CREASE+ Documentation

Summary

Installation

Workflow and Tools

Commands (Hotkey Binds)

Installation

Drop the content of the RAR Archive in the Maya script directory under .. /document/maya/Maya_Version/scripts/ .

Bind source "CreasePlus.mel"; and you’re done.

You’ll find the Hotkey editor under Windows> Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor.

Workflow

The Workflow brought by Crease+ is really simple : Booleans, and edge Refining.

Parameter Cycle Mode  :

with certain command you’ll be able to change parameters on the fly , by hitting the UI button again while in context , adjusting with your Middle Mouse Button . You should/must bind the cpAttrSwitch; command to a Hotkey .

1st Tab (Core) /

 Toggle Boolean Objects Visibility , You can double click on it to toggle between Bounding Box , and Full representation.

HBevel , will bevel the Hard edges of the mesh and get in parameter cycle mode , works with several objects. You can use it Locally in Face mode ( the use of  right after is recommended). To this day this one is damned by a crash if Undo follows it; Until I rewrite its documentation and fix this bug, be aware.

Gets the Hard edges of the Mesh, works with several Objects. For display sake you can also use Hard Display .

 Boolean Tool , useful for fast and interactive booleans, you can change the OP between Difference , Union , Intersection Quickly , by hitting the UI button again while in Context.

Keep Bool , Keeps the Boolean Objects after operation , allowing more iterations with the same mesh.

 Carves Objects Within Each Other. useful to create complex paneling effect.

Apply Shape Shifter on selected Mesh , can only be used if purchased, Shape Shifter is developed by Adnan Chaumette and supported in Crease+.

 Useful to quickly mirror objects. Trick : this command maintains Crease+ Bools connections, that means you can mirror the Mesh, and still be able to move the boolean objects/Bounding box . .

 Slice the Mesh with the selected curve based on dominant view plane, can only slice in X , Y , Z  . .

Send the selected objects to Zbrush by automatically taking care of the NGONS.

2nd Tab ( Extension 1 Tab ) /

Workflow and Usage  :

Extension 1 Commands are meant to be Used in a SUBD context

, while good topology is still a requirement , these commands provide shortcuts to speed up the modeling workflow. The default Maya Creasing workflow is notably enhanced.

 1, 2, 3 : Creasing from lower to Higher intensity. Selecting Object will crease Hard edges.

Physical Crease , creates  actual geometry surrounding edge(s) of interest . Useful to quickly draw loops for Hard Surface SUBD Models , if object is selected , Hard edges are taken.

 Weighting tool, to interactively Crease the Object , with an update after the draw. Selecting Object will crease Hard edges.

Smooth SG , smooth the Model based on smoothing Groups , Hard edges will be smoothed accordingly, smooth edges .. . and so on. This one is inspired by 3ds Max Smooth by smoothing groups feature. works with several Objects.

Smooth OS, smooth the mesh according to an Open Subdiv preset , useful to quickly convert Previewed SUBD’s to Polygons.

Calls Maya’s Crease Set Editor

3rd Tab (Curve) /

cut selected curves by intersections

Multiply selected curves points by two

close selected curves

calls curve chamfer. You must drag two curve points (use shift for the second).

calls Linear curve context. useful to quickly trace a cutter for mesh slicer command

Attach selected curves

Menu Commands

Edit Menu /

Instance Bool : performs like regular Crease+ Boolean, except the Boolean Object is an instance, only editable in component mode.

Transfer Bevel : if the history and attributes are still within the Objects, HBevel Settings can be propagated, the first one gives, the others receive.

Toggle Last : recall cycle mode based on last operation

Bake Selected : delete history that preceded the selected node in ChannelBox (select object first).

Clean Attributes : Deletes Crease+ attributes on the selected Objects.

UV Menu / Makes UV based on selected objects hard edges, useful for autoPolygroups in Zbrush are just quick UV’s for hard surface Objects

Commands (Hotkey)

Call Crease+ 's UI (hotkey command) then close it, before calling any of these :

cpAttrSwitch;

        Use to toggle between attributes, select object first.

cpDisplayBool;

        Perform boolean with operands display

cpKeepBool;

        perform boolean preserving the operands

cpHbevel;

        perform hBevel

cpMirror;

        Mirrors the mesh

cpPanelBool;

        Performs panel boolean : creates panel cutting/carving with operands

cpMeshSlicer;

        slice mesh with curve, select curve and mesh first.

cpTglBoolv;

        Toggle visibility of the boolean objects

cpHedgeSel;

        Select Hard edges of the selected objects

cpShapeShifter;

        triggers ShapeShifter if found on the disk

cpGoz;

        Send meshes to Zbrush, with nGon cleanup

cpQsmooth;

        Apply a 30 degree smoothing to selected objects are components

cpHardDisplay;

        Toggles display of hard edges in realtime

cpmakeUV;

        make UV based on hard edges

cpCurveCham;

        Perform curve bevel (must draw two curve point around a corner before use)

cpTransferBevel;

        transfer bevel settings from one object to the others

cpCleanAttrs;

        kills custom attributes of the objects

cpBakThatNod;

        Bake selected Node from the channel Box(select object then node)

cpInstanceBool;

        perform Instance bool

cpAttachCurve;

attach curves

cpCurveBool;

        cut curves by intersections

cpCloseCurve;

        close curves

cpCurveMultiply;

        Multiply curves points by two