Build A Basic Mesh

Slide 2

The mesh is not linked to a palette group so the mesh does not know where to find materials. Linking the mesh to a palette group is the first part of this exercise.

Creating Relationships

This instruction set teaches you to create relationships by connecting nodes.

  1. Left click Hierarchy editor tab on the upper left corner of the panel.
  2. Examine the hierarchy.
  3. Left click the mesh node named MyFirstMesh.
  4. Hold down CTRL.
  5. Left click the group node named MeshPaletteGroup.
  6. Select Hierarchy » Connect Nodes Directly from the main menu.
  7. This links the mesh to the group.
  8. Examine the hierarchy.
  9. Left click the modifier node named RectangleGeometryModifier.
  10. Hold down CTRL.
  11. Left click the material node named NewMaterialNode.
  12. Select Hierarchy » Connect Nodes Directly from the main menu.
  13. This links the mesh to the group.
  14. Double click the mesh node named MyFirstMesh.
  15. This displays mesh properties in the property editor.
  16. Scroll down until you find the Palette property group. This is a picture of the property editor.
  17. Notice the Linked To Group parameter value field says MeshPaletteGroup.
  18. Left click Hierarchy editor tab on the upper left corner of the panel.
  19. Examine the hierarchy.
  20. Double click the modifier node named RectangleGeometryModifier.
  21. This modifier mesh properties in the property editor.
  22. Scroll down until you find the Material property group.
  23. Notice the Material parameter value field says NewMaterialNode.
  24. Select File » Save from the main menu. [ CTRL+S ]
    All meshes must be linked to a group node containing their materials or a group containing link nodes that point to their materials. Any geometry modifier capable of being linked to a material should be linked.

Creating A Shading Modifier

This instruction set teaches you to create a shading modifier.

  1. Examine the hierarchy.
  2. Left click the mesh again.
  3. Select Modify » Mesh » CalculateNormalsModifier from the main menu.
  4. This adds a CalculateNormalsModifier to the mesh construction history.
  5. Examine the hierarchy.
  6. The worksheet looks like this: This is a picture of the worksheet.
  7. This basic mesh is the minimum practical mesh.
  8. Terrain is built with meshes that use additional modifiers.