Note: For the improved CREATION AND EDITITNG CAPABILITIES OF SPLINES (within Edit/Editable Spline), I've made a whole separate topic. Pls. check it out and support it here: [Splines] Improved creation/editing capabilities and precision
IMPROVED EXISTING MODIFIERS
Edit Spline modifier
Normalize spline modifier
Sweep modifier
Trim/Extend Spline modifier
The new Trim/Extend modifier currently adds very little value. It would be very valuable if it were 'live' in the stack. Ideally, the Trim/Extend modifier could be applied above a spline object in the stack and would allow modifications to the spline object below it while maintaining the trim/extend values above. This would allow, for example, the ability to apply the modifier, and then to adjust the angle of the splines being trimmed/extended freely, without having to delete the modifier and add another trim/extend modifier in its place.
Renderable Spline modifier
Spline Overlap modifier
Spline Normals to travel across modifiers. On spline overlap we have this "use Normals (if present)". That's cool if we create the spline with a freehand tool over an object. The problem is that if after a freehand we create a normalize for example, this Normals disappear. Can we make this Normals consistent, even if we create modifiers in between?
Spline Influence modifier
Update the Spline Influence modifier to account for Influence object's actual volume so we get a similar function to the Vol Select modifier. That's because the Spline Influence modifier only calculates selection and falloff based on the center of the Influence object, not the volume itself like the Vol. Select modifier does.
Extrude modifier
Cross Section modifier
Add the ability to re-order splines within Edit Spline. When using the Cross Section Modifier and one needs to move splines around and reorder them - their numbering then also needs to be changed too to reflect the reordering and new positions within the cross-section flow.
Dynamic Spline Behavior
The dynamic behavior of meshes is a fantastic function in 3ds Max. For example, if I build up a mesh model, and in the end, I apply a chamfer modifier on it, I can modify the base model, and the chamfered model changes with it.
However, if I try to do the same with a spline, the chamfering breaks the dynamic behavior of the spline, and if I modify the original spline, the chamfered spline does not change, its vertices have baked coordinates. It would be very nice if the splines in 3ds max were as dynamic as mesh objects. It would be, if meshes and splines could have dynamic connections. For example, detaching Mesh Edges to become Splines wouldn't be a single operation, but the detached spline could be a reference of the mesh. So, modifying the mesh would affect the spline itself.
Array Modifier - 'Nearest Surface' Projection mode for Splines
As suggested here (link) and quoting:
" • The problem:
Aligning array elements to meshes can be difficult. The current (and only) projection mode when distributing with splines paths only assume a projection direction according to the Z axis of the spline node. Relatively simple situations like the one below becomes very difficult to align the individual array elements to the normals of the surface:
Almost all array elements misses the surface, and the ones that hits it ends up in the wrong place. The current solution only works for surfaces that are close to flat. The Conform modifier isn't really useful to solve this situation either.
• The Proposed Solution:
For stitch-like details like you usually want to use topology-independent paths like spline nodes to guide the stiches. The spline paths are usually placed near the mesh surface where you want the array elements to sit.
What is needed is a projection mode where the closest point on the picked surface is identified by each array element, positioned there, with the option to align an axis of each array element to the surface normal.
Example using a custom MAXscript solution.
This would allow for procedural placement of details like stiches, rivets, etc on rounded surfaces that essentially loops around and you are not limited to mainly-flat surfaces."
ADDITIONAL MODIFIERS
An alternative more flexible nondestructive way of editing is through new modifiers for Outline, Spline Boolean, Fillet/Chamfer etc. Some ideas on how this could/should work (based on feedback from users):
Outline modifier (suggested options)
Offset modifier
In conjunction with outline, where outline is from the middle to the edge and offset from edge to edge.
Connect modifier
A connect modifiers between two splines where certain vertices can be connected to form edges of a polygon (with the splines being the other edges). For specific workflows such as procedural road creation, based on splines and resulting in polygons, this would be huge.
Vertex Weld modifier
It would be useful to have a Vertex Weld Modifier which can be applied to splines to parametrically weld imported splines or to apply to spline sections so they can be extruded with caps etc. It's needed for all major commands in Spline like Chamfer, Fillet etc.
LINKS TO SOME ORIGINAL INDIVIDUAL IDEAS:
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