I've posted some new primitive shapes in the Vue free stuff section in .vob for Vue 3 users and in .obj format for import into Vue 2. I've wanted a rounded cube for so long, so I finally decided to make one. And, I thought I'd share. It should help with building things from scratch and so that you don't have so many booleans mucking up your previews. Have fun and use your imaginations! ;) Laurie

Thanks Laurie--- great idea! What did you model them with?

Those look like very helpful shapes, Laurie. Thanks! :) I will point out one small bit, though...they aren't actual primitive objects, they're mesh objects. As mesh objects, they will have more polygons than primitives would have, and they will also carry bytes into the scene. Primitives are math-based and don't exist until they're formulated by the program. Not a big deal when one is just concentrating on building a specific shape, but it makes a difference in some cases. Still, I'm happy to get 'em! :)

It's funny--- you're right, Varian, about that, but until very recebtly, I always thought that the word, "primitive", when applied to a 3D program, meant shapes in the sense that all other shapes can be made from a few "primitive" geometric shapes, i.e.,line, square, circle, cylinder. At least that's what my High School art teachers taught me. I don't reacall a torus being a part of that though, LOL

I'm pretty sure that's where "primitive" comes from originally. So it's not really improper to use the term in that manner. You will be able to use Laurie's cool new shapes for building without needing to muck around with twenty Booleans to attain the spool or barrel shape, for instance. So they definitely will be helpful to have. (And I hope she makes some more, too!)

Don't worry Varian...more are coming as I think I need them. I'd like to make a more architectural group that can be made to build colums, vases...stuff like that. I have all the reference materials for shapes, soooo....I'll I need to do is get off my lazy buns and do it. ;) And I only used the word "primitive" because of the reasons Mike gave...just some more shapes to work with to create more complex stuff. ;) And Mike...I made them in RayDream Studio. It's the only modeler I know how to use with any degree of success since essentially I am a "non-modeler"...LOL Laurie

More coming - oh boy! :) And hey, I've done most of my work in RDS, too. It may not be top of the line (and it may even be extinct!) but it's comparatively easy to work with. And I know because I've also worked with a whole grunch of other progs, including Carrara (which is RDS on drugs! :x ) The higher-end a program gets, the more complicated it becomes for even simple things like seeing from the left and right or creating a cube. So I keep coming back to RDS. Although I've recently been getting more capable with Organica, a blob modeler that is similar to working with Vue primitives. Now, Vue primitives...oh man, if I could only export! Vue's "modeling" ability may be quite limited in scope, but it's a heck of a lot of fun to work with. :)

Yeah, you know, Vue's booleans, for example, are similar to Bryce's---not truly boolean objects, per se', but they stil work-- in the program, at least. Otherwise, I'd recommend Rhino, for all modeling needs. I've never tried RDS, because it was "orphaned" before I came on the scene, and I haven't tried Carrarra, well, just because it also seems not only out-dated, but orphaned as well........ But I would highly recommend Rhino-- expensive, yes, but nearly flawless, and not likely to go anywhere any time soon.

If you can easily maneuver around Bryce, you'd probably do okay with Carrara. (Which was picked up by Eovia(sp?) It's almost the same interface, which means everything you want to work with is hidden somewhere and you need to first spend hours looking for it, then try to remember where it was you found it. Hmph. (Maybe you can tell I prefer interfaces that understand I want to work with the program, not admire the "pretty" GUI.) I haven't tried Rhino. Everytime I hear someone talk about it, they're talking about nurbs and splines and normals and all the math stuff I've successfully avoided so far. grin

Here, here Varian! I like "simplicity". Even if it isn't high end, Raydream does the job :). Maybe as I learn modeling (which isn't easy!!), I'll make the upgrade to a better modeler. Laurie

hm. so they're 'advanceditives'??? :)

LOL! Only problem with that term is that it sounds like it's going to put someone to sleep! :D

Hey! Maybe I need some of those! If I didn't have Vue I'd get more of that evasive thing called "sleep". Can't remember the last time I really did it, but I hear it's really good for you. Pass me some of those advanceditives, would you? Laurie

Extra strength? :)