Well, two questions really. One, is there an easy way to cut a symmetrical mesh in half down the middle? And two, upon having cut a mesh down the middle (the hard way, i.e. deleting individual faces/vertices), is there an easy way to fill in the now open seam, and add those faces to the UV map?

Blender or Max?

Blender. I'm a total newb at modeling, bee tee dub. I managed to go about doing the questioned activity a few days ago, but I'd like to do it to another mesh (which may involve more excision than just removing half of it), and I'd like to know if there's an easier way. The UV mapping bit is really what I'm most interested in... when I did it before, I just gave up and remapped it completely.

I use GMax but there should be a 'slice' option in Blender for this purpose. UVmaps are store as part of the geometry

Hmmm... GMax is free also, yeah? Is more user-friendly than Blender is? I've heard that Blender isn't super easy to learn, and I'm not interested in making anything new... I just have some little things I want to do (though, I'm told that's how it all starts ).

Yes its free. Just reguires registration. GMax is equiv to Max 4.2 but has no render engine. Uses same NIF importer/exporter as Max. And yes... its easier to learn (IMO).

Okay, new question... If I have a mesh that's got only one... umm... layer? That is to say, it's like a flat plane that's been deformed into a shape, but each point has no depth? I'm finding it really difficult to describe, I hope you get what I mean Anyway, how do I GIVE it depth? How do I add a second layer and connect the two, so it has an inside and an outside, instead of just the other side of the inside?

I really hope this all makes sense...

[EDIT] And still on Blender... couldn't seem to import a .nif into GMax... I installed the plugin, and the option was there, but when I clicked import, nothing happened :shrug:

[EDIT again] Here's what I mean... http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd171/misterPEB/Depth.jpg, and http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd171/misterPEB/NoDepth.jpg.

[EDIT the third] Better question... how do I change which side of a face displays a texture?

I think what you want to do is "Extrude" the object. Go to edit mode, select all vertices ('A') and press 'E' and chose 'Region'. Extrude the object as far as you want and left-click afterwards.


Go to edit mode, select all vertices ('A') and press 'Ctrl-N' or 'Ctrl-Shift-N'. If some faces still don't face the way you want them, you can select them alone and press the keys I described above.

:facepalm: I managed to get SOMETHING done, but my workaround was a lot more work than that... I duplicated the surface and then moved it back just a little bit... then I had to select just the duplicate, reverse the face normals, and then create all the individual faces to connect the two. Thanks for the response, though. Definitely good to know for the future

[EDIT] The way I did it wouldn't mess anything up, would it? I'm really incredibly new to modeling... I don't know what the do's and don't's are :blush:

I'm sorry I can't help you at all with Blender. I'm use 3DSMax exclusively. I find Max much easier but I suppose that's because I've used it for years. Just know that some people find Max way, way easier to learn. Some don't I suppose...anyway. Of course the Max niftools seem a lot more buggy than the Blender ones sadly. Ah well, can't win em all I guess.

civ4 plugin

In blender 2.5 alpha 2 you merely click the wrench icon on right hand side, then click add modifier, then click mirror. Adjust the axis and settings as needed.