ITP4709 Game 3D Character Design

Lab 1 – Basic Modeling

Content
1.0 Creating Copies and Arrays
1.1 Overview of Copies, Instances, and References
2.0 Techniques for Cloning Objects
2.1 Align Tool
3.0 Creating Shapes
3.1 Editable Splines
4.0 Boolean Compound Object
4.1 Loft Compound Object
4.2 Deformations
4.3 ProBoolean/ProCutter Compound Objects

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1.0 Creating Copies and Arrays

With 3ds Max, you can quickly create multiple versions of one or more selected
objects during a transform operation. You do this by holding down the Shift key as
you move, rotate, or scale the selection.

▲Portico created from arrays of columns

The general term for duplicating objects is cloning. This section presents all the
methods and choices available for cloning objects. In addition to the transform
method, the tools include the following:

 Array lets you set all three transforms, in all three dimensions, at the same
time. The results are precise linear and circular arrays in 2D or 3D space.
 Mirror produces a "reflected" clone about one or more axes. If you mirror an
object without cloning, the result is a "flip" of the geometry, optionally to a
new location.

 Snapshot lets you create clones equally spaced over time or distance, based
on an animation path.

 Spacing Tool distributes objects based on the current selection along a path
defined by a spline or pair of points.

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1.1 Overview of Copies, Instances, and References

To duplicate an object, you use one of three methods. For all three methods, the
original and clone (or clones) are identical at the geometry level. Where the methods
vary is in the way they handle modifiers (for example, Bend or Twist).

▲An object can be a copy of another

 Copy method: Creates a completely separate clone from the original.

Modifying one has no effect on the other.

 Instance method: Creates a completely interchangeable clone of the

original. Modifying an instanced object is the same as modifying the original.

 Reference method: Creates a clone dependent on the original up to

the point when the object is cloned. Changing parameters for modifiers that were
applied to the object before the object was referenced, will change both objects.
However, a new modifier can be applied to one of the reference objects, and it
will affect only the object to which it is applied.

Depending on the method used to create them, cloned objects are called copies,
instances, or references.

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2.0 Techniques for Cloning Objects

3ds Max provides several techniques for copying or duplicating objects; cloning is the
general term for this process. These techniques can be used to clone any selection set.

 Clone
 Shift+Clone

 Snapshot

 Array

 Mirror

 Spacing Tool

 Clone(Edit > Clone)

Using the Clone command on the Edit

menu is the easiest method for copying
an object in place; no transformation is
involved. With the Clone command you
can create copies, instances, or
references of a selected object or a set of
objects.

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 Shift+Clone

Shift+Clone is the primary way to duplicate objects in 3ds Max. You hold down
the Shift key and drag during any of the standard transform operations: Move,
Rotate, or Scale.

 Cloning with Shift+Move

Cloning objects while moving them is quick and easy. It produces a

linear array of two or more objects.

▲Shift+Move creates a clone in a different location

 Cloning with Shift+Rotate

Cloning objects while rotating them produces a variety of effects,

depending on how you set up the transformation.

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▲Shift+Rotate creates a clone with a different orientation

 Cloning with Shift+Scale

Cloning objects while scaling them can produce a variety of nested

objects and arrays, depending on the center you choose.

▲Shift+Scale creates a clone of a different size

 Snapshot([Make a selection] > Tools >

Snapshot)

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▲Using an ice-cream cone animated along a path,

Snapshot creates a stack of cones

Snapshot clones an animated object over time. You can create a single clone on
any frame, or space multiple clones along the animation path. The spacing is a
uniform time interval; it can also be a uniform distance.

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 Array(Tools > Array)

Array is a dedicated tool for cloning and precisely transforming and positioning
groups of objects in one or more spatial dimensions. For each of the three
transforms (move, rotate, and scale), you can specify parameters for individual
objects in the array, or for the array as a whole. Many results you can get with
Array would be laborious or impossible using Shift+Clone techniques.

▲Array interface

Array Transformation
This area lists the active coordinate system and transform center. It’s where you
set the transforms that define the first row of the array. You decide here on the
distance, rotation, or scale of individual elements, and along what axes. You then
repeat this row in other dimensions to produce the finished array.

Move, Rotate, and Scale Transforms

You can set Move, Rotate, and Scale parameters along any of the three axes of
the current coordinate system.

 Move is set in current units. Use a negative value to create the array in the
negative direction of the axis.
 Rotate is set in degrees. Use a negative value to create the array in a
clockwise direction around the axis.

 Scale is set as a percentage. 100 percent is full size. Settings below 100
decrease the size, and above 100 increase it.

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Incremental and Totals

For each transform, you have the choice of whether to apply the transforms
successively to each newly created element in the array or to the overall array.
For example, if you set Incremental > X > Move to 120.0 and Array Dimensions
> 1D > Count to 3, the result is an array of three objects, each of whose
transform centers is 120.0 units apart. However, if you set Totals > X > Move to
120.0 instead, the three elements are spaced 40.0 units apart for a total array
length of 120.0 units.

Array Dimensions
The Array Dimensions controls determine the number of dimensions used in the
array and the spacing between the dimensions.

Count: The number of objects, rows, or layers in each dimension.

1D: One-dimensional arrays form a single line of objects in 3D space, like a line
of columns. 1D Count is the number of objects in a row. Spacing for these
objects is defined in the Array Transformation area.

▲A one-dimensional array, with 1D Count=6

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2D: Two-dimensional arrays form a layer of objects along two dimensions, like
the rows of squares on a chess board. 2D Count is the number of rows in the
array.

▲A two-dimensional array, with 1D Count=7 and 2D Count=4

3D: Three-dimensional arrays form multiple layers of objects in 3D space, like

neatly stacked boxes. 3D Count is the number of layers in the array.

▲A three-dimensional array, with 1D Count=10, 2D Count=6, 3D

Count=3

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Using a Common Center

Both circular and spiral arrays require a common center for the arrayed objects.
This can be the world center, the center of a custom grid object, or the center of
the object group itself. You can also move the pivot point of an individual object
and use that as the common center.

 Circular Arrays

▲A circular array

Circular arrays are similar to linear arrays, but based on rotation around a
common center rather than movement along an axis. The following procedure
makes a circle of objects on the XY plane of the home grid with the Z axis as
the center.

To create a circular array:

1. On the main toolbar, choose a transform center to become the center of

the array. In this case, choose Use Transform Coordinate Center so the
center of the grid becomes the array center.
2. Select an object and position it at some distance from the center of the
grid.

3. Choose Array from the Array flyout or the Tools menu to display the
Array dialog.

4. On the Array dialog, enter 360 in the Totals Rotate Z field.

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5. Choose 1D and enter a Count value (this can be any number) and click
OK. 3ds Max arrays that number of clones within the total rotational
angle you specify.

 Spiral Arrays

▲A spiral array

The simplest spiral arrays are rotated circular arrays with a movement along
the central axis. The same circle is formed, but now the circle rises upward.

If Z is the central axis, enter a value for Incremental Move Z. Each clone is
then moved upward this amount as the circle is formed.

Rotation in Spiral Arrays

In spiral arrays, the direction of rotation determines the direction of the spiral:
which way it winds up or down. Enter a positive rotation for a
counterclockwise spiral. Enter a negative rotation for a clockwise spiral.

Reorienting an Array
By default, each object, when copied into the array, rotates around its own
center to follow the main rotation around the common center. This is
controlled by the Re-Orient option.

To cause objects to maintain their original orientation while being rotated, turn
off Re-Orient. In effect, objects remain "facing the same direction" as the
original object.

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 Mirror

▲Mirroring an object

Mirror produces a symmetrical copy around any combination of axes. There is

also a "No Clone" option that performs the mirror operation without copying.
The effect is a flip or move of the object to a new orientation.

Mirror has an interactive dialog. As you change settings, you see the effect in
the active viewport; in other words, a preview of what the mirror will look
like.

There is also a Mirror modifier that gives you parametric control of the mirror
effect.

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 Spacing Tool(Tools > Align > Spacing Tool)

▲The Spacing Tool distributes the vases along the sides of the
curved street
The Spacing Tool distributes along a path defined by a spline or pair of
points. You define a path by picking a spline or two points and by setting a
number of parameters. You can also specify how the spacing between
objects is determined and whether the insertion points of the objects align to
the tangent of the spline.

To distribute objects along a path:

1. Select one or more objects to distribute.
2. Choose Spacing tool from the Array flyout or the Tools menu.
3. On the Spacing Tool dialog, click Pick Path or Pick Points to specify a
path.
4. From the drop-down list at the bottom of the Parameters group, choose a
spacing option.
5. Specify the number of objects to distribute by entering a Count value, or
by using the spinner.
6. Depending on the spacing option you choose, adjust the spacing and
offsets.
7. In the Context group, choose one of the following:
 Edges - spacing be determined from the facing edges of each
object’s bounding box.
 Centers - spacing be determined from the center of each
object’s bounding box.
8. To align the insertion points of the distributed objects to the tangent of the

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spline, turn on Follow.
9. In the Type Of Object group, choose the type of object to output (copy,
instance, or reference) and click Apply.

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2.1 Align Tool

Align tool lets you distribute source objects based on the current selection to a
second selection of destination objects.

▲Aligning objects along an axis / Left: X position, center

Upper right: Y position, minimum / Lower right: Y position, maximum

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▲Interface

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Align Position group

X/Y/Z Position—Specifies on which axis or axes to perform the alignment. Turning
on all three options moves the current object to the target object's location.

Current Object/Target Object groups

Specify which points on the objects' bounding boxes to use for the alignment. You can
choose different points for the current object and the target object. For example, you
can align the current object's pivot point with the center of the target object.

Minimum—Aligns the point on the object's bounding box with the lowest X, Y, and
Z values with the chosen point on the other object.

Center—Aligns the center of the object's bounding box with the chosen point on the
other object.

Pivot Point—Aligns the object's pivot point with the chosen point on the other object.

Maximum—Aligns the point on the object's bounding box with the highest X, Y, and
Z values with the chosen point on the other object.

Align Orientation (Local) group

These settings let you match the orientation of the local coordinate systems between
the two objects on any combination of axes.

This option is independent of the position alignment settings. You can leave the
Position settings alone and use the Orientation check boxes to rotate the current object
to match the orientation of the target object.

Position alignment uses world coordinates, while orientation alignment uses local
coordinates.

Match Scale group

Use the X Axis, Y Axis, and Z Axis options to match the scale axis values between the
two selected objects. This matches only the scale values you'd see in the Transform
Type-In. It does not necessarily cause two objects to be the same size. There will be
no change in size if neither of the objects has previously been scaled.

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3.0 Creating Shapes

Shapes are 2D and 3D lines and groups of lines that you typically use as
components of other objects. Most of the default shapes are made from splines. You
use these spline shapes to do the following:

 Generate planar and thin 3D surfaces

 Define loft components such as paths, shapes, and fit curves

 Generate surfaces of revolution

 Generate extrusions

 Define motion paths

Splines include the following object types

▲Object Type rollout (Splines and Extended Splines)

▼Line Spline ▼NGon Spline

▼Rectangle Spline ▼Star Spline

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▼Circle Spline ▼Text Spline

▼Ellipse Spline ▼Helix Spline

▼Arc Spline ▼Section Spline

▼Donut Spline

Extended Splines include the following object types

▼WRectangle Spline ▼Tee Spline

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▼Channel Spline ▼Wide Flange Spline

▼Angle Spline

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3.1 Editable Splines

Editable Spline provides controls for manipulating an object as a spline object and at
three sub-object levels: vertex, segment, and spline. To produce an editable spline
object, first select the shape, and then do one of the following:

 Right-click the shape entry in the stack display and choose Convert To:
Editable Spline.
 In a viewport, right-click the object and choose Convert To: > Convert to
Editable Spline from the Transform (lower-right) quadrant of the quad
menu.

 Create a shape with two or more splines by first turning off Start New
Shape (on the Create panel). Any shape made up of two or more splines is
automatically an editable spline.

 Editable Spline Vertex Type

 Smooth: Nonadjustable vertices that create smooth continuous curves. The

curvature at a smooth vertex is determined by the spacing of adjacent
vertices.
 Corner: Nonadjustable vertices that create sharp corners.
 Bezier: Adjustable vertex with locked continuous tangent handles that
create a smooth curve. The curvature at the vertex is set by the direction and
magnitude of the tangent handles.
 Bezier Corner: Adjustable vertex with discontinuous tangent handles that
create a sharp corner. The curvature of the segment as it leaves the corner is
set by the direction and magnitude of the tangent handles.

▲Smooth vertex (left) and Corner vertex (right)

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▲Bezier vertex (left) and Bezier Corner vertex (right)

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 Editable Spline Functions

Outline—Makes a copy of the spline, offset on all sides to the distance

specified by the Outline Width spinner (to the right of the Outline button). Select
one or more splines and then adjust the outline position dynamically with the
spinner, or click Outline and then drag a spline. If the spline is open, the resulting
spline and its outline will make a single closed spline.

Boolean—Combines two closed polygons by performing a 2D Boolean

operation that alters the first spline you select, and deletes the second one. Select
the first spline, then click the Boolean button and the desired operation, and then
select the second spline.

Note: 2D Booleans only work on 2D splines that are in the same plane.

There are three Boolean operations:

 Union—Combines two overlapping splines into a single spline, in

which the overlapping portion is removed, leaving non-overlapping
portions of the two splines as a single spline.
 Subtraction—Subtracts the overlapping portion of the second spline
from the first spline, and deletes the remainder of the second spline.
 Intersection—Leaves only the overlapping portions of the two
splines, deleting the non-overlapping portion of both.

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▲Original splines (left), Boolean Union, Boolean Subtraction,

and Boolean Intersection, respectively

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4.0 Boolean Compound Object

A Boolean object combines two other objects by performing a

Boolean operation on them.

▲Operand A (left); Operand B (right)

These are the Boolean operations for geometry:

 Union—The Boolean object contains the volume of both original objects.

The intersecting or overlapping portion of the geometry is removed.
 Intersection—The Boolean object contains only the volume that was
common to both original objects (in other words, where they overlapped).
 Subtraction (or difference)— The Boolean object contains the
volume of one original object with the intersection volume subtracted from
it.

▲Subtraction: A-B ▲Subtraction: B-A

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▲Union ▲Intersection

4.1 Loft Compound Object

▲Roadway created as a lofted shape

Loft objects are two-dimensional shapes extruded along a third axis. You create loft
objects from two or more existing spline objects. One of these splines serves the path.
The remaining splines serve as cross-sections, or shapes, of the loft object. As you
arrange shapes along the path, 3ds Max generates a surface between the shapes.

You can choose between a shape or a path for creating

the loft object using the Creation Method rollout, as
well as the type of action for the loft object. ▲Interface

On the Creation Method rollout, you determine whether to use a shape or path for
creating the loft object, and the type of action you want for the resulting loft object.

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 Get Path—Assigns a path to the selected shape or changes the current
assigned path.
 Get Shape—Assigns a shape to the selected path or changes the current
assigned shape.

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 Path Parameters Rollout

The Path Parameters rollout lets you control the

position of shapes at various intervals along the
path of the loft object.

▲Interface

On the Path Parameters rollout, you control the position of multiple shapes at
different intervals along the path of the loft object.

Path—Lets you set a path level by entering a value or dragging the spinner. If
Snap is on, the value will jump to the previous snap increment. The Path value
depends on the selected measuring method. Changing the measuring method
causes the Path value to change.

▲Inserting different shapes at different positions on the path

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 Skin Parameters Rollout

On the Skin Parameters rollout, you adjust the

complexity of the mesh of the loft object. You can
also optimize the mesh by controlling the face
count.

Interface►

 Capping group

Cap Start—When on, the end of a loft at the first vertex of the path is
covered, or capped. When off, the end is open, or uncapped. Default=on.

Cap End—When on, the end of a loft at the last vertex of the path is
covered, or capped. When off, the end is open, or uncapped. Default=on.

Morph—Arranges cap faces in a predictable, repeatable pattern necessary

for creating morph targets. Morph capping can generate long, thin faces that
do not render or deform as well as those created with grid capping.

Grid—Arranges cap faces in a rectangular grid trimmed at the shape

boundaries. This method produces a surface of evenly sized faces that can
be deformed easily by other modifiers.

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▲Capping turned off

▲Capping turned on
 Options group

Shape Steps—Sets the number of steps between each vertex of the cross-
section shapes. This value affects the number of sides around the perimeter
of the loft.

▲Left: Shape Steps=0 / Right: Shape Steps=4▲

Path Steps—Sets the number of steps between each main division of the
path. This value affects the number of segments along the length of the loft.

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▲Path Steps=1 ▲Path Steps=5

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Optimize Shapes—When on, the Shape Steps setting is ignored for

straight segments of cross-section shapes. If multiple shapes are on the path,
only straight segments that have a match on all shapes are optimized.
Default=off.

▲Left: Optimize Shapes turned on / Right: Optimize Shapes turned

off▲

Optimize Path—When on, the Path Steps setting is ignored for straight
segments of the path. Curved sections respect the Path steps setting.
Available only with Path Steps mode. Default=off.

▲When Optimize Path is off, the ▲When Optimize Path is on,

lofted roadway uses more steps straight
sections of the lofted roadway
don't require additional steps
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Adaptive Path Steps—When on, analyzes the loft and adapts the
number of path divisions to generate the best skin. Main divisions along the
path occur at path vertices, shape locations, and deformation curve vertices.
When off, main divisions along the path occur only at path vertices.
Default=on.

Contour—When on, each shape follows the curvature of the path. The
positive Z axis of each shape is aligned with the tangent to the path at the
shape's level. When off, shapes remain parallel and have the same
orientation as a shape placed at level 0. Default=on.

▲Lofting the roadway with ▲Roadway lofted with Contour

Contour off causes it to twist turned on

Banking—When on, shapes rotate about the path whenever the path bends
and changes height in the path's local Z axis. The bank amount is controlled
by 3ds Max. Banking is ignored if the path is 2D. When off, shapes do not
rotate about their Z axis as they traverse a 3D path. Default=on.

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▲Roadway lofted with Banking turned on

Constant Cross Section—When on, the cross sections are scaled at angles in
the path to maintain uniform path width. When off, the cross sections
maintain their original local dimensions, causing pinching at path angles.

▲Frame lofted with Constant ▲Frame lofted with Constant

Cross Section turned off Cross Section turned on

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4.2 Deformation

Deformation controls let you scale, twist, teeter, bevel or fit shapes along the path.
The interface for all deformations is a graph. Lines with control points on the graph
represent the deformations along the path. Control points on the graphs can be moved
or animated for modeling purposes or for various special effects.

Manually creating and placing shapes along the path to produce these models would
be a difficult task. Lofts solve this problem through the use of deformation curves.
The deformation curves define changes in scale, twisting, teetering, and beveling
along the path.

You gain access to loft deformation curves through the Modify panel's Deformations
rollout. Deformations are not available in the Create panel. You must open the Modify
panel after you’ve lofted to access the Deformations rollout, which offers the
following features:

 Each deformation button displays its own

deformation dialog.

 You can display any or all of the deformation

dialogs simultaneously.

 The button to the right of each deformation

button is a toggle to enable or disable the
deformation's effect. ▲Interface

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 Deform Scale

You can loft objects such as columns and bugles from a single shape that changes
only its scale as it travels along a path. Use Scale deformation when you want to
make these types of objects.

▲Scale deformation curve dialog

 Deform Twist

Twist deformation lets you create objects that spiral or twist along their length.
Twist specifies the amount of rotation about the path.

▲Twist deformation curve dialog

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 Deform Teeter

Teeter deformation rotates shapes about their local X axis and Y axis. Teetering
is what 3ds Max does automatically when you select Contour on the Skin
Parameters rollout. Use Teeter deformation when you want to manually control
contour effects.

▲Roadway lofted with no teeter ▲Teeter affects the X and Y axis

orientation of the shape
in relation to the path

 Deform Bevel

▲Roadway with beveled edges

Nearly every object that you encounter in the real world is beveled. Because it is
difficult and expensive to manufacture a perfectly sharp edge, most objects are
created with chamfered, filleted, or eased edges. Use Bevel deformation to
simulate these effects.

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 Deform Fit

▲Fit curves define a lofted shape

Fit deformation lets you use two Fit curves to define the top and side profiles of
your object. Use Fit deformation when you want to generate loft objects by
drawing their profiles.

Fit shapes are really scale boundaries. As your cross-section shape travels along
the path, its X axis is scaled to fit the boundaries of the X-axis fit shape and its Y
axis is scaled to fit the boundaries of the Y-axis fit shape.

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4.3 ProBoolean/ProCutter Compound Objects

 ProBoolean Compound Object

The ProBoolean and ProCutter compound objects provide you with modeling
tools for combining 2D and 3D shapes in ways that would be difficult or
impossible otherwise. The ProBoolean compound object takes a 3ds Max mesh
and adds extra intelligence to it prior to performing Boolean operations. First it
combines the topologies, then it determines coplanar triangles and removes
incident edges. The Booleans are then performed not on triangles but N-sided
polygons. Once the Boolean operations are completed, the result is retriangulated
and sent back into 3ds Max with coplanar edges hidden. The result of this extra
work is twofold: The reliability of the Boolean object is extremely high, and the
resulting output is much cleaner in terms of having fewer small edges and
triangles.

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Advantages of ProBoolean over the legacy 3ds Max Boolean compound object
include:

 Better quality mesh - fewer small edges, fewer narrow triangles.

 Smaller mesh - fewer vertices and faces.
 Easier and faster to use - unlimited objects per Boolean operation.
 Cleaner-looking mesh - coplanar edges remain hidden.
 Integrated decimation and quad meshing

A Boolean object combines two or more other objects by performing a Boolean

operation or operations on them. ProBoolean adds a range of functionality to the
traditional 3ds Max Boolean object, such as the ability to combine multiple
objects at once, each using a different Boolean operation. ProBoolean can also
automatically subdivide the Boolean result into quadrilateral faces, which lends
itself well to smoothing edges with MeshSmooth and TurboSmooth.

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 ProCutter Compound Object

In addition, ProCutter is an excellent tool for exploding, breaking apart,

assembling, sectioning, or fitting together objects such as a 3D puzzle. See the
following illustration for an example of a goblet shattering.

The ProCutter Compound object lets you perform specialized Boolean

operations, primarily for the purpose of breaking apart or subdividing volumes.
The results of ProCutter operations are particularly suitable for use in dynamics
simulations where an object explodes or is shattered by impact with a force or
another object.

Following is a list of ProCutter features:

 Break apart a stock object into elements of an editable mesh or into

separate objects using cutters that are either solids or surfaces.

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 Use one or more cutters on one or more stock objects at the same time.

 Perform a volume decomposition of a set of cutter objects.

 Use a single cutter many times without maintaining the history.

 Quad Meshing and Smoothing

ProBoolean and ProCutter can re-mesh planar surfaces using a quadrilateral

meshing algorithm. This capability, in combination with the subdivision surface
tools in MeshSmooth, TurboSmooth, and Editable Poly, can produce dramatic
results.

It does require some level of expertise to understand what is possible and how to
achieve the best results using the quadrilateral tessellation. This topic shows the
basics of how to use quad meshing and also contains tips and tricks about what
works and how it works.

 Quad Meshing Basics

▲ProBoolean of an object containing several primitives

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 ITP4709 Game 3D Character Design

To make a quadrilateral mesh, select a ProBoolean or

ProCutter object, go to the Modify panel, and expand
the Advanced Options panel as shown following.

To get a result similar to the following illustration, turn on Make Quadrilaterals check
box:

▲Quad Size %=3.0 ▲Quad Size %=2.0

To change the size of the individual quadrilaterals, adjust the Quad Size % parameter.
Typically a value between 1 and 4 percent achieves the desired results. The smaller
the quad size, the smaller the resulting fillets or blends between the surfaces when the
mesh is smoothed. The default Quad Size value is 3.0 percent.

If you know that you have the desired result and don't plan to go back and change the
quad size or the original primitives, you can convert the object to Editable Poly format
and apply smoothing with the Subdivision Surface settings. If this is not the case,
however, and you plan to make further adjustments, use the MeshSmooth or
TurboSmooth modifier to retain the history of the ProBoolean object. The following
illustration shows the result of a MeshSmooth modifier with Subdivision Amount >
Iterations=1 applied to a ProBoolean object with Quad Size % set to 3.0.
Lab 1 – Basic Modeling Page 45 of 47
 ITP4709 Game 3D Character Design

▲MeshSmooth modifier with ▲Rendered image after

NURMS MeshSmooth modifier applied
and Iterations=1

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 ITP4709 Game 3D Character Design

 Quad Meshing Tips and Tricks

Problem: Poor alignment of original primitive meshes causes undesirable results.

Solution: Rotate or move original primitives into position to maximize mesh quality.

The following illustration shows the result of subtracting three spheres of the same
size from a box. The left-hand sphere is aligned properly so that there are good quads
along both boundaries. This should produce a good result when smoothed. The middle
sphere was lifted so that there is a strip of very thin quads near the boundary. This
produces very little smoothing along that edge, as you can see in the rendered image.
The right-hand sphere was rotated, producing poor alignment and many triangles on
the sphere as well as small quads on the plane of the box. You can see the undesirable
results in the rendered image.

▲Quads produced by three

spheres with ▲Rendered image of smoothed
different rotations and translations three-sphere example

Lab 1 – Basic Modeling Page 47 of 47