[Plugin] SketchyFFD (mind.sight.studios)

mindsightstudios · 28 Apr 2021, 16:47

Hi everyone,

I'm happy to announce that the beloved free form deformation plugin created by Chris Phillips is now under new management from mind.sight.studios!

We have some ideas of our own for the future of this plugin but we'd also love to hear your feedback on what you'd like to see in terms of improvements. This plugin was created back in 2009 and hasn't changed much since. It could sure use an update, don't you think?

We plan to keep a free version of the plugin available which will now be known as SketchyFFD (Classic). You can still get it at the SketchUcation PluginStore and we will likely release it on the Extension Warehouse as well in the near future.

SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation

SketchUp Plugin and Extension Store by SketchUcation provides free downloads of hundreds of SketchUp extensions and plugins

(sketchucation.com)

The plugin is also currently being distributed with permission inside the JHS Powerbar plugin. If you have any questions or comments about SketchyFFD, feel free to post them here.

mind.sight.studios has been developing popular SketchUp plugins since 2006, several on the PluginStore are still under my original username of 'Whaat'

Please check out our other Plugins for Professionals on our website including:

Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
Dale M

TutorialsUp · 29 Apr 2021, 03:11

Very Good News it's one of my favorite Extension and always enjoy it whenever I used it in my Tutorials

Features request

Gizmo for controlling points.
Ability to deform multiple groups ( Something Like This )
Preserve UV textures
Maintain quad face and auto smooth quads

Thanks

mindsightstudios · 21 May 2021, 14:53

@tutorialsup said:

Features request

Gizmo for controlling points.

Thanks for the requests! What do you mean by Gizmo for controlling points? What would like the gizmo to do?

cotty · 21 May 2021, 16:38

Great news, Dale!

GD3Design · 23 May 2021, 23:00

Hey Dale,
That is great news. Very interested to see what you can do to improve FFD. I've posted gizmos from other programs. 3ds max has a different gizmo for each transform - move, rotate & scale. Blender also, but they also have a combined gizmo if you choose to use it. You can easily move, rotate & scale without switching modes/commands. In sketchup, Thom has implemented a gizmo in Vertex tools that is also a combined gizmo for moving vertices.
I agree that a gizmo would be very handy to have in FFD. One thing I miss from 3ds max when using sketchyFFD is the ability to select two control points and scale them as a means of moving them equal distances toward or away from each other. If you aren't familiar with that or it isn't making sense, I could post a gif.

Cheers,
GD

mindsightstudios · 24 May 2021, 16:21

@gd3design said:

I agree that a gizmo would be very handy to have in FFD. One thing I miss from 3ds max when using sketchyFFD is the ability to select two control points and scale them as a means of moving them equal distances toward or away from each other.

Thanks the great feedback! Rather than using gizmos, I like to utilize move, rotate and scale in a more 'SketchUp' way. Some people prefer gizmos though - I suppose it might be related to which apps you used prior to discovering SketchUp.

rv1974 · 24 May 2021, 16:50

To scale 2 points in 'Sketchup way' means fail I hope you won't copy SU behavior fully

pilou · 24 May 2021, 17:09

The Gizmo of this incredible new free modeler : MagicaCSG

mindsightstudios · 24 May 2021, 17:12

@rv1974 said:

To scale 2 points in 'Sketchup way' means fail I hope you won't copy SU behavior fully

haha! don't worry - we've got you covered

lab971mail · 31 Jul 2022, 14:34

So I tried downloading this plugin "slicer" or as after downloading it says "sketchyFFD", but for some reason it is not appearing anywhere. But shows "installed" in Extension Manager.

Rich O Brien · 31 Jul 2022, 15:48

Its a context-menu entry so you only see it when your selection is correct and you right click.

Louis Moens · 29 Dec 2022, 01:12

Hey Dale,
I've got a little problem using FFD. After selecting the group and choosing one of the three FFD options, the control points do not appear. Any idea of what that might be ? Maybe just a display issue...
Thank you in advance,
Louis M.

Himbeertoni · 15 Feb 2023, 13:21

Hello ! by hardware restrictions i have i like to ask if this plug-in exist somewhere in a version for su2016 x86 ?
thank you

cgmbook

@Louis-Moens Hey, i have the same problem have you found the solution to view the control points ?