Surface Editor - Smooting Editor Question

[coldmail590]

Hello, I have just recently started using Lightwave 9.0 (with no experience at 3d modeling). I went ahead and tried making a simple object following this tutorial at http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Technical/LightwaveTuts/LWPacks/Sandcastle/Sandcastle5.html

and got stuck at the very last step where you use the Smoothing Editor to smooth out the sharp edges of the sandcastle (cylinder). I went back and made sure I did everything correctly but still no luck with that tool. When I change the degree values it, there is no effect my object. It still remains the same.

I've also tried with just a simple cylinder object and tried to smooth out its edges but no luck.

[] I used the disc tool and created a cylinder with 24 sides

[] Hit q to get the Change Surface Panel and
Named it Cylinder1
Changed the surface of it to red
Checked the smoothing option

[] Opened the Smoothing Editor, selected Cylinder1 and checked smoothing
I played with the values but no effect on the cylinder


What am I'm doing wrong?


Thank you for your help!

[toby]

The smoothing value is a threshold, meaning that it will not apply smoothing on an angle greater than what you enter. So if you leave it at the default 89, it won't apply smoothing to polygons with a 90 angle (or higher) between them.
It's either ON or OFF depending on this setting, meaning that you can't make an edge 'a little smoother' or 'less' smooth. If you want to control 'how' smooth a corner looks, I've written a few paragraphs on the subject:
http://www.tobygaines.com/smoothing.html
http://www.tobygaines.com/bevel.html
Have fun!

[coldmail590]

Thank you for your help, your tutorials were very helpful.

Would it be possible for you to explain why in the tutorial i have provided showed that the smoothing did work for the sand castle tower by simpily adjusting the smoothing value and when I tried it didn't.

[toby]

The only thing I can think of is that you might not have the viewport set to show smoothing. It needs to be set to 'smooth shade' in the upper left corner of the viewport. Or take it into Layout and render it.