Placing the pipe segments

Open the file funky_pipes.c4d. Now you should find all the necessary objects in the Object Manager (see illustration 3.1 left). The single pipe segments are all accessible from the object Storage and are set invisible in editor and renderer. To start placing the first pipe segment, copy one of the objects from Storage into the Null Object Pipe, so that it is placed underneath the Start-Object. As you can see in the illustration (3.1 right) I used the Object Straight - a straight pipe segment. The easiest way to copy is to 'click'n'drag' the object while you hold down the ctrl key (cmd key).


Illustration 3.1

In the editor you can see the straight pipe segment. After having placed the first object inside the Pipe object you should already be able to see the underlying principle: The object Straight aligns its angle and position with its parent object Start in the Object Manager (to be more precise, it's not the object Start itself, but a child of it).

To go on with our little example copy the object Bend_90 in the above mentioned manner to achieve the same result as in illustration 3.2:


Illustration 3.2

Your first little pipeline is done, the principles will not change with more complex pipe courses (with the exception of branches - that will be explained later).

Modifying the pipe course

Let's focus the sliders to change the appearance of this 3-part-pipe course. The lowest object Bend_90 should be selected in the Object Manager. In the Attribute Manager you can find in the User Data area two sliders Rotation and Tex-Offset X. Set Rotation to 180° (see illustration 3.3).


Illustration 3.3

Try different values for rotation with all three segments to change the course as you like. At any time you can change the hierarchy of already placed pipe segments in the Object Manager with click'n'drag. The segments will align at once!

Play around with the slider Tex-Offset X and watch the texture in the editor. On Page 5 you will learn more about texture.
And now let's start over to the branches ...

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