MCG as parametric modelling tool (Beginner questions)

[Anonymous]

Hello

I have a few questions regarding using MCG as a parametric modelling tool.

Apologies if this sounds uninformed, I am trying to get my head around MCG and its possible use in node based modelling and wondered if there's a way to use MCG for this purpose?

My question is how if you're creating a new modifier each time you make a new MCG graph, do you avoid an extra-long and unwieldy modifier list ? Is there some way to make to make sub-folders in the menu? or can MCG's export as stand alone maxscripts and be managed that way?

Looking at Dynamo as a possible alternative but would like to create and modify geometry interactivitly in the viewport using MCG's if it's possible?

Thanks in advance

Pandachilli

stevenblakedesign.co.uk

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Hi!

No worries about "uniformed" as there is not much documentation for MCG yet, its brand new in 2016!

For your first question, I am not too sure I really get it, but if I do correctly I'd say that you could not find in MCG the similar type of modiling abilities as in a Edit Poly/Mesh modifier; for instance, there is no MCG node to do extrusion. Although it is possible to be built with MCG, that would require a good understanding of mesh data structure do be done.

For your second question, there is not current way in Max to 'organize' Modifiers in the Modifier list, but it is certainly a very good idea! 🙂

Third question, well yes. That is the primary usage of MCG, to parametrically / procedurally modify meshes, live in the scene.

If by any chance you have a facebook account, there is a quite active group of pure MCG users and MCG devellopers that you can follow and interact with:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1611269852441897/

As a starting point, here are a few links to look at, that can give you a idea of what MCG is capable of :

MCG AREA Blog

http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/mcgblog

Autodesk 3d Max Learning Channel - Introduction to Max Creation Graph; Eight-part video series. 

http://tinyurl.com/mf2eesf

Christopher Diggin's MCG Sample Pack v01 - with sample MAX scene of primitives for testing.

http://tinyurl.com/lwfrosr

Official Autodesk User Forums for MCG

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/max-creation-graph-mcg/bd-p/maxcreationgraph

MCG Section at ScriptSpot (REQUIRES LOG-IN)

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/mcg 

MCG Section at Max Plugins

http://maxplugins.de/max2016.php?range=MCG&sort=Author

Elara Systems MCG videos and downloads

http://tinyurl.com/pneu2pn

Martin Coven's Max Creation Graph playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSYoqyYgI9GZ30IE8PpER4Z3q8CiGchAa

I hope this can help you choose MCG! 🙂

[Anonymous]

Thanks for these resources, I think I'm beginning to understand the areas MCG would be useful, I'm still unclear on a couple of things however:

1. Is there a proposed way to manage and access a larger number of created modifiers?

2. Can a MCG be converted to a script at all?

2. is it possible create and output geometry directly into the scene rather than a modifier first? ie so that you get 'live' feeback of the geo as the graph is created / modified?

Thanks again, it may be that simply using the modifier stack is enough of a parametric modelling tool, however a s node based approach to modelling does seem appealing.

Regards,

Pandachilli

stevenblakedesign.co.uk

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Those are great questions!

As of now, there is no other ways to manage a large number of modifiers, the modifiers list was not yet modified to account for managing them, unfortunately.

MCG is part maxscript and part c#, the c# part (librairies) is not portable to maxscript, so that is not doable. It is possible to extend MCG with Maxscript, in two ways; there is a node called 'EvalMaxscript' in MCG that enables maxscript calls to input values into the graph, and there is a CustomUI tab in the graph properties, initially intended to enable UI editing and adding but also support extended maxscript functions.

MCG graphs can also be called from maxscript, to create, assign or set parameters to MCG graphs instances in a scene. MCG also has a Maxscript function output, MCG can be used to create maxscript functions.

There is an "output: geometry". This output do enable some type of management, from the graph properties, the "Category:" field lets the user defined a "group category" that is added to the Create Geometry panel drop down list; i.e. added inside the [Standard primitives, etc.. , <user MCG category>] drop down list, and that category will hold all geometry graph tools that have that category set in their properties. The geometry output 'can' be used as a modifier to some extend, by using a pick node parameter to have a 'base object'; but that limits to a 'single' graph and not a suite of modifiers on top of each others.

There is no 'live' mode as per say; for now MCG graphs do need to be saved to file prior of existing in a scene. But once an instance of a graph is created in the scene, it is updated each time the graph is saved and evaluated; so one could start with a 'simple' graph, create an instance of it in the scene and build from there; you'd see your graph changes right away once saved & re-evaluated.

If you did get a chance to see some current users graphs tools, it is quite amazing to see what users get to do with MCG! 🙂

I hope I was able to answer your questions ! 🙂