Upgrade FFDs modifiers

[Ehsan.Sarahian]

Some ideas for this useful modifier:

1- More performance.
2- Merge all modifiers (FFD 2*2*2, FFD 3*3*3, FFD 4*4*4, FFD(box), FFD(cyl)) in one modifier.
3- Ability to selected control points support by linkedxform modifier like lattice and clusters in Maya.
4- Ability to remove inside control points.
5- Add soft selection for select the control points.
6- Snap supports FFDs control points.
7- Add new default shapes like sphere for FFDs.

[Kranos_Orphydian]

wow never really thought about how much potential this has. How does other software deal with this? I think Ive seen some nice modeling with a similar tool in some old videos of the software Lightwave

(from 01:50 onwards) Modeling tools. - YouTube

3.Ability to selected control points support by linkedxform modifier like lattice and clusters in Maya 

can you elaborate more on that and maybe post some images!

[Ehsan.Sarahian]

@Kranos_Orphydian 

yeah that's useful tool with much potential.

In another idea I explained about number 3 with a movie example to rigging in Maya:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/upgrade-linkedxform-modifier/idi-p/11916159

[Kranos_Orphydian]

thanks! What I find the most uncomfortable about working with the FFD is it can get very confusing when you have more control points and/or internal control points.  I think there should be more visual feedback in regards to what you are about to select and what you select (different default colors values as well etc.). Also, an option to hide the connections between control points otherwise it gets pretty messy.

Alternatively, this should come in a tool version as well within edit poly modifier. This way can be much faster applying it to different selections instead of stacking an edit poly and a FFD every time you want to subsequently deformed another section of your model.

And I dont think Ive ever used the Set Volume subject or mode. Do you always need to do it manually point by point to fit the lattice more precisely to irregular-shaped objects? Is Conform to Shape option at the bottom suppose to do this automatically? On help page it says it doesn't work well with irregular shapes so thats that. I definitely see more room of improvement here and alot of potential  apart from the obvious one of adding support for other default shapes than box and cylinder.

[gandhics]

1- is addressed/
2- Dev looked at them. They actually produce different results. So, they can't unify them.
4- This is technically not possible.