In 3D modeling, NURBS surfaces and polygon surfaces are two common types of modeling techniques. However, NURBS surfaces are not suitable for animation, gaming, or real-time rendering, as they have many control points. In contrast, polygon surfaces are widely used in these fields. Therefore, it is essential to know how to convert NURBS surfaces into polygon surfaces.
In Maya, converting NURBS surfaces into polygon surfaces is easy. First, you need to select the NURBS surface and go to Object Mode. Then, hold down the spacebar and select Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons. Now, you will see a new piece of geometry in the center of your viewport.
To manage the number of polygons, you can go to the attributes and choose the number of polygons and faces you want. If you want them to be quads, you can select the “count and quads” option. By default, Maya gives you a 200 setting, which is adequate for most modeling purposes. Once you have set the attributes, hit apply.
Now, you will have two pieces of geometry in your viewport, the original NURBS surface, and the new polygon surface. You can center the pivot and move the polygon surface to another location. You can also edit the NURBS surface if you want to go back to your original model.
To preview your final model, press the number three key on your keyboard while in Polygon mode. This will smooth out your model and give you an idea of what it will look like.
In conclusion, converting NURBS surfaces into polygon surfaces is an essential skill for any 3D modeler. By following these simple steps in Maya, you can easily convert NURBS surfaces into polygon surfaces and create models suitable for animation, gaming, or real-time rendering.