8

812 Chapter 8: Modifiers
Distance Influence is a multiplier. It looks at the
length of each edge that touches each control
vertex. For each vertex, it averages all the lengths
and then multiplies the average by the Distance
Influence value. This lets vert ices that are touching
only small faces to affect a small area, and
vice-versa. The higher the influence value, the
smoother the deformation, but the less indiv idual
control each vertex has. For best results, keep this
value between 1.0 and 2.0.
Face Limit—Determines the extent of influence,
in control-object faces, of control vertices in
the control object. This is a global setting, and
is available only in Vertex Deformation mode.
Default=3. Range=0 to 10.
Beyond this limit, no base-object points can be
influenced by the control vertex, even if they’re
within the D istance Influence radius.
Face Limit is useful for preventing the
control-object influence from bridging gaps in the
mesh; for example, between fingers in a character
mesh.
Blend To Base Mesh—Causes the modifier to ba s e
deformation on the distance from each affected
pointtotheclosestfaceinthecontrolobject.
TurningonthisoptionmakestheBlendDistance
setting available.
Blend Distance—Determines the relative distance
between control-object faces and vertices in
thebaseobjectfordeformationtotakeeffect.
Available only when Blend To Base Mesh is on.
Default=5.0.
Increasing this setting effectively causes a stronger
deformationeffectandbroadenstheareaonthe
cont rol that affects the base object.
[local pa rameters]
The Local parameters are available only at the
Control Vertices sub-object level (see
Skin Wrap
modifier stack (page 1–810)
), and affect only
selected points. If you select a single point, the
numeric fields reflect its current parameter values.
If you select multiple points, 3ds Max displays
only those values common to all selected points;
parameters with differing values are bla nk. With
multiple points s elected, changing a value sets all
selected points to that value.
Loca l S tr(ength)—Determines the power and
direction by which the control-object vertex affect
points under its influence in the base object. A
positive value pulls the points toward t he vertex; a
negative value pushes them away. Default=1.0.
Local S ca le Mult(iplier)—Scales each selected
control-object vertex’s volume of influence
uniformly. D efault=1.0.
Usethescalesettingstoincreaseordecreasethe
area of the base object that the selected control
vertex affects.
Local X/Y/Z—Scales each selected cont rol-object
vertex’s volume of influence along the indicated
axis. Default=1.0.
Change these parameters to produce a
non-spherical volume of influence.
Reset—Resets all control-object vert ices’ loca l
values to 1.0 and resamples the mesh. It
recalculates the control vertices’ influence on the
base object using the current modifier settings.
Use Reset if you alter a parameter but don’t see any
change in the deformation. For example, always
use Reset af ter changing t he Threshold va lue. O r,
if you want the control object to affect a different
par t of the base object, move the former, and
then use Reset so the mod ifier accounts for the
change in positional relationship between the two.
You might also need to reset after changing the
topology of the base object or a control object.
Impor tant: Use Reset at a point in the animation where
no deformation is in effect; typically, frame 0.