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FAQs / SFQs

How do I know if HOps is out of date?

The hops button will let you know if you are in date.

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faq Green Icon - Up to date

faq Red Icon - Out of date

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Not only are there icons to the specific update locations there is even a link to a page telling you how to access the update locations.


Where is the 2.90 version? I only see 2.8 files.

2.83 is the current LTS so we support it first and foremost. All versions aim to support 2.83 and up. Currently we support 2.83 / 2.90 / 2.91 / 2.92 / 2.93 and so on.

Try to install the zip provided then let us know if issues are experienced.


How do I directly go into hops menu like before?

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We didn't add that. It comes from machin3 tools. Disable it via their preferences.


What happened to the topbar!?

Right click object mode and enable it.

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Also an option is in settings.

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Help! I just installed and it says I need to upgrade!

This means you installed the older version of hops/boxcutter. Install the correct version prefixed with 2.8 and you will be good to go.

Bottom two files are for Blender 2.79

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The last versions for 2.79 were:

Attempting to install them in 2.8 will show an error.

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The top file is always the latest and the same applies for BlenderMarket. and artstation.


I updated hops and got this error.

Make sure the old folder is deleted before updating. Blender 2.8 is more specific so if a file is renamed or changed it will possibly cause a registration issue if it isn't equipped for that operator anymore.

Deleting HOPS via preferences and reinstalling from file will resolve the issue.

The next level of support is renaming or deleting the 2.8x folder and reopening blender cleanly. This has shown to work 100% of the time and is only recommended after multiple installation failures.


Why can't I remap a multitool?

Because multitools utililize modifier keys, they are not optimal for remapping. In the event something is mapped to alt, ctrl or shift the tool will override behavior with the modifier key to conjur it.

We'll have to see how the future plays out but unfortunately it is a known issue with the only resolution being to use the tools as designed.

We'll have to see what the future holds but multitool remapping is not supported at this time.


What kind of geo can I expect from booleans?

Something like this. Booleans solve as they will and with the most minimal of edges. The moment a boolean is used ngons are created. However Ngons have a special purpose in hard surface planar modelling.

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All hardOps does is help user make these mistakes quicker so they can be corrected and controlled even faster.

When it comes to creation one must use the tools at their disposal to get it done. To cast away ngons as invalid to a workflow is throwing away an essential tool. Ngons to us serve as temporary geometry aiming to build a surface and bridge us to the bevel however the bevel has different rules than subdivision.

Of course there is the stigma that you can't bend an ngon but we challenge even those notions in our work.

dice

Just because it's an ngon doesn't mean we can dice and deform / curve deform it.

When it comes to modelling hard surface theres a few approaches with their restrictions / rewards (I'm sure theres more that can be added):

Bevel

  • distance in geo allows room for bevel
  • sparse geo for a surface is the name of the game and will get further than loops + support loops + pole control
  • bevel can be iffy with its own rules for optimal management that extends to but is not limited to:
    • corner geo being specific for optimal result
    • capabilities with skewing w/ booleans without support geometry
    • requires support geometry for a managed solution on ngons to maintain a nice finish
  • these rules sound like alot but with experience it becomes second nature
  • with proper shading and management the result looks final-ish at most times
  • the goal of hops was bevel awareness and to make bevel more useful with hard surface

Subdivision

  • geometric density specifies creasing and bevel appearance
  • support loops for crucial edges to hold form requiring sliding to adjust curvature
  • workflow of blocking in then edge / surface refinement
  • the textbook method of modelling but is not optimal for games
  • perfect fallback for smoothing forms when topological control is possible
  • subdivision is but a conversion process
    • for subdivision to work properly one must feed it adequate Geometry
    • we leave that to you the user but also have tools to help
    • anything sub-d is applied to is a quad. Even ngons. You can crease an ngon / apply subdivision and it will be quad next time you see it. This can be useful in workflows.
    • for this reason we also crease. Because subdivision is just a series of rules.

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I am not saying one is better than the other but their different rulesets make them more interchangeable on the fly once the rules are understood. All our tools do is aim to speed up the facilitation of learning failing and most of all advancing. We understand 3d requires many many keystrokes and we want to assist in reducing them to as few as possible.

The majority of game models are triangulated which are both cousins of ngons and tris. I am yet to hear of games utilizing Catmark-Mull subdivision. That is more a workflow for high poly workflows which we are aiming for in our work. Through my content I hope to show how subdivision and bevel can play together when used smartly in the modifier stack. However if you give a subdivision modifier ngons you will receive an unjust reward. We also have tools in place to make that workflow easier as well within hardOps.

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Many users work with film / product / game studios and our tool is used by AAA studios all around the world.


How do I find my cutters?

Everscroll

All cutters are placed in the cutters collection. In the below example I could always go to collection 2 "cutters" with 2 and press alt + H to see all the cutters.

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Object scroll has been added to the main Q menu so that boolshapes can be quickly cycled through and located.

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In boxcutter show shape can be toggled to make shapes show after drawing.

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Auto hide will hide shapes which is default but Object scroll can be used to bring them back.

It also is worth mentioning hopsTool is capable of allowing users to bring back certain shapes using boolean dots.

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Why won't my sharp edges show up? Did hops do this?

Q: "for some reason hardops is preventing me from making sharps sharp? Tested by turning off the hops addon and it went back to normal, any ideas on why that would be happening? Basically Ctrl + E >> Mark Sharp changes nothing with hops enabled in preferences."

a few tips:

  • first I checked autosmooth and custom normals. The only things capable of forcing shading besides modifiers
  • the modifier scroll is a powerful resource in troubleshooting and rolling through the creation process
  • after scrolling I saw things went wrong at Weighted Normal
  • keep sharp is required for weighted normal to keep marked sharp edges
  • when adding weighted normal if shift is held it will use keep sharp

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The modscroll can be a powerful tool for scrolling through the process to see where things go wrong. It also allows for backwards scrolling and looping for more fun with modifier presentation.

Modifier scroll or toggle could be set for the quick favorites to be accessed with Q >> Q if needed extensively for a session.

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Save prefs to save quick favorites. I usually don't. So I can vary the quick favorites for workflow.

When adding weighted normal holding shift will add the modifier with keep sharp checked.

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shoutout to user: modimist


How do I fix this shading?

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Looking close at the above image shows many bevelled edges converging into a non bevelled edge. This difference in geometry caused a shading convergence issue.

Easy fix. Lower the bevel angle slightly.

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How do I step like 79 HOPS?

About bevel weight.

About Step

Step still exists for users to switch to via the ctrl + ~ helper and using the weight workflow. This workflow still has uses in certain areas but for the most part lacks the ability to work with as many modifers as angle.

Also see bstep


How do you make a hardOps mesh work with subdivision?

Below is my classic video for converting from boolean / bevel to subdivison geometry. As you can see it is a process unto itself. This video is a classic from 2.79 so it is still applicable even in the 2.8 era.

When it comes to more complex assets sometimes I will convert an unbevelled version to the final model as shown here:

I don't normally break down game models to all quads since tris also play a role in simplification but the process differs from subdivison conversion. Working smart and using guidance edges can go a long ways in keeping the work ahead minimal.

When I talk about guidance edges I mean this.

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Booleans by default in blender will solve using any edge it can connect to it. And more often than not this is not the desired way to solve a boolean. In the above gif you can see the geometrical hit lessen as go to the edge while face cuts will solve to the nearest corner. Something as simple as adding an edge counteracted this. This edge has only the purpose of guiding the boolean. Therefore it is a guidance edge. That is the only purpose for adding it.

Having less booleans solve with the corners the less stress the bevel modifier will get which reduces the amount of streaking artifacts while working.

With the new miter options on bevel a user could easily build the block in cage from a boolean mesh. And from there make everything quads and be good to go. The bevel mod creates the guidance edges to prevent subdivison from shrinking everything.

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a few things to note note:

  • bevel was set to profile with 1 by pressing P during bwidth to adjust the profile.
  • boxcutter has sorting for bevel on so the bevel is kept on top of the boolean modifiers
  • miter spaces out the top of a cut instead of converging them making the subdivision process easier than ever

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Also if subdivison is on an object. All is quad. Automatically. So just using subdivision makes and object all quads.

Using triangulate and bevel intelligently can be the difference between adequate shading with subdivison and artifacts due to ngon to subdivision issues. Even now this object is still able to be modified thanks to sorting.

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about the above gif:

  • bevel is still live but rounded by subdivision.
  • triagulate mod via hops will only triangulate ngons which is thanks to enahncements to the modifier itself.
  • everything is dynamic but also fully quad once subdivision is brought into play
  • during bevel Z turns on wire. This is the object wire. Not to be confused with the viewport wireframe option that had to be toggled in this example

The flow will not be what you like but it will be all quads.

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So the subdivision conversion process can be quite easy depending on geometry and that is built into blender. So exporting to Zbrush and 3dcoat is an option this way as well.

While working sometimes I will duplicate a portion before progressing forward in order to keep a state I can revert to if I need to add more geometry to the initial mesh or make a large form change. So part of getting the most out of hops is working smart and using the tools Blender has in addition to the tools added with hardOps.

Alternatively users could apply the bevel and clean up the mesh by manually adding loops and that is the most direct way to get a perfect result. However make sure to bevel with a profile of one to create additional edges for managing surfaces. This can come in handy for modelling as well.

In the above example I beveled in edit mode with a profile of 1 to 100% keep the profile but add a spacer loop with low segments. This spacing workflow is essential for maintaining for and controlling flow to master shading with minimal geometry.

A playlist on topostudies has been created for the purpose of understanding topological control w/ booleans.


Is there a way to freeze the geo before exporting it out to an external renderer?

(I use octane stand alone). When import the geo all the boolean shapes show (I.e. the circle cuts show up as geo).

HOPS has options to make export easier.

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Where is the empty when I do a radial array?

Check the collection. You may have to enable visibility.

For Boxcutter it is probably in the cutters collection.

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The empty is parented to the object of affect so it should translate accordingly.

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Why is the displace red when using radial array?

Because it is not in use. Sometimes the displace isn't set to any number. It is present in case it is needed.

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How did you do the curved wall demo from the 00983 trailer?

At this moment in the trailer I showed a curved wall.

This utilizes spin with curve deformation. It was a happy little accident.

To showcase setting it up in action:

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  • moved the plane held ctrl for increment snap
  • ctrl + A applied location
  • deleted one point to make it an edge
  • duplicated and separated one vert with P for making the object w/ same origin / rotation
  • converted main shape to curve after bevelling
  • extrude (spin) the vert shape then ctrl + P (curve deform) to the curve

Curve deform rarely works out the box so some adjustment may be needed.

This can result in an interesting setup for completion of the asset.

To extend on the previous example:

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Why does it crash when using the operator properties?

Blender 2.8 has been having issues with the undo / redo portion that is connected to the properties panel. When changing parameters theres a chance Blender could crash and take you to the desktop.

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In the above example I attempted to use csharp and adjust the F6 to trigger an issue. But it didn't come up. But this is a common issue.

Another example is in boxcutter. Notice how changing the apply modifier area can cause a crash.

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At the top of boxcutter is a button that applies booleans. If tampered with it can quickly take you to the desktop. I'm my general use I dont mess with the F6 of this property because the purpose is only applying booleans.

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The hard ops thread can be a nice way to convey issues and find support when needed.

When crashes occur it can be handy to capture it and convey them to us.

But F6 and undo / redo related issues are a known thing that is an issue all throughout 2.8 at this time.

In 2.7x there was also an issue with undo / redo and as a result we used outside properties to manage ssharp / csharp / booleans / clean mesh and marking.

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In the hops helper / mini helper or n panel we have the workflow area which has some of those outside exposed properties you would normally adjust on F6. Since we put them outside we never looked back. I recommend spending some time getting acquainted with it.


I was not logged in when purchasing your product. How do I get the latest update?

Blendermarket

Purchase Retreival

The product should be listed under orders on your Blendermarket account. Having the product on your account is essential for the updates that come frequently due to changes with Blender.

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For additional assistance blendermarket can be contacted at support@blendermarket.com

Gumroad

When it comes to gumroad you can view products in your library.

If you are unable to login you will need to locate the purchase email and use that to connect the product to your account.

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If you are logged into your gumroad account you should see view product or download on the sales pages for the purchase related to you. Alternatively the library will show all your purchases.

If logged into gumroad the assoociated sales page with your purchase will show view product instead of purchase info. By clicking download you will be taken to a page showing updates.

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HardOps

Boxcutter

hopsCutter


How do I update Hard Ops / Boxcutter?

Q: I haven't used HardOps for a while and need to update. Where do I get the latest update?

Blendermarket: log into your account and go under orders in the dropdown of the upper right list.

Gumroad: log into your account then access the HardOps or Boxcutter pages.

When it comes to installation the video below covers it in depth.

The top file is always the latest.

How do I get up to speed with the tool?

A: In the N panel or HOPS button is an option called Hard Ops learning that is built to help users find the documentation or tutorial content. Every major version I usually make a new course set of materials to show off the tools.


How can I find out if I am up to date in hardOps?

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The hops button in the 3d view has buttons that will appear and take you to the sales page of purchase in order to download the latest updates. (this does require logging in)

Gumroad

Blendermarket

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Preferences will also let users know if they are up to date.


Can I disable to Q menu and use only the Hops pie? For quick favorites?

Quick favorites can be accessed with Q >> Q. Hard Ops was made before the Q menu came to Blender so now they've come to share the same key.

Even though I wouldn't recommend it... yes.

Menus contain all options while pies and panels contain most. The Q menu is the best way to get the most out of HardOps.

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In the keymap tab any hotkey not wanted can be unchecked.

Do not click the X or delete the keymaps. Doing harsh changes will require reinstallation to resolve.

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To restore to default just enable to the option disabled here.


How do you stack bevels non-destructively? My bevels keep bevelling each other.

First lets look at the bevel modifier as it is in the Add Modifier submenu.

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  • LMB - adds 30 degree bevel if not present / adjusts if present
  • ctrl + LMB - adds an additional bevel modifier at 30 degrees.
  • shift + ctrl + LMB - adds an additional bevel modifier at 60 degrees.

The shift + ctrl + LMB - adds a bevel at 60 degrees is the key.

If you bevel 3 segments at 30 then bevel again more than likely you will double bevel.

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Ideally you want the subsequent bevels at 60 so you dont catch the same edges. This is the easiest solution.

Alternatively you could add more segments to the first level to round it out for the 2nd level to not get caught under the 30 degree threshold.

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In hopsTool adding multiple bevels is slightly different but still the same.

  • LMB adds bevel modifiers at 30 degrees
  • ctrl + LMB adds bevel modifiers at 60 degrees

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How does reverse bevel work?

In edit mode with a face selected on a "boolshape" the face will be flipped resulting in a nice outwards bevel.

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Even if HN is on this feature should ignore that since harden normals would affect the shading. (we try to avoid cutting custom normals into other meshes).

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Notice how harden normals is ignored on boolshapes.

This video goes more in depth on the topic.


How do you use sorting? The sort tickbox doesnt do anything.

The sort tickbox in hardOps and boxcutter is there for users to specify what modifiers are supposed to be where in the stack. Unchecked modifiers do nothing and remain where there are in the stack.

clicking them does nothing until the next boolean operation

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Sort can be turned off an on overall and the buttons next to it do the following:

  • last bevel to bottom of stack (ahead of booleans)
  • sort bevel modifiers - move bevel mods to bottom of stack
  • non vgroup / weight models
  • sort array - ensures array is last so it shows booleans in all subparts
  • sort mirror - using modifier mirror at the end of the stack will mirror all cuts
  • sort solidify - keeps solidify later in the stack. Off by defaults. Only used in certain situations.
  • sort weighted normal - keeps weighted normal at the end of the stack (maintains shading)
  • sort simple deform - keeps simple deform at the end of the stack before the rest.
  • sort triangulate - keeps triangulate after boolean to allow for iterative working on an exportable mesh
  • sort decimate - moves decimate at the end of the stack (useful for rare situations)
  • recommended off for smart shapes and situations where the mod order is crucial.

To show sort bevel in action.

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In this example I turned on only bevel sorting. Notice that when I used the boolean operation, the modifier for mirror was put last.

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The down pointing arrow is for latest bevel sort. If you have more than one bevel more than likely you only want to deal with the highest level in order to cut with an independent bevel level.

ctrl + ~ helper

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This is how I am able to cut on the final level of a bevel without affecting previous levels. In this example the bevel angles are as follows.

  • 30 degrees
  • 60 degrees
  • 60 degrees

If I use another 30 degree bevel it will detect the previous levels and cause mesh issues and possibly a crash. So this can be a delicate dance.

With mirror sorting the mirror will also be added to the end of the stack ensuring that the modifiers are always ordered in a way to keep working with booleans non destructively.

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At the end of the last gif I added a Weighted normal modifier. This mod will always need to be at the end or else shading issues will occur. Turning it on will ensure the mod remains at the end when boolean operations are performed. It is best to turn that on when working with weighted normal.

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Multi- Bevel Sorting video

Sort Gotcha w/ hShapes

Some of the new smart shapes will require certain mods be off in order to maintain stack order. Lets look at the current smart bbox and scroll through its mods to see how it is made.

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The mods on this box are as follows.

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If we move / toggle the decimate mod this shape will be fundamentally changed. The decimate is needed for simplification and will cause issues.

To show that in action.

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This is just to show that all situations can't be handled with sorting and at this time turning off sorting can also be of benefit to users.

Boxcutter also has a sort that must be taken into account. It can be found in either the topbar, n panel or D menu.

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We aspire to expand sorting into something more expansive down the road but for now it will have to suffice for boolean operation.


How do I apply a boolean I set up with Hard Ops?

Quickest answer. Apply the modifier. A boolean is just a modifier in your modifier stack. However this isn't the quickest or most recommended.

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First lets set up a boolean and examine what is happening.

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By pressing (ctrl + ~) or using the N panel or HOPS mini helper I am able to see the modifiers on the object via the helper. This can be an easy way to quickly see whats happening with an object in the 3d view.

From the helper you can apply like and modifier or apply it using csharpen which is one of the primary purposes of the behavior.

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Csharpen is being used in the above example to apply the modifier as you work forward thus making the workflow faster and easier than going through panels and menus.

How Do I Install Hard Ops / Boxcutter?

See Install

Why is the add-on checker not working?

The recommended addons will show checkboxes when the supported plugins are present.

This can have issues if the naming is different than what it is looking for. BoxCutter for example requires the folder is named "BoxCutter"

If the naming is not exact this will cause issues. Just rename the .py to resolve the issue.

The naming is as follows.

This can be an issue to some however it is recommended to just check the folder naming. We are currently looking into improving it but it was intended to be a quick checklist to assist with troubleshooting.

To troubleshoot further you also can run the following command in the scripting area of the scripting tab.

bpy.context.preferences.addons.keys()

install

This will show a list of all the add ons present. This is how we troubleshoot this area when the plugin detection is not working.


Why am I having issues when I boolean certain areas?

see boolean tips


What is Cstep / step?

In short.

Cstep - cstep is an sstatus for baking bevels while keeping a bevel modifier active for new intersectional bevelling.

step - bakes bevels while adding a bevel modifier back to the mesh for new bevelling.

See Step


Why is my mesh hidden when I step?

Step hides the mesh when used. See How does step work technically

  • press alt + h to unhide mesh
  • press h to hide mesh

Can I get out of Cstep?

Absolutely. Q >> meshtools >> sstatus reset

q >> meshtools >> status reset will reset any mesh back to a default state. Causing the Q menu dynamic options to also be default instead of cstep oriented.


Why is it called Step / Cstep / Ssharpen / Cssharpen?

The naming made sense at the time but the functions are best described like so. Someday the tools will be unified into something more logical however in the meantime we needed some sort of terminology for naming.

When I was originally writing a book about modelling I found myself saying repeatedly: tab >> editmode >> select sharps >> mark sharp >> mark seam >> mark crease >> mark bevel weight

Over time I just simplified it into that for my own sake however after they became tools the names just stuck. Since it's version 9, changing names might confuse actual users just to appease people who possibly are not even using the tool nor plan to.


Help! Why doesn't this add-on show activated in the add-on checker!

By using this line in the scripting area of blender you can see all the add-ons activated.

bpy.context.preferences.addons.keys()

The Boxcutter add-on folder requires the naming be "BoxCutter"

You can also find the foldername in the addon file area.

This is how it would be fixed in the add-ons directory.

Mira tools also is the same way.

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In my add ons folder it is just called mira_tools. For this addon it can get complicated since the naming is rather specific.

I must add that the add on checker doesn't really matter. It was attempted to be a convenience thing. However some issues that users find with it is due to the naming.


How Blender updates work

When a version is released the foundation is already beginning work on the next version. Users can preview the next version as it develops by getting the latest version from builder.blender.org.

There is a public version and there is the in development version.

So often I see someone say “Is there a new version?” or “Did you try the latest update?”, this drives me nuts and is counterproductive since the Blender Foundation is always at work.

Yes, there is an update and yes you should be using it to help locate bugs and ensure the next release is as smooth as the current.


Mira Tools

Why doesn't curveStretch show up in the Q menu?

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Check the add on preferences for Hard Ops under the add on tab. If Mira tools is not enabled you must download and install it.

Mira Tools / Thread

If mira tools is not enabled the icon next to the button will show an error.

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The below example shows how installing it and enabling it allows HOPS to use it as well.


What is the difference between Hard Ops and Boxcutter?

Hard Ops is a toolkit containing many tools for various tasks ranging from viewport adjustment, rendering, helpers and symmetrization and not to mention sharpening.

Boxcutter is only a cutter. It only cuts. The purpose of boxcutter is to cut via drawing.

One can't replace the other. They are supplemental to each other. Boxcutter is a small subtool when compared to the entirety of the hops suite.


What is the difference between Hard Ops and KitOps?

Hard Ops is a toolkit containing many tools for assisting users with getting all the way from cube to final result. It's our swiss army knife of modelling. However back in 2016 I did discuss the implementation and our plans with it.

A few things to note. - I took the idea for Insert Merging from Chipp in Moi and I left a comment about it. - now he's using Blender years later and we collaborated to make his system from Moi a thing in Blender but faster - the initial insert system of HOPS was just a means to an end. It was limited due to its simplicity which limited our expansion on it. One mesh merged and one mesh left behind.

KitOps is focused primarily on insert management into packs called Kpacks and the workflows of aligning them on surfaces and smart behaviors. This takes the behavior system of subsets and removes several steps and makes it an artistic process compared to before.

What can KitOps do that Hard Ops doesn't?

  • manage inserts / allows for user created inserts
  • merge multiple levels of booleans in order
  • connection / disconnection live via smart selector
  • thumbnail rendering and creation
  • duplication / shift + r redo capabilities
  • support for HOPS tools like interactive mirror and Qarray
  • smart hiding of modifiers for quick modifications
  • insert hiding via quick selectors in T panel
  • auto scale system
  • custom scale system
  • auto grouping for quick selection
  • inserts dont appear until mouse is over surface during insertion

and much more.

KitOps was made from the ground up to offer a faster and more user friendly experience than our initial offering in Hard Ops. With an emphasis on expandability.

There is a free version available. However there are some restrictions since it is a demo.

Try it for yourself. KitOps Videos / HOPS Red Insert Demo

The videos themselves should show the differences.


How about Meshmachine? How about that?

Meshmachine is a different system going for something different altogether. And that't what makes it awesome.

Meshmachine began as a series of tools to make Machin3's life easier in edit mode but has introduced "Plugs". I cannot recommend his tool enough. I imagine the final version being unlike any tool we have seen before.

KitOps currently does nothing beyond connecting meshes to other meshes with booleans and even simple placement. As you know this can be inefficient and messy when combined with curvature. So planar surfaces are optimal for this if you are not skilled with cleanup and efficient boolean modelling.

Meshmachine takes this in a brilliant new direction. With his inserts you will be able to not only merge them with any surface efficiently, but the normals and shading will be resolved as well. This is alone worth my recommendation for this product. Fuse, Refuse, Unf*ck, UnChamfer, and Boolean Cleanup are tools that fill holes in the workflow of concept mesh creation.

Meshmachine is poised to do great things but this workflow does come with speed compromises due to complexity. This shouldn't affect your decision but this is where Plugs and Kpacks differ. They are 2 very different delivery systems for 2 different circumstances.

Kpacks are intended to just be used as inserts with users having to deal with consequences and ramifications of poor placement or hotlining. And not to mention doubles and shading issues with bad geo.

Plugs will conform with the surface and heal the shading. They both have their place. But in short there is no doubt that we will evolve to meet the standards that Meshmachine will set.

I recommend to use Meshmachine and bring it into your workflow. Our goal is never to compete. If someone can do a better job why not expand on that.


Why can't I cut with planes anymore?

Well to put is simply. Blender themselves changed the algorithm. Previously they used to use CARVE now they use BMESH.

This was the moment CARVE was removed.

From the final release of 2.79 to 2.8 going forward there are now new rules to adhere to.

  • watertight (no holes)
  • this means cutting the mesh in half and using the mirror with booleans is no longer recommended
  • keeping the mesh solid and mirroring via modifier is more optimal
  • solid no planes no 2d geometry.
  • in order to use 2d geometry with booleans it is recommended to add thickness
  • normals must be properly oriented
  • in 2.8 normals can be harder to notice when incorrect so the alt + V face orientation is useful for troubleshooting.
  • edit mode with all selected shift + N recalculates normals.
  • applying scale if things get inverted can also help boolean issues. With wireshapes for booleans it can be harder to tell if a mesh has been flipped inside out.

Bmesh booleans are faster which results in more booleans being able to be racked up and the tips mentioned above should be followed for a predictable modifier workflow.

These should be rules in general but with BMESH it is now more strict. We simply evolved with the times and continued but we understand this can be an unusual transition after seeing the 2.79 content but it was just a different time and now long gone in favor of something that ties into the rest of the tools and is much faster without so many triangles being created on the cut. It will take some time to get used to but it is the way things are now

As you can see from the image it is sort of random.

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And with thickness it just works more predictably.

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How do collections work?

When working in a default scene you are usually in a collection.

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Right now there is one collection so with default controls pressing the number keys will activate the corresponding collection. I think of them as layers.

mir

Those number keys are the ones I refer to. In order to use them you cannot have emulate numpad enabled.

When cutters are brought into play I typically use 1, 2, to change collection / layer on the fly. Shift + number will add that to the visible collections.

If the cutter collection is not showing cutters alt + H should reveal all on an active collection. H will hide.

mir

The preferred way to show cutter is with the Mod Scroll / Toggle. Notice how scrolling toggles visibility of each cutter in the cutters collection.

mir

Mod Scroll is a consolidation of multiple modifier / boolean operations that might be useful in workflow.

Hover over a tool for a tooltip

mir

If an object is outside of a collection and is in the master collection it will not be hidden by 1, 2, 3 in use.

mir


Why did my shading get messed up starting the cylinoid video?

In 2.8 the parameter "Harden Normals" was added to the bevel modifier. While it's capable of being useful for shading later in the model this can have issues with the start of the cylinoid video.

The ctrl + ~ helper can allow users the change workflow or using the N panel.

This is what happens if the HN (harden normals) parameter is on.

The shading looks incorrect for the following reasons:

  • harden normals is on making the normals look smoothing
  • autosmooth is set to 60 and not 30.

Here is how I would fix it using the ctrl + ~ helper.

And here I am working on both the shading and the Harden Normal not being on.

This should not be an issue in the most recent update. 1 during bwidth will now fix the shading properly. We apologize for this being an entry level gotcha. Markets have been updated with this change. (9-6-19)


How do I bake alpha maps / height maps from a Hard Ops model?

I assume you mean bake in substance painter or get normal / height maps.

Also I must add DecalMachine has it's own system worth looking into for baking out decals to textures.

If you wanted to be lazy you could make a version without bevelling and use x-unwrap on it to get some quick UVs.

Then export the bevelled as the high and the unbevelled triangulated as the low and with the correct settings you should be fine. However the best work is done by UVing and properly creating a low but workflows for hacking your way through exists.

And then exported.

Xunwrap provided some UVs however you can also preview them using operations << UV preview.

Now in substance painter I bring up the mesh and do a quick bake.

The UVs provided will do for such a boxy example however when inserts and material colors are present you will need to accomodate for baking ID maps and so on.

In this bake I'll up the res and allow a little AA to get a nice result.

As you can see from my IDs the material colors also baked into the low mesh.

None of the inserts are present on the low. Its all just the bake. By removing the render and the filters and finally the layers you can see its the same low I used for the block in phase.

So the point of all this is to explain that a workflow exists however it is up to the preferences of you the user as to how you want to go about using the tools in your workflow.

The beauty of hard ops is you can use as much or as little of it as you need for your preferred workflow. But many of the tools are designed with particular workflows in mind.


Obligatory Text

When it comes to having issues the first thing I'll recommend is updating. Theres a couple of ways to do that.

mir

mir

Anyways after having blender up to date comes ensuring you have the latest version.

Accessing previous orders.

When it comes to contacting us theres a couple of ways.

Blendermarket

mir

Clicking that button will send us a message which can be easy.

Gumroad

Responding to any email I send should come back to me. Believe me people use that alot.

Also I'm always on twitter so I can be messaged there as well. I probably post there the most. You can follow me for updates and occasional tips.

Support Channels

Boxcutter has a support button in the behavior panel. This will take you to our discord where we're haunted 24/7 with support issues.

mir

hardOps has multiple help areas.

mir

mir

Below are links to the direct sales pages which you can access the product via being logged in.

Gumroad - hopsCutter - boxcutter - hardops

Blendermarket - hopsCutter - boxcutter - hardops

Artstation - hopsCutter


Hello I am a student / child / woman / former-lover / hobbyist / beginner. Can I get a discount on the product?

No.

We keep our prices low to keep the entry low. The sales of our product go to paying programmers, paying for blender to keep improving and ensuring the tools evolving. We pride ourselves on our willingness to reinvest into the growth of Hard Ops / Boxcutter. This is 24/7 operation to us and we love working late nights, holidays, birthdays and family events on this tool to ensure you have the best experience in Blender for concept creation.

Please buy it.


Hello, I teach school. May I have free copy for students?

No.

There is nothing stopping you from buying a single copy and installing it on everyone's pc in the classroom.

However, I would recommend teaching the fundamentals of Blender first and foremost instead of muddying users understanding with plugins.

We are but a subsection of blender and our long term viability will never compare to Blender and understanding it as a whole. I do not endorse the presentation of our product as a replacement of the Blender experience. We consider ourselves an experience of overlay and enhance the experience.

To succeed with HOpscutter a 3d understanding is critical. To understand 3d software provides a fallback to deeper understanding and absolute 3d mastery in addition to understanding how things work. Blender has a format of fundamentals that are crucial to all new users. We are still in the process of refining the final formula that is our tools. There is a good chance HOps may differ by the end of the course being taught.

Normally to be considered for a classroom course would be considered an honor however the viability of you as a teacher cannot be verified so theres no telling if our tool would even be conveyed as intended. Educational materials are still being prepared so it is not recommended due to still being in development.

Our product costs due to it being a constant project that has full time employees employed to maintain the product. The costs are real as are the taxes that have to be paid just to maintain the project. In addition we support the Blender Dev fund at every level.

HOpsCutter contains no DRM or registration system.

That means it can be installed to as many PCs as needed with restriction.

It does however require the purchase of a copy. Educational packages are available on our Gumroad pages.


Hello, I would like to use hopsCutter w/ Heavypoly config.

Love me some Vaughn Ling. We are honored to have him using b3d.

mir

If you want to use HeavyPoly scripts together with Boxcutter/HardOps you will need to do these steps for them to work together: Transcribed from: Utopies Selectives on the HeavyPoly Discord

HeavyPoly install:

The following is the guide on how to get hopscutter working with HeavyPoly config.

  1. You open your Hpconfig blender, go in preferences/keymap and export your key configuration.
  2. For your new Blender setup, you put all of the HPConfig files like usual except the config folder (The problem doesn't come from the plugins).
  3. In that new blender you go to preferences/keymap, import the old keymap
  4. you need to move your windows around to get the user interface similar (if you want) and then you are good!

ALSO

  1. if you want the text file with the shortcuts, you go in your HPconfig Blender, in the text editor tab, you choose save as to extract the file from the config,
  2. you load it in your new blender! easy peazy.

You can now install Boxcutter and hardOps to your liking.

  1. Save the new config by going into File/Defaults/Save Startup file "

For more assistance on this please consult with the HeavyPoly group who has many members enjoying hopsCutter.


How does your tool stack up against ~~Insert Tool Here~~ ?

To say, why us? In three words:

Personally, I have been 3d modelling since 2010 in Blender 2.49. All the experience and knowledge we have learned over the course of our 3d careers have went into these tools and continues to. The team working on the tools has experience in multiple areas of 3d ensuring the approaches are well rounded in various aspects and come from a point of understanding. To us: not only does the function matter, the connection of the function to subsequent functions is also taken into consideration. We care about how the tool is configured and used before, during and post operation. Workflow and key reduction is why these tools exist in the first place. The customizable behavior of our toolset ensures we will work with anyone of any level or disability. Much care ,thought and planning goes into every aspect of the tools we make. Our commitment to resolving customer issues and remaining proactive with updates is next to none. The product you purchase we can only assure is a one-time purchase and that any future updates will be provided free of cost. Not a day goes by where these tools aren't discussed, planed-on or under the knife in search of the next level of what we endeavor to achieve. When hops is done it will be done in a manner befitting a premium tool. While we don't intend to be working on the same product till the end of time, I definetely intend the product to never cease working due to the importance to users and workflow.

To describe each of our tools briefly:

To elaborate more:

Competition is expected and we welcome it since it validates concepts and furthers our endeavors of bringing awareness to bevel, boolean and general workflows while also following in the vision of Blender itself. We hope users experiment with both our tools and others and help coordinate how they can best work together. In the end competition benefits you the customer since it brings about the best via competition. In the end I suppose the only thing that separates one tool from that one is the person in charge of making it happen and guiding its development. I pride myself on finding the right person for the job because I want only the best results for my users. Our goal is to make Blender and modelling more entertaining by giving more control back to you the user with less UI and panel overflow to allow for focused thought and execution.

Due to our tool's usage in schools, studios and general 3d places of work we test tools daily to ensure they work with both the current and most up to date versions of Blender. Even unto the future we try to review commit logs and curtail issues users will face and provide silent updates without fail ensuring consistent working as expected of a commercial product.

Over the years support has been streamlined to a fine point as well. I pride myself on giving prompt responses and taking any support issue into consideration for future enhancements. Anytime I leave the house I am geared up to maintain a 24/7 support network extending to all customers. Even user created art is lovingly currated into a gallery and can be found and added using the #hardops or #boxcutter hashtag.

hardOps started off a small idea.

We're committed to making Blender easier without obscuring what makes it great. And it is with great pride that we can continue to fund blender at every level. And it is the customers that make this possible. Our goal is to make customers glad they chose us by multiplying the value they invest in us and work hard and without tire to assist them in gaining more value from their 3d endeavors by making their lives easier.


Are you planning to add something like ~~Insert Feature / Tool~~

We make our tools based off what is needed, not to just copy others. The vision of what we endeavor with our tools remains the same. Tools are built on an as needed basis. Our goal is to make fine art and reduce keystrokes while also solving issues users might face. I have always said that if someone else is doing it right, why bother? Not unless it can be improved and innovated.

Mirror is an easy example:

  • in older hops we used Automirror (for bisect), MirrorMirror (2 object mirror), and HOPS itself had symmetrize.
  • this required 2 additional tools to do all 4 functions needed in a general workflow.
  • Interactive mirror is a consolidation of all of these systems into 1 tool / 1 hotkey
  • now this style of mirroring is the standard way interactive mirroring is approached
  • Mirror now supports Bisect, Modifier, Symmetrize, and 2-Object Mirror in a single tool.

When it comes to pipes there are many pipe tools available freely:

Pipe Nightmare was actually made by our own ProxeIO which caught my attention for getting him to work on the team. Prox is currently the lead on Boxcutter and is an integral member of the team. To be honest I want pipe nightmare to be a connected tool in BC. Making pipe volumes with a simple draw. It could already be a thing by the time you read this. Proxe recently brought back pipe nightmare for use in the future and to get working in 2.8.

However, these pipes don't play a primary role in our art internally. So at this time I can't state future plans. It always is dependent on if we can improve upon the idea and take it in a different direction while continually evolving it. Or even if it is a popular request.

We visited pipes previously in HOPS

Hard Ops Q menu - curve system

Also in boxcutter we explored ideas for procedural cutters involving pipes and plating.

Someday we hope to expand on the idea of procedural custom cutter creation but that should give you a better idea of where our minds are at on the topic.


OMG so many updates.

When people ask why so many updates occur I often think back the plethora of comments and requests that are received. Not a day goes by where a user is asking for extension in functionality to be further boosted with a concept. For us to deny that would be a disservice to our endeavors as problem solvers. If we were to cease work users would miss us. To continually push these tools forward is part of our sales commitment. To stop on the account of any single person is inoptimal for growth as a whole and our promise of always having our best foot forward for the customer yet to come. Due to the constant work done by the foundation systems get depreciated and maitenance is required. HOpsCutter cannot remain the same forever due to blender not remaining the same forever.

Is every update required?

No. Professional users are known to only update in between projects for consistency. We do our best to keep the update process as unobtrusive as possible. If using up to date builds you will see we remain up to date with them as well however console splatter is known to occur so use with latest builds at your own risk. Sometimes by updating you may find an annoying behavior removed or adjusted to be more optimal or a nasty error removed. Its essential to be up to date when reporting issues at least in HOps version. We aim to be vigillent for bug resolution and proactive in their removal.

Why don't you support my control scheme!

Blender contains a myriad of control schemes that we are unable to have supported in full. In demonstrations and documentation a vanilla configuation is used. Any deviation from vanilla will result in a depreciated experience. While we are working around the clock for everyone, not all control schemes can be accounted for in a timeley manner. As with all reports and issues. We will see how the future plays out. Our apologies for any inconvenience with using settings differing from default. HOpsCutter is recommended with a vanilla configuration.

Why didn't you add that thing I asked for?

When it comes to HOps and it's direction, ideas take time to process. Just because it was requested does not mean it is possible, doable or even planned for our tools. If we spend all our time processing user complaints we'd be unable to move forward. We try our best and thats all that we can do. Several concepts are slated for futher down the road so in time they will be examined but discourtesy is a ticket to a quick dismissal.

Why dont you support Magic Mouse to the level that I want?

Magic mouse is a mac peripheral. Also this device has no buttons. This makes mapping it difficult.

mir

In short, We have invested time into making sure tools work even without the capabilities of scroll. We cannot do individual studies on single pieces of hardware that can be replaced with a proper piece of hardware. Work was already attempted to make it behave more proper but I worry of a timesuck when it comes to one piece of hardware. As a result there are workarounds.

Even if this mouse exposed the info needed every aspect would need to be retooled for gestures and support of this one device which would be outside of the scope of what we aim to do. Linux nor windows have "special mice" that must be studies and Mac also supports usage of any mouse not that one.

In fact this writeup is intended to be a send_to area for customers asking about it and to recommend anything better.

I currently use this mouse fulltime. Any customization is done in the mouse software and not via hard coding from us.

The mouse below is the one I currently use w/ mac when I have to test. It does the job. I didn't even bother to customize it. I just need a mouse to test. mir

As long as it has two buttons and a scroll wheel.

I hope the reader is able to find a more suitable device built with 3d software usage in mind but I apolgoize for any shortcomings experienced. They are beyond our control.

Mouse gestures also contain a key-press backup meaning they keyboard can replace anything the mouse cannot do.

In the event you still decide to use the mouse, accomodations have been made to make it "usable" in modals and operations.

  • modals support arrow key usage replacing scroll if needed
  • arrow keys are also supported esp in Boxcutter
  • up down arrow keys and left right arrow keys in some cases
  • H for help in modals will familiarize users with controls, there is always an additional method to get where you aim to go.

In any case individual device support is out of scope. It just becomes more and more work exponentially without worth. Ndof mice had a system built for it which made support easy but mac is just mac. And unworthy of even the hours and hours of testing it is used for now.

We have done steps in the past to attempt to make it easier but that mouse has been deemed "a waste of time".

mir