Grid units?
by Jeff Cole · in Constructor · 04/15/2008 (1:17 pm) · 6 replies
Is there anyway to modify the Default grid Units in constructor?
Right now they are preset to increments of 10 20 50 etc.
I am working on a modular geometry building system and am working in the space of 1 unit = 1cm and then by setting the smllest grid increment to .01, then I create and scale the modular pieces in powers of 2...
8 16 32 64 128 256 512 .. ect.
Is there anyway to change the grid unit spacing to be 8 16 32 64 .. etc.
Right now they are preset to increments of 10 20 50 etc.
I am working on a modular geometry building system and am working in the space of 1 unit = 1cm and then by setting the smllest grid increment to .01, then I create and scale the modular pieces in powers of 2...
8 16 32 64 128 256 512 .. ect.
Is there anyway to change the grid unit spacing to be 8 16 32 64 .. etc.
#2
04/15/2008 (2:45 pm)
Change the grid spacing under the properties window, prefs/grid spacing
#3
The GUI control that displays Grid Units contains fixed values of "10", "10 20", "10 25", "10 50", "10 20 50", and "10 25 50." As far as I know, there is no way to change those hard-coded values.
One option might be to make several large power-of-two-sized squished cubes, with a grid texture on the top and the top at z=0. Then lay out the geometry on top of the grid-substitutes using them as a guide, and then remove the grid-substitutes before a final export.
04/15/2008 (6:23 pm)
Changing the "Grid Spacing" will change the snap-to-grid behavior, yes, but it won't change the "Grid Units" used to display the grid on the ground plane.The GUI control that displays Grid Units contains fixed values of "10", "10 20", "10 25", "10 50", "10 20 50", and "10 25 50." As far as I know, there is no way to change those hard-coded values.
One option might be to make several large power-of-two-sized squished cubes, with a grid texture on the top and the top at z=0. Then lay out the geometry on top of the grid-substitutes using them as a guide, and then remove the grid-substitutes before a final export.
#4
seems like the Grid Unit setting defaults should be stored in a config so we can either change them.. or have the option to enter numerical values manually..
Working in powers of 2 makes life alot easier for lining things up and making modular geometry that you can easily reuse basically making lego art sets .. once you have them.,. you can make a ton of different things and easily populate several levels with a single art set.
Anyway, I posted as well on the wishlist thread you sent .. thanks
04/15/2008 (10:44 pm)
Thanks Andy.. that however wouldn't solve the problem of needing to snap to the grid....seems like the Grid Unit setting defaults should be stored in a config so we can either change them.. or have the option to enter numerical values manually..
Working in powers of 2 makes life alot easier for lining things up and making modular geometry that you can easily reuse basically making lego art sets .. once you have them.,. you can make a ton of different things and easily populate several levels with a single art set.
Anyway, I posted as well on the wishlist thread you sent .. thanks
#5
There's is a setting to change the grid from 10s to 2s in the system/preferences. (never used it before so I don't know if it is what you are looking for)
04/16/2008 (1:27 pm)
Andy, this does change the grid units. Change the grid spacing will change the snap to grid, yes, but also the space/size.There's is a setting to change the grid from 10s to 2s in the system/preferences. (never used it before so I don't know if it is what you are looking for)
#6
If I want to set my smallest Grid Spacing to be 1cm.. I set grid spacing to .01m
However, If I want to work in powers of 2 rather than in meters, the zoom steps for the grid should be like this..
.02m .04m .08m .16m .32m .64m 1.28m 2.56m 5.12m 10.24m 20.48m etc..
this effectivley compares to what you are familar with in texture sizes.. 128 , 512, 1024 etc..
But right now You can only set the Grid Units themselves in 10 or 10 20 50 .. etc..
So effectivley when you zoom out on the grid.. if you look at your zoom stage in the lower right corner of the window you see
.01/1m or .01/10m or .01/20m
At this stage of zooming if I am working in powers of 2 I really have no way of lining up on the grid correctly
I need my grid to Have subdivisions of 8 instead of 10 .. and when I zoom in and out my grid will scale in powers of 2.
.01cm/128cm .01/256cm .01/512cm .. etc...
There are 2 benefits to being able to work like this... one if you make a wall that is 256x256 or 512x512,, you know your textures, which are also in powers of 2 will scale and tile very nicley.
the other benefit is you can make modular pieces that will fit together no matter how you arrange them... for instance..
I am making a bunch of buildings .. the base walls and interiors are cut from the BSP in constructor..
I also make a bunch of various trim pieces in Maya... say a gutter piece or a nice decorative trim that goes around the base that I make 256cm long
Now As long as I make all my buidlings in lengths of 256 , 512, 0r 1024 .. I know I can use any of those trim pieces to deocrate the buildings and they will line up nicley on all of them ,, use 2 of them to cover the 512 length.. or use 4 of them to cover the building thats got a lenght of 1024..
04/16/2008 (4:58 pm)
Josiah, the problem is the gridlines dont match the system.If I want to set my smallest Grid Spacing to be 1cm.. I set grid spacing to .01m
However, If I want to work in powers of 2 rather than in meters, the zoom steps for the grid should be like this..
.02m .04m .08m .16m .32m .64m 1.28m 2.56m 5.12m 10.24m 20.48m etc..
this effectivley compares to what you are familar with in texture sizes.. 128 , 512, 1024 etc..
But right now You can only set the Grid Units themselves in 10 or 10 20 50 .. etc..
So effectivley when you zoom out on the grid.. if you look at your zoom stage in the lower right corner of the window you see
.01/1m or .01/10m or .01/20m
At this stage of zooming if I am working in powers of 2 I really have no way of lining up on the grid correctly
I need my grid to Have subdivisions of 8 instead of 10 .. and when I zoom in and out my grid will scale in powers of 2.
.01cm/128cm .01/256cm .01/512cm .. etc...
There are 2 benefits to being able to work like this... one if you make a wall that is 256x256 or 512x512,, you know your textures, which are also in powers of 2 will scale and tile very nicley.
the other benefit is you can make modular pieces that will fit together no matter how you arrange them... for instance..
I am making a bunch of buildings .. the base walls and interiors are cut from the BSP in constructor..
I also make a bunch of various trim pieces in Maya... say a gutter piece or a nice decorative trim that goes around the base that I make 256cm long
Now As long as I make all my buidlings in lengths of 256 , 512, 0r 1024 .. I know I can use any of those trim pieces to deocrate the buildings and they will line up nicley on all of them ,, use 2 of them to cover the 512 length.. or use 4 of them to cover the building thats got a lenght of 1024..
Torque Owner Andy