Latest Beta builds offer improvement in the mesh success rate with all models.

No doubt there are still bugs lurking -- and want you to help us squash them. However, we also want you to have the opportunity to create and play with Bot-based Meshes. Here are some tips to help you avoid known problems & limitations

Problem: Cylinders can create ugly meshes or failed meshes when used with Bots.

When overlapping cylinders of the same (or nearly same), size are arranged along a gentle curve, they create small slivers (where each pokes through its neighbor). When they get extremely small (much smaller than shown above), it creates problems for SeamNet mesh generation. Eventually GroBoto will offer you the option of cleaning up (eliminating) such features -- when very small, they are usually undesirable, adding complexity to the mesh where there is no true geometric feature.

Workaround: Replacing cylinders with barrel-shaped HyperRods.

This eliminates the problem and results in a much cleaner mesh. GroBoto’s library has a barrel HyperRod. Simply drag it from the Library, and drop it on the Object viewer in the Bot Panel. You will need to adjust its size & proportions (we will automate that step soon). Any HyperRod with outward bowing sides will do (can be more cone-shaped).

Note: Similar, overlapping cylinders are not always bad.

In fact, they create some beautiful intersections & seams (example below). The problem is pretty narrow, requiring just the right amount of turn and overlap. Bots tend to cover all possible arrangements as the gradually change size & orientation.

Meshes • Known Issues & Tips

Overlapping Cylinders put to good use... setting up for easy, intricate sculpting in ZBrush (right), based on seams and patches exported in the OBJ output.

What works & what doesn’t in the current builds.

We encourage you to experiment. It’s likely that more bugs will be found, but success rates should be quite high. As we move forward, we will want to increase stress testing, but at this point it’s more useful to find bugs in less extreme cases and avoid triggering known problems & limitations.

Here are some Bot Mesh Beta testing recommendations:

Beta Mesh Testing... Good Bot, Bad Bot

There are known issues with meshing Bots with Cylinders. Please read the notes on the left. It’s fine to test with cylinders, but if you see problems described there, we don’t need any additional examples. The Built-In GroBoto Bot Preset ‘Coral-5 Auto’ will not mesh due to these cylinder issues.

Don’t go Crazy (at least not right away) Bots can easily create many thousands of objects, especially with mirrors on. It will be more helpful if you ease into it. Start with a single AutoBot in your scene with anywhere from 100 to 1000 objects.

Set Reasonable Mesh Densities: Again, Bots create lots of geometry. A Bot with 2000 objects and density set to 200 would produce about 80 Million polygons. Usually the best bet is the ‘Variable’ option with a Density around 32 and a Minimum of 12. Key size should be based on a primitive that is in the middle of the Bots range of object sizes.

Memory Limitations: Simply running out of RAM can cause errors (and possibly crashes -- we are still working on completing memory management and error handling).

Many factors effect memory... but here are some rough guidelines based on your available RAM: 

1. •Less than 2Gigs - keep object counts under 1000.
   

2. •2-4 Gigs - keep object counts under 2000.
   

3. •4+ Gigs - still stay under 2000 objects. (Except on 64bit systems, this should be virtually unlimited - ‘tho still a good idea to stay below 2000 objects for now)
   

Of course density plays a role too. 

Suggested Density settings for Bots.

Note: you should always set the ‘Key’ value when using Variable Density. You can either select your bot and click on the ‘Base Key on Selected Object’ button, or right click on an object in the workspace and use the ‘Base Mesh Key Density on Object’s Size’ item in the pop-up context menu.

Adjusting The ‘Hi Cap’ Setting.

The ‘High Cap’ slider Determines where the transition occurs between the Cylindrical Grid and the Square Cap Grid.

Higher settings create the largest Cap Grids with quad sizes similar to those on the cylindrical part of the mesh.

Lower settings make the cap grid smaller. This gives a better radial structure (ex. around the seam where the side wall meets the top and bottom of a cylinder).

NOTE: A second ‘Lo Cap’ Slider is now available in Selections & Groups Panel. Lo Cap allows for separate settings at either end of all primitives except spheres, hyperrods and ellipsoids.

2. Bot/Complex Models - Mesh Problems with Cylinders

1. Unsupported Primitives

a. The Eyelet Primitive Type is not Supported.

b. Ducts are NOT compatible with SeamNet Meshes. Any model containing Duct Objects will not work with SeamNet meshes. (Duct Objects are created by enabling the Duct Option in the Bot Panel or using the Duct Conversion tools in the ‘Selection & Groups Panel).

Mesh Problems and Limitations

Cap Grid Adjustments