Don't all point and laugh, I know this looks crap :o( It's just a quick preliminary render to demonstrate the problem I'm having. Normally, if I'm boolean-ing, I use terrains, and everything is fine. At the moment I'm playing with ideas for roundabouts, and one of the ideas was to have a mound with cuts through the centre, all asymmetrical so there isn't a line of sight through, with a mysterious glow coming from the centre (I visit the Bryce forum too much!). Thought there'd be no prob, but lo and behold, when I try to cut through the mound using negative shapes, only the first one works. I've tried grouping all the shapes, then making the group negative, that doesn't work. I've tried adding the negative shapes one at a time to the previously-formed group, that doesn't work. Am I missing something really obvious? This cut-out I've made by doing an altitude render of the the assembled shapes, and using it as a terrain, but that's a ridiculous way to have to go about it. Advice?

Here's the terrain I've used as a boolean, but I'd rather be able to do it with primitives.

The only obvious thing with terrains, is to make sure they are all "Solid". (found in the terrain editor) Each and every one would need to be individually changed to this, you can't just choose all teraains, and choose "solid", you have to do each by hand. Otherwise...I'm not sure. AS

Solid, baby.

Okay, primitives. Again, you MAY have to make each primitive shape "negative", individually. If you are using an imported mesh, and are using it to boolean in any way, you have to select it, chhose the little "E" (for smoothing), and in the smoothing window, check the "Solid When Boolean Rendering" AS

Primitive solid. AS

Lol, and again, you may have to do ALL of this, individually to each and every mesh, doing it to a group of anything may not work. Hopefully, any of that helps, lol. AS

I've played a fair bit with booleans, and I've learnt that you have to set each item to positive/negative, then group them. Groups don't seem to boolean with other groups or objects.

AS - thanks for the prompt reply. I don't have a problem with using a terrain as the negative, the problem I'm having is when I try to use a bunch of Bryce cubes (shaped, obviously). I've tried making each one negative then grouping them, tried grouping them and making the group negative, tried adding negative ones individually, yadda yadda yadda. Ackshelly, while I was typing this a lightbulb went off, and I realized something I hadn't tried, then I got interrupted and have forgotten what it was :o(( edit to add - maybe I'll do the unthinkable, and RTFM!!!!

Message edited on: 08/18/2004 04:42

Rounded cubes, or just plain cubes? (The rounded ones are imports and need post #6 done to them) AS

It's early so maybe I'm missing the question, but are you trying to get something more like this?

Only the first grouping does anything. After you group objects they become neutral. Even though it says you can make a group negative or positive it really doesn't do anything. You need to ungroup all the primatives. Individualy set all the tunnel primatives attributes as negative. Select all the negatives and the positive terrain and group together just once.

All of the above....
You must make each item either pos or neg.
Nothing can be grouped prior to your final grouping.

I think one of your objects is not a neg as it should be.
Your cutout might have worked better if you had used squashed cylinders. You probably need to add a neg sphere as well, if you haven't already.

Message edited on: 08/18/2004 09:03

Thanks Electroglyph - that was the solution. You saved me from the fate worse than death (Reading The..............)! Drawbridgep - not quite - I don't want the centre hollow, just passages running through. Now that I've been able to position the primitives properly I can see that it's a crap idea, and would look as ugly as hell :o( Back to the drawing board. I'll keep plugging away to see if I can get it to look a bit less like a bowler hat.

tee hee, looking a tiny bit better - but so subtle it'd be difficult to see what the heck was happening.

put an a cookie texture on it and you have a nice pie lol

It's good to have a reason to do some modelling/rendering. I find it very hard to work and make images unless there's a specific goal in sight - like the possiblity of making whatever-it-is in The Real World. The downside is that when you need to make stuff in a bit of a hurry you don't have the skills, 'cos you haven't been practicing. I've been asked to come up with ideas for what to do with roundabouts. Most of my ideas are related to planting, but it's a good opportunity to play around in Bryce. I fancy having a bit of a play with lights!!!!