Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Modeling/Geodesic Domes

Original introduction from Andy Houston

• Geodesic spheres based on icosahedrons, octahedrons and tetrahedrons.
• Triangular, hexagonal and hex/tri combo face options.
• A function that turns the current shape into its geometric dual (sort of).
• Grid, Cylinder, Parabola, Torus and Ball primitives.
• Hubs and Struts. Fill out those edges and vertices with your custom, decorative meshes.
• Superformula deforming. Create rounded triangles, wobbly shapes etc.
• wikipedia description
• informative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesic_dome
• more math: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesic_grid

from Meta-Androcto

• This Script can be used to create Geodesic Objects, not limited to Domes or Spheres.
• Each mesh type created has it's own set of editable parameters.
• By editing the paramerers, you can create many simple or complex mesh shapes.
• Create an equal side Pyramid, a Soccer Ball, a Wine Glass & more.
• Limited only by your imagination. ( & some cool math limitations )
• Create complex mesh deformations with the Superformular parameters.
• In the next scetion we will cover the menu types & how to use the parameters to "Sculpt" your mesh.

Main

• By default when you hit the Execute Me in the toolshelf, the Geodesic Domes "Main" menu will open.
• The "Main" menu is where you will do most of your work.
• The Geodesic Default Triangle will show in the 3d view & the Object Creation parameters can be accessed here.
• Please note: I find it's easier to Use the Object Creation Parameters first befor moving on to Faces, Struts & Hubs, these will be explained in the sections below.

For now, let's look at the Object Types & their Parameters

Geodesic

• Please note: the Frequency parameters have a high impact on object creation.
• To create a Geodesic Dome you must increase the Frequency or the default Triangle

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Geodesic Object Types

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Class

• Tooltip > Subdivide Basic/Triacon
• Class 1 is the "equilateral triangle"
• Class 2 is the "cube"

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Hedron

• Tooltip > Choose between Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Icosahedron

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Point

• Tooltip > Point (Vert), Edge or Face pointing upwards

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Shape

• Tooltip > Choose between tri hex star face types

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Round (may not work for all object types)

• Tooltip > Choose between spherical or flat

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Geodesic Object Parameters

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Frequency

• Tooltip > subdivide base triangles

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Radius

• Tooltip > overall radius

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Eccentricity

• Tooltip > scaling in x/y dimension

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Squish

• Tooltip > scaling in z dimension

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Square (x/y)

• Tooltip > superelipse action in x/y

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Square (z

• Tooltip > superelipse action in z

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Rotate (x/y)

• Tooltip > rotate superelipse action in x/y

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Rotate (z)

• Tooltip > rotate superelipse action in z

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Duel

• Tooltip > faces become verts, verts become faces, edges flip

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More Object Types

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• There are 6 Object types you can create.
• Each Object has it's own set of parameters.
• As you can see most menu items are Self Explained.
• Tooltips will give you furthur information on individual parameters.
• Let's take a quick look at some you may not know.

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Gap

• Tooltip > shrink faces in direction
• Add or remove rows of faces based on height (z) or (x/y)

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Phase

• Tooltip > rotate around pivot
• Useful for rotating deformation or use with Gap

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Faces

• Placeholder

Struts

• Placeholder

Hubs

• Placeholder

Help

The main Help shows this text

The superformular-parameters can be activated or not, see the 4 possibilities:

OLD: PKHG confesses, not yet totally understood how all the parameters act upon a mesh, it is yet just the way the old version used them.

Starting understanding one has to learn e.g. this: [2], which (seems) to be used. Here three examples:

Now, it remains to understand how this effects the which part of an GD ... ;-)

It is very difficult to see the effects, because the function depends on 8 parameters! Here an example what happens if ONLY one parameter is changed:

In the following it will be tried to explain all those possibilities.

Superformular U (x/y axis)

• Placeholder

Superformular V (z axis)

• Placeholder

Superformular Overview

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Interface Changed

The old version has a TAB-gui to go to the big number of choices. This has been replaced by an activation Panel in the tool-shelf and the Operator-gui mimics the tabs from the 2.49 version.

One essential addition (since 13-12-11) is the possibility to save and load the more than 100 parameters of the addon ;-)