How to create cracks in a mesh the simplest way?

[Anonymous]

Let's say i want to create a boarded floor, with some of the boards being broken. How would i simply make that happen using only 3ds Max?

[hagen.deloss]

Hi @Anonymous 

Thanks for bringing your question to the forums, it looks like you are visiting as a new member to the 3DS Max forum. I want to extend a warm welcome to the Autodesk Community!

It depends on how complex your object is! If you are working with a lower polygon model, you may want to try cutting some holes in the geometry using the [Cut] tool. This can be found when you convert an object to an editable poly under the modifier tab [Edit Geometry]. Here is a gif.

If your mesh is a little more dense, you could potentially add cracks in as a texture.

Let me know if this helps!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Yes, this would do for now. However the object has depth, meaning it's not just a plane but a 3d object. So the cut

tool only cuts the face of the mesh that i'm currently viewing, and not the whole object.

[hagen.deloss]

@Anonymous 

I would suggest using the cut tool to wrap all the way around your 3d object, and then select the edges and use the [Bridge] Tool to connect them. Here is another example gif

[Anonymous]

Thanks, sorry for giving you the trouble. The gif was really helpful, however.

How do i make sure if i've made a symetrical cut around the object? Is there a viewmode

where i can see only the lines, akin to a wireframe? Edged faces only shows the polygons.

Because if i don't make the cut szmetrical, it would appear skewed, much like the bridge function does.

And the cut tool keeps snapping to the edges despite the snap option not being selected.  And it also allows me to make only a single line, not a connected one.

[hagen.deloss]

@Anonymous 

This tool requires some practice to get a feeling for how it operates, I would say play around with it and see what works best for you!

You can hit alt+W to change your viewport mode to see orthographic cameras from the top and sides of the display. You can also change the settings within the Viewport Label Menu, I have included a gif of how to do this. 

[Anonymous]

i've done that, and it helped. Even though the plank i made has many polygons not just 6. Other thing i wanted to do is i wanted to import it into Zbrush to add further deatil to the plank. However the format .obj yields similar results as Fbx. No textures and very disproportionate meshes. 

I have attatched my original file, and a few examples of what i think this should look like.

My goal is to create a few broken and cracked planks, and then make a platfore or a floor which

a player can see through. Yes it is for a game. So i thought i'll put it together bit by bit, as there are no tutorials anywhere describing those exact steps.

[hagen.deloss · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous 

A game asset pipeline normally would go something like this. 

• Model a lower polygon mesh for the floorboards and unwrap them
• Export this to zbrush and add extra geometric details and textural decals
• texture the high poly assets in a program like Substance
• Bring them back into our modeling software and align the lowpoly and high poly
• bake the textures out to the lower poly

I have never done this whole process, as all the games I have made are lowpoly and stylized, but I think those steps are correct. Here is a video series that could offer more insights.

I hope this helps! I will take a look at your file tomorrow and see if i have further suggestions 😄

[jamestomk · Accepted solution]

I used a series of cutter objects of objects like pyramid or box edges, or extruded odd shapes - first combined with boolean - with proCutter to create the following attached.

[jamestomk]

I needed something similar so I attach a picture with an array of boards and lighting and a view from top projecting on a subfloor and a view from underneath.