Morphing Models

The ModelMorpher node makes it very easy morph a sequence of complete Seamless nodes. To see the ModelMorpher in action using as littler as 10 clicks:

1 Create a new smls file by clicking   from the main tool bar.
2 Open the scene tree window and add a NurbsLathe  for the selected part  (just click the NurbsLathe icon in the main toolbar).



3 Click the ModelMorpher  icon in the main tool bar.
4 Select the second NurbsLathe node in the scene:



and drag one or any number of it's control.
5 select the Anim    node and click play

Done!

You will notice that the ModelSequence  contains 3 Seamless  nodes but it would also be correct to say there are only 2 because the last Seamless node is a reference to the first Seamless node (therefore it is the same node). The second Seamless node node is an identical copy of the first until we drag it's Lathe's control points. We can add a new identical copy of any Seamless   node if we hold down the control key while dragging the Seamless   node within the list to another location:



If you want more than 3 Seamless nodes in the list, set the ModelSequence's    key field to equal the same number of Seamless nodes contained in the ModelSequence

When a ModelMorpher is output to VRML/X3D it is converted to a Shape node and each ModelSequence node contained in the ModelMorpher is converted to a CoordinateInterpator node. When using the ModelMorpher to make gestures for an avatar one ModelSequence node can be used per gesture.

In the folowing image:



We see a GestureGroup contining 2 Anim nodes for 2 gestures. The script for the first gesture animates the first ModelSequence   seq0 and the script for the second gesture animates the second ModelSequence   seq1.

The ModelMorpher node is so easy to use it is ideal for any beginner to play with and the results can be very quick and exciting. However problems will arise if a Seamless node is changed so that it contains a different number of vertices to any other contained in the entire ModelMorpher node. If this is alowed to happen Seamless3d will most likely crash. One way to easily make this mistake is make a Lathe node have one of it's ends not match the rest of the lathes (not match as in being an open or closed end). This is because Seamless3d automatically will make the end in the Lathe's shape end with a single vertex instead of a ring of vertices when the end control point is closed (point x == 0). This wont happen automatically if the lathe is converted to a NurbsPatch or if the parts are converted to blue parts which will then allow for the immediate radial tug to be used.

If you want to change the color you only need to change the color for the first Seamless node in the ModelMorpher but the color will not update unless you close Seamless3d down and reopen or alternatively make a copy of the top Seamless node and delete the old one. (adding a new Seamless node causes the ModelMorpher to reinitialize internally)

Note: do not attempt to copy an existing ModelSequence node the same way as was explaind to copy a Seamless node. In the future this will be possible but in the mean time just add a new ModelSequence from the new node bar and copy Seamless nodes to it from another (or the existing) ModelSequence node.

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