like to create a comprehensive select modifier that works with data passed up from the flow, but that's far on the todo list right now.