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[Multi-Knife/Cut tool] A unified, fast, interactive and precise tool for the different cut operations (cutting, slicing, inserting edge loops) similar to Maya's Multi-Cut tool

Kranos_Orphydian
Submitted by Advisor on ‎04-04-2021 02:55 PM Status: Gathering Support

[Multi-Knife/Cut tool] A unified, fast, interactive and precise tool for the different cut operations (cutting, slicing, inserting edge loops) similar to Maya's Multi-Cut tool

 

 

I can't stress enough how essential a reliable and versatile Cut tool is for direct modeling for which is the bread and butter along with extrude operations. This was always the case and now it's even more so with the latest developments of Interactive Smart Extrude and Snap Working Pivot. These two already made 3d Max faster and more pleasant to use for direct modeling and it's not hard to see that an updated Cut tool along with a versatile solution to rearrange selections into regular shapes (Circularize/Regularize) to replace the old LoopTools/Circle (link) can exponentially leverage the new workflows. They are complementary to each other to the level of necessity.

 

3ds Max Cut Tool is outdated, unreliable and bugged compared to its other software counterparts (such as Maya, MODO or Blender) and pretty much the worst out of the bunch. Autodesk should go beyond simply fixing these basic tools and take the lead in their development. In this sense, different cut-related operations such as cutting, slicing, inserting edge loops etc. could be unified, made more interactive, speed up and enhanced (more control, precision and visual feedback in the viewport) after a similar paradigm of that of Maya's Multi-Cut tool (link).

 

  • this will follow the pattern of the new Smart extrude tool
  • a versatile cut tool is a much needed companion of the already promising Smart Extrude and make modeling more fluid
  • in 3ds Max already exist an old tool with similar logic (Swift Loop)
  • unifying similar modeling tools will save UI space 
  • it's in accordance with a long-overdue and bigger picture request of unifying the modeling tools spread across the UI

 

Implementation and functionalities

 

Here is a collage showing Maya's Mult-Cut tool implementation and functionalities (general options but also particular ones for each of its modes like Cut, Insert Edge Loop, Slice) powered by a simple and powerful combination of Keyboard/Mouse shortcuts and a robust but reasonably fast to work with context\marking menu.

 

3ds max Multi-Cut Tool Caddy and Quad menu.png

 

Select after cutting

 

One annoying thing is, when you cut a closed shape, you might want to select it and therefore having to go in at polygon level and being careful to select all the polygons including the small triangles resulted from the cut operation. A non ideal workaround is to activate the Split option that will cut a separate element and use Element subobject level to select all with one click, doing your intended insets and extrusions with the selections then trying to weld back the vertices with a very small value. The new Multicut tool should have an option Select after cut to speed and automate this process. In the provided link Arrimus shows this workaround (video link watch tip no.3 from 3:20 onwards) .

 

The visual helpers and feedback

 

These are another refined aspects that could make this tool more pleasant to use. Here I gathered some of the use cases in Maya but C4D and Blender also have nice interaction with this tool.

 

Maya Multi-Cut Tool visual helpers.png

 

 

Scripts for 3ds Max that offer a similar approach but that could be extended even further

 

miauu's Scalpel tool has a similar approach and functionalities but this only regards the cut and slice operations. Quoting from the script website it will allow you to:

 

  • Snap the cut point to the nearest (to the mouse cursor) vertex (Auto and Manual mode provided).
  • Snap the cut point to the center(midpoint) of the nearest edge (Auto and Manual mode provided).
  • Snap the cut point along edge's length to set a precise cut location (in percentages of edge's length). The smallest percentage that can be set is 0.5%.
  • Snap the cut point along edge's length to set a precise cut location (using the system units). The smallest value that can be set is 0.01 units.
  • Make perpendicular cut from vertex to edge or from one edge to another using two different options:
    • the cut line is perpendicular to the snapped edge
    • the cut line is perpendicular to the edges from which the cut starts
  • Use the default QuickSlice with snapping to predefined angles.
  • Use a small heads-up display of data related to the current cut point as a position along the edge as a percentage, the two distance values indicating the distance to either point in the cut edge, and the total length of the edge.
  • See the options for the tool in the Prompt line.
  • Change the values of the Snap Step and the Snap Angle while you cut.

On its website (link) there are videos showing all these features in action so I invite you to check them out. This script also has some very neat visual helpers same as Maya. I couldn't find more images but they are all visible in the tutorial videos

 

miauu scalpel tool 2.jpgmiauu scalpel tool.jpg

 

Blender 3.0 Knife Tool

 

Blender 3.0 got serious improvements on their Knife tool as a result of GSOC successfull project. Pretty much everything worthy to ask for such a tool:

GSoC Roundup Episode Three: Ahead of the Curve, On the Cutting Edge — Blender Developers Blog

 

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MY OTHER IDEAS

 

MODELING

 

UI AND VIEWPORT

 

OTHERS

 

 
 
 
 
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Kranos_Orphydian
Advisor
Advisor
‎12-16-2021 05:53 AM
‎12-16-2021 05:53 AM

I see the Smart Extrude it's getting more and more refined and that Working pivot snap and alignment it's on beta and shows great potential together with the former. This will further direct straightforward modeling even more. Now a versatile Multi cut tool and a Circularize command similar to Mayas will pretty much seal the deal in this department. Let's go Autodesk!

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Kranos_Orphydian
Advisor
Advisor
‎12-17-2021 01:21 PM
‎12-17-2021 01:21 PM

Blender 3.0 got serious improvements on their Knife tool. Pretty much everything worthy to ask for such a tool:

GSoC Roundup Episode Three: Ahead of the Curve, On the Cutting Edge — Blender Developers Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

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