Modeling with
Extended Primitives
James Martin High School
Animation
Instructor: G. Patton
From: CHAPTER 3 – 3DS MAX AND ITS APPLICATIONS
1. What are extended primitives?
Extended primitives are predefined geometric
objects used in creating models that have slightly
more refined parameters than standard primitives.
The extended primitives are:
EXTENDED PRIMITIVES
Capsule
Hedra
Quad Patch
C-Ext
Hose
Ring Wave
Chamfer Box
L-Ext
Spindle
Chamfer Cylinder
Oil Tank
Torus Knot
Gengon
Prism
Tri Patch
2. What are patch grids?
Patch grids are flat, rectangular 2D objects
made up of multiple triangular or rectangular
faces.
3. What are the two types of patch grids?
Quad patch and Tri patch
4. How do the two types of patch grids differ
from each other?
The number of segmented faces in a quad
patch can be increased from the minimum
36 faces, but a tri patch is limited to 72
triangular faces.
5. What is the purpose of the P: and Q:
spinners in the Family Parameters: area of
the Parameters rollout when drawing a
hedra?
Values entered in the P: and Q: spinners
modify the vertices and faces of the hedra.
The values are related and cannot exceed
1.0 when added together.
6. How many different shapes of facets can a
hedra have?
A Hedra can have three different shapes of
facets
7. What additional parameter does a chamfer
box have over a box?
Chamfers have a fillet radius.
8. What does the value in the Height Segs:
spinner determine when drawing a chamfer
cylinder?
• It determines the number of divisions on
the height of the cylinder..
9. What is a capsule?
A capsule is a cylinder with two rounded
end caps that are hemispheres having the
same diameter as the cylinder..
10. How does an oil tank differ from a
capsule?
• In an oil tank, the height parameters of the
hemispherical end caps can be changed.
• An oil tank also has a blend parameter that
can be set to create a bevel between the
cylinder and each end cap, providing a
smooth transition between faces.
11. How does a spindle differ from an oil
tank?
The end caps of a spindle are cones, the
end caps of a prism are hemispheres.
12.What is a prism?
A prism is an object having five faces,
including two parallel triangular ends and
three sides.
13. How does a gengon differ from a prism?
The base of a gengon is a regular
polygon. rather than a triangle, and the
number of sides can be set and filleted.
Whereas the sides of a prism cannot.
14. What is a typical use for L-Ext and C-Est
objects?
• An L-Ext has a L-shaped base and can
be used to quickly create walls, fences,
and other L-shaped objects.
•
A C-Ext has a C-shaped base and can
be used to create similar objects.
15. How does a torus knot differ from a
standard torus?
• A torus knot is a complex object that
has a knotted form and more
parameters than a standard torus.
• A torus knot uses a 3D curve as its
path, rather than a 2D curve.
• The base curve of a torus knot can be a
circle or knot.
16. What does the Warp Count: value
determine when drawing a torus knot?
The Warp Count: value determines how
many “bumps” there are around the
circumference of the circle in a circular
torus.
17. What does the Warp Height: value
determine when drawing a torus knot?
The Warp Height: value determines how
“big” the bumps are around the
circumference of the circle in a circular
torus.
18. What is a common use for a ring wave?
A ring wave can be used for many
different special effects, such as an outer
space explosion, because its irregularity
can be animated.
19. What is the Ring Wave Timing area of the
Parameters rollout used for?
The Ring Wave Timing area is used to
animate the growth, or explosion, of the
ring wave.
20. What are the three basic shapes for a
hose?
A hose can be:
- Circular
- Rectangular
- D-shaped.