Metaball Tag Basic TagTag Properties
The object will repel the hull rather than attract it.
Defines the size of the meta-hull. A value of 100% means that the meta-hull is as large as the original object; at 50%, it is half the size of the original object; at 200%, the meta-hull is double the size of the original object.
When Metaballs are created, a shell will be placed around the elements. The radii or the distance from other elements to this shell can be defined using this setting.
From left to right: Type = Sphere, Line, Triangle. At bottom left, both polygon objects and the splline in the Metaball object.Metaballs surround elements (e.g., object vertices, splines, polygon edges, triangles) with a shell and consolidates them into a meta shell. These settings let you define how this should take place.
In pre-R17 Cinema 4D versions, a sphere was placed onto each object point (with the exception of splines) around with a meta shell was placed. Now several types are available:
- Sphere: This is the method used in Cinema 4D versions prior to R17. A sphere will be placed around each object point (with the exception of splines, around which a tube will be placed). A liquid-like structure will result, which barely resembles the original polygon object. The next two options behave very differently.
- Line: A cylindrical shell with the Radius value described above will be placed around the edge of each polygonal object, regardless of whether it’s an actual polygon or a generator. Smaller Radius values will produce wireframe-like structures.
- Triangle: A shell will be placed around each polygonal object’s triangles with the Radius value described above. This lets you create Metaball objects that very closely resemble the original polygon object.
Please note the following:
- Type is irrelevant for splines
- Line and Triangle Types create surfaces on the inside of Metaballs. A shell is placed around the original surface, i.e., a surface lies over and also under the original surface (in the case of a sphere, the Metaball will consist of an inner and an outer shell).
In order for this function to work, Type must be set to Triangle and the object to which it is assigned cannot be a spline. The interior of the object will be seen as a solid and a Boolean effect can be evocated:
Negative Influence enabled for the 2nd cube: at left the Solid option disabled, at right enabled (for both objects)In the image above you can see how the Negative Influence option only affects the cube surface and the Solid option affects the entire volume.