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Other
ClydeSight Productions Bryce 5 Tutorials:
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Learn Bryce 5 modeling by building a robot model based on "Robby, the Robot™"*
See local media coverage of this tutorial!
| This tutorial is intended to teach Bryce 5 users basic modeling techniques by building a robot BASED on the character Robby the Robot™. The Bryce 5 model can be used for educational and personal use ONLY. Commercial use of the model will require a license from Turner Entertainment Co., A Time Warner Company. ClydeSight Productions does not condone or imply any use of this model that would be construed to violate their rights, nor does it use the model in any of its own commercial products. See Disclaimer |
Building
Robby's Hip Note: This is a highly detailed tutorial. I STRONGLY suggest that you print these pages (there will be a lot of printed pages!) and use the hardcopy as a guide while working. It's much easier than having both Bryce 5 and your browser open and then flipping between applications!
We continue to build our model from the ground up. In this section, we'll make Robby's hip/waist and the connectors that attach it to the legs. Robby's hip is mechanically interesting. He wears a type of "girdle", which appears to be necessary to make his legs moveable and allow him to bend at the waist. We can make a reasonable facsimile using the Bryce 5 primitives. We will also set the legs up with origin points for simple posing.
If you have closed and saved your model of the legs, open it now and go to the FRONT view. Make sure nothing is selected and go into SOLO mode.
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The torus (hip) is rotated by 90 degrees so we are looking at it "on edge". The problem here is that the object is no longer in alignment with the coordinate system, it's off by 90 degrees. So if you were to re-size the Z coordinate (say to 20), you would see it get larger on the current Y axis. The object is relating to the workspace the way it originally arrived because it has only been rotated 90 degrees. Our rotation put it out of the alignment we want it to have with the X,Y,Z coordinate system. We fix that with Set As Unity. Click on the triangle next to the Absolute Coordinates and pick Set As Unity from the drop down menu. The Attributes box will update itself and the X rotation will change to zero (0). The figures for the Z size will switch places with the Y size. That's because the object has changed its orientation to the workspace. This IS what we want. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Set As Unity is a useful function to ensure that your objects relate to the workspace in the proper orientation for your purposes. Ignore the coordinates in my images, they are the default that Bryce 5 put on the torus in my example. You may have different figures. We're going to change them anyway. The important part about this step was understanding what Set As Unity does, why we use it and when to use it! |
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This is an extreme radius and helps us make the proper curvature of Robby's hip. We could not have done this with a sphere object. |
The torus object can be edited on two levels. One is the sizing and positioning we normally use in the Attributes box. The other is a special Edit process that allows us to alter the inner radius of the torus. Because these two functions are related, editing the inner radius of the torus will alter some of its attributes (in our case, the Z size). Keep this relationship in mind when you work with a torus. If you change the radius, you need to check how that affected the attributes. You can adjust them to get the curvature and shape you want. We'll be doing this a lot throughout the modeling of Robby too! At the bottom of the icon column for the torus is a E in a box. Click on the E to get the Edit Torus Window. Change the radius to 750. Click the Check Mark to close the Edit Torus window. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Step 4: Finish Sizing the Hip Click on the Attributes Box to enter the Attributes window. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 0, Y = 73.50 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they are automatically set to zero by Set as Unity. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. SAVE YOUR WORK! A Note about Neutral: Bryce 5 generally creates objects as Boolean Neutral. Unless you need to change an object's Boolean for special purposes, make sure it is Neutral. You'll save rendering time! (A Neutral object is unaffected by Boolean operations even when it is part of a group where other objects ARE affected.) |
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Step 5: Make the Girdle Robby's girdle is made from his hip and then has knockouts for his legs and waist. Select the hip object you just made and Duplicate it (CMD-D on MAC, CTRL-D on WINDOWS). The duplicate will be in the same place as the original and will be the selected object. This is what we want. Open the Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 0, Y = 73.50 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they are already zero. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Keep this object selected. SAVE YOUR WORK! Note: For clarity, my images show only the girdle construction in wireframe, but you'll see the hip object as well. |
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Step 6: Trim the Girdle: Top Duplicate the Girdle object. We're going to learn how to change an object using the Edit Palette. While the duplicated girdle object is still selected, change from the Create Palette to the Edit Palette at the top of the working window. On the top right (your right) side of the Palette is a white double arrow that looks a little like this: <–> Click and HOLD on the arrow and you'll see a line of object icons appear. These are the objects you can transform your selected object into. Drag your mouse over the cube object and release the mouse button. You'll see a cube object replace the duplicate girdle in your wireframe. Open the Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 0, Y = 85 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they are already zero. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Keep this object selected. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Step 7: Trim the Girdle: Left Leg Duplicate the girdle top KO object Open the Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 9.60, Y = 63.60 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they are already zero. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Keep this object selected. SAVE YOUR WORK! Note: Right and left indicates Robby's right and left, not your right and left. Robby is facing you, so his right and left are the opposite of yours. |
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Step 8: Trim the Girdle: Right Leg Duplicate the girdle left KO object Open the Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = -9.60, Y = 63.60 , Z
= 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they are already zero. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. SAVE YOUR WORK! Note: By duplicating the left KO, all we had to do to create the right KO was change the X position coordinate from positive to negative! |
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Step 9: Group the Girdle and Hip Objects Shift-Select all the hip/girdle objects: hip, girdle, girdle top KO, girdle right KO and girdle left KO. You can do a "drag select" using the marquee, but be careful not to pick up the camera if it appears in your view! (I recommend you lock and make the camera invisible to prevent this problem!) In the icon column, you should see a box with the letter G. Click on that icon to Group all the objects. Open the Attributes box. Check for the following coordinates: Position:
X = 0, Y = 73.89 , Z = 0 If you see these figures, (within .01) your group is correct and you can name it. Name: hip group. Assign your group to the Robby Paint Family (dark green). SAVE YOUR WORK! Click the SOLO mode to go to the wireframe with the legs. Your hip will be sitting on top of them as expected. We need to make the hip/leg connectors next, so we will work in SOLO mode once more. Deselect all objects and click on the SOLO button. You should have a nice blank workspace. |
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Note: An imported mesh object is made up of polygons and looks messy in the wireframe window. If this really bothers you, click on the Show As Box feature in the Attributes window. You'll then only see the outline border, not the object. |
Step 11: Make the Left Hip Connector - the "weld" object. Select the rounded cube object again and click on the Attributes box . Set it as follows: Position:
X =19.20, Y = 63.93, Z = 0 You don't have to set the rotation, you did that when you used Set As Unity. Click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. Smooth the Weld Piece. Click on the E box in the icon column to open the mesh object's edit box. Click on the SMOOTH sphere about five times. With every click, Bryce 5 smoothes the polygons of the object a little more. Also make sure "Solid When Boolean Rendering" option is checked. This allows Boolean operations to work with the object. Click the Check Mark when you're done. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Step 12: Make the Right Hip Connector - the "weld" object. Robby's body is symmetrical, and we can use this to our advantage to quickly make parts. So we'll duplicate the left hip connector parts as we make them, change the X position value to negative, and we'll automatically have our right hip connector parts. It's easy! Select the left leg hip weld and DUPLICATE it. The duplicate will appear right on top of the weld object and be selected for you. Click on the Attributes box . Set it as follows: Position:
X =-19.20, Y = 63.93, Z =
0 You don't have to set the rotation, the object inherited it. Click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. The right weld piece will jump to its position. Note that all you really had to do was make the X position a negative value of what is was! So I won't show an illustration for the other right connector parts, I'll just tell you to duplicate the left part and make the X position negative. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Note: Using the SOLO mode really helps cut down the visual clutter that builds up in wireframe mode. It also lets you work on "sub-assemblies" as if they were unique models. |
Step 13: Make the Hip Connector - the larger "ring" object. The top of the "Weld" piece is a circular object that, when we complete this assembly, will look like a ring. We don't have to make a real ring, we'll create the illusion of one by construction. So we can make this piece out of a simple cylinder. Click on the Cylinder object in the Create Palette and it will appear in the workspace, somewhere. We treat this just as we did the torus that made the hip. You don't have to look for the object, you can do everything in the Attributes box. Click on the Attributes box. Set the Z rotation = 90. Click the Check Mark to apply. Click on the triangle next to the Absolute Coordinates and pick Set As Unity from the drop down menu. Click the Check Mark to apply. Open the Attributes box again and set the following coordinates: Position:
X = 19.95, Y = 71.40 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they will be automatically set to zero for you by the Set As Unity command. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Your cylinder object will snap into place partially above the weld object. (The two objects will blend to form our shape.) Now, DUPLICATE the "Ring". Open the Attributes box and change the X position to -19.95. Name the object: right hip ring large. Click on the Check Mark to apply the change. The right "ring" will snap into place! SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Note: Duplication can be a fast and easy way to model when you have multiple occurrences of an object. |
Step 14: Make the Hip Connector - the smaller"ring" object. There is another "ring" on the hip connector. We can make that from the "ring" we just made! Select the large left "ring" object and duplicate it (press CMD-D on MAC or CTRL-D on windows) Open the Attributes box and enter the following: Position:
X = 21.75, Y = 71.40 , Z = 0 You don't need to set the rotation coordinates, they will be inherited from the object you duplicated. Click on the Check Mark to apply the changes. Your duplicated cylinder object will snap into place overlapping the larger ring object. Although they overlap, Bryce 5 will automatically blend them. This ensures that there will be no gap. Now, DUPLICATE the small "Ring". Open the Attributes box and change the X position to -21.75. Name the object: right hip ring small. Click on the Check Mark to apply the change. The right "ring" will snap into place! SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Step 15: Make the Hip Connector - the "brace" object. The connector is strengthened by a brace. Click on the cube object in the Create Palette and it will appear in the workspace, somewhere. You don't have to look for the object, you can do everything in the Attributes box. Click on the Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 21.75, Y = 64.85 , Z = 0 Click the Check Mark to apply the changes. Now, DUPLICATE the left brace. Open the Attributes box and change the X position to -21.75. Name the object: right hip brace. Click on the Check Mark to apply the change. The right brace will snap into place! SAVE YOUR WORK! Note: We matched the X size to that of the smaller "ring" object. It will blend into the weld piece and the "ring" object and appear seamless. |
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Step 16: Make the Hip Connector - the Rivet. The last piece for the connector is the big rivet. We make that from a sphere. Click the Sphere object in the Create palette and then go to its Attributes box. Enter the following coordinates: Position:
X = 22.20, Y = 71.40 , Z = 0 Click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. Now, DUPLICATE the rivet. Open the Attributes box and change the X position to -22.20. Name the object: right hip rivet. Click on the Check Mark to apply the change. The right rivet will snap into place! SAVE YOUR WORK! Note: The sphere is also blended into the other objects. We have made it a flattened sphere and "buried" it so that the surface that will show looks like the head of a real rivet. |
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Step 17: Group the Hip Connector Parts Carefully shift-select the five left hip connector parts or select them using the marquee. DON'T use the "Select All" command. Your right hip connector parts are in your workspace and we only want to group the left ones. Your camera should be locked and invisible. If it is not, you may accidentally pick it up! There will be an icon column available and there should be a G block at the bottom for grouping. Click on the G. Open the attributes box and check for the following coordinates: Position:
X = 20, Y = 66.35 , Z = 0 If these coordinates are what you see (or very close--.01-- remember the rounding issue), you've done everything correctly. If not, then at least one of your objects is not placed properly and you'll have to check its Attributes and correct the problem. If you are satisfied, name the group: left hip connector group and click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. Click on the group's family box and assign it to the "Robby Paint" family (Dark Green). Now, select all five RIGHT hip connector parts and group them. Open the Attributes box and check the coordinates. Position:
X = -20, Y = 66.35 , Z =
0 If you are satisfied, name the group: right hip connector group and click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. Click on the group's family box and assign it to the "Robby Paint" family (Dark Green). Click the SOLO mode button to return to the wireframe and you'll see your connectors in place on the legs and hip. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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NOTE: For animation, using LINKS instead of groups is much more efficient and flexible. The flexibility is the advantage. But for modeling, we need groups to keep track of, and check our work. So, since this is not an animated model, we'll work with groups. Groups can always be ungrouped and the parts set up as links later on. We can pose our model the way we have it set up. This type of posing, especially for the legs isn't very natural looking, but if done in small amounts, it will be acceptable. |
Step 18: Set the Group Origin Points Bryce 5 let's you numerically set the origin point for any object. But it doesn't do so well with groups. When dealing with groups, you have to set the origin point MANUALLY by dragging it in the workspace. This is not very accurate and may take several tries to get it right! Nevertheless, if we want to do some limited posing of Robby's legs, we'll have to get practice doing it. First we make a "super group" for the legs AND hip connectors. When Robby walks, the legs actually pivot from the "rivet" that we made. SO we need to set that group's origin point in line with the hip connector rivet. You should be in wireframe mode so you can see your complete model. Shift-Select the left leg group AND left hip connector group. With these two selected, click on the SOLO button. You should now see ONLY those two groups. You'll also see a G in the icon column. Click on the G to group the two groups. Open the Attributes box for the new group. Click ON "Show Origin Handle" and check the coordinates: Origin:
X = 12.44, Y = 34.25 , Z
= 0 If your numbers match mine (listed here, NOT what's in the image) within .01, your group is fine, Name the group: left leg hip group. Now, in the workspace, MANUALLY drag the origin handle to the top area of the group until it appears to be in line with the center of the rivet, and at the X position = 12.44. You'll have to guess at this, there's no way to be sure. You can check your location by opening the Attributes Box and looking at the X origin. DO NOT ATTEMPT to change the X origin in the Attributes box! This will reposition the group! You may have to do this a few times to get it right, and may only get within .01 or .02 of the ideal figures. That will be okay. You can change to the RIGHT view (press 3 on the keyboard) to check the Z position Y positions against the rivet center. That make things a little easier for the Y and Z positioning. When you have it correct, your origin point should read: Origin: X = 12.44, Y = 71.40 , Z = 0 Now do the same thing for the RIGHT leg and hip connector-- only name it: right leg hip group. By positioning the origin point in this location, you can rotate the leg hip groups on the Z axis (for back and forth posing), and they will swing from the hip rivet, as they do in the costume. All the parts will keep their positions relative to hip rivet. SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Note: the negative -0.00 is the result of Bryce 5 calculations and means nothing to us really. It has the same value as a simple zero (0), so don't worry about it. |
Step 19: Make A MEGA Group We'll now group everything into what I call a MEGA group. A MEGA group is a group of groups that will act as a single unit. We do this so we can grab MEGA groups for posing purposes. If we didn't you'd be scrolling through a huge list of groups (this model will have a lot of them) trying to find the one's you need for posing, and that's just asking for trouble! You can ALWAYS pick "sub groups" that exist within a super or MEGA group, so this is just another way of organizing things for later ease of use. Bryce 5 grouping is one of its strongest features and we'll use it to advantage. Switch to the full wire frame mode and select everything you have made by using shift-select on the groups, or the marquee drag method, etc. What ever you like is fine as long as you DO NOT include the camera and the ground plane! (we don't want them in our MEGA group.) When you have selected everything, a little G will appear in the icon column. Click on the G to GROUP them. Open this new group's Attributes box and check the coordinates: Position:
X = -0.00, Y = 41.64 , Z
= 0 If your coordinates match mine or are close (.01) your group is fine. Name: A lower body group Click the Check Mark to close the Attributes box. Be SURE and put a CAPITAL A at the front of your group name. Bryce 5 will then list this at the TOP of your group list in the group selector so it will be very easy to find! SAVE YOUR WORK! |
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Step 20: Check the Model If you exit the SOLO mode and render your model, it should look something like the image here (I show two views and have adjusted the lighting for clarity). You may notice that Robby's thighs are bigger than his hips. That's the way they appear to have been designed in the original blueprints that I was able to find:
Blueprint courtesy of Fred Barton Productions. Used with permission.
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Congratulations! You have made a matched pair of Robby legs and connected them to Robby's hip/abdomen using Bryce 5! In this section you learned how to rotate an object and realign it in the workspace with Set As Unity, how to manage a mesh object, the value of building a symmetrical model around the world center. You also learned how to use the SOLO mode for easier working on "subassemblies", and you collected your work into a MEGA group for easier selection when the model is completed. As you build your Robby, you are also building your Bryce 5 skills!
In the next section, we'll continue building up and create Robby's chest. Onward and upward!
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Tutorial copyright - © ClydeSight Productions - 2004
