Sculpt

When sculpt mode is entered into through the menu, a new Sculpt is created and will then be edited.

Existing scultps can be edited through other means.

When going into sculpting mode, the smear tool is active by default, with the cube shape selected.

A sculpt is made up of an ordered list of edits that Dreams uses to construct the sculpt's form, colour, and looseness when it is used in a scene.

Each edit only affects the edits made before it.

For example, say you’ve placed a positive sphere, then a negative wedge to cut out part of the sphere. You can add a positive cube to where that negative wedge was. Because it was added after the negative edit, it won’t be affected by it. And because the sphere was added before the negative edit, it will be affected by it.

Use the scope-in shortcut on another sculpt to begin editing that sculpt using the same tool and settings.

# Spinning: Before placing an edit, the shape can be rotated around the imp tip to the desired orientation. Use the touchpad rotation controls and flick it in a direction and will keep spinning as you add edits.

Or using the moves, double-tap Move Secondary Circle button, and then grab the shape with Move Secondary Trigger to adjust its orientation. And flick the shape with the secondary controller to start it spinning.

Place an edit: Use R2 or Move Primary Trigger. After placing, edits cannot be scoped into, selected, or their properties modified.

Adjust an edit: Positive, negative, and crop edits can be adjusted using the move, rotate, scale, delete, and clone controls. (Tg) (Pk)

While hovering over a surface affected by a negative or crop edit, its wireframe will be shown.

Note that edits that do not affect the shape of the surface, (such as spraypaint) cannot be adjusted after they have been placed.

Dragging a smear edit will move the entire smear, not just one shape within that smear. (Pk)

Note that when moving one edit, all other edits—negative geometry, colour, etc.—will not move. So if you have a sphere with some cuts in it and you later move that sphere, the cuts will not move with it but will instead affect whatever positive shapes are still there after the move. Shapes that do not affect any surface will not be automatically deleted.

# Editing a clone: When a sculpt that is not Live is edited, it is made unique. This means it will use its own separate data in memory, and point at that block of data. That data costs graphics > shared data. (Pk) See the Sculpt object for more details.

# Origin Point: When first edit is added, the sculpt is officially created with its origin point set to the position and orientation of that edit—defining its grid.

This is used by the Mirror and Kaleidoscope guides. (Tg)

# Form Edits: There are different types of edits, which affect the sculpt in different ways. Form edits affect the surfaces that are part of the sculpt. These include positive shapes which create new areas where surfaces can be made, and negative shapes which cut away from positive shapes and create new surfaces where part of the positive remains.

Form edits apply their colour and looseness to whatever surfaces they create. Though those surfaces can be further affected by edits that were added after them: Spraypaint edits which change their colour, and Looseness edits which affect the detail level of the surface.

# Freeform Editing Shapes using the Moves

While holding a shape, tap the Move Spheres together to enter non-uniform scale mode. Here, each imp is attached to a different part of the shape. As you move the controllers around, the shape will scale to keep those two points attached to the imps.

This resizing of the shape is equivalent to going into edit shape mode, and using the stretch tool to drag out the shape in various directions.

The specific points attached to the imps will differ for different shapes.

Stamp/Smear: Use Move Primary Trigger to smear or stamp the shape in its current configuration.

Lock-in: Use Move Secondary Trigger to lock in the shape and exit freeform mode.

# Freeform Curve: Each end of the curve is attached to one of the imps. A natural curve will be made between them. (Mm)

Hold the left Move’s Circle button and twist it to adjust the taper of the end of the curve attached to its imp. And hold the right Move’s Cross button and twist to adjust the taper of that end of the curve. (Mm)

# Hide Everything Else

This context menu button hides everything else outside the scope of the sculpt being edited.

# Start New Sculpture

Creates a new sculpture and begins editing it with the same tools and settings.

# Tools

Tools for use while editing a sculpt.

While a tool is active, the Use Tool controls will apply the effect to an object.

# Stretch

Drag the sides of a shape that affects the shape of the surface to adjust its dimensions.

A good way of using this is to add a smaller edit without worrying about getting the size exactly right, and then using the stretch tool to bring one side out to get the size perfect. (Mm)

As a general rule, the different shapes behave like they are filling a box. The stretch tool then stretches the sides of that box.

Using the stretch tool does not inherently add to the graphics thermometer cost of the sculpt.

# Stamp

Creates single shape edits, adhering to the Add/Subtract and Blend settings. (Pk)

We may also use Cross button for this tool.

Add a shape, then multi-clone it around in a spiral or whatever line you want to cut out. (Mm)

# Extruding a shape: If the shape has been edited such that it is in Extrude mode, the controls will work a little bit differently.

Using the tool sets the start point of the shape. Keep holding the trigger or button as you move the imp to adjust the “end” of the shape, dragging the shape cross-section out from point to point in a straight line. You’ll see a live preview of what the final shape will look like. Let go to set the end point of the shape and commit the edit.

If the shape was edited to a point, the box of the shape will be dragged out with one corner at the starting position and the opposite corner at the imp’s position.

# Smear

Press and hold to create many shapes as a single smear edit, adhering to the Add/Subtract. Does not adhere to the blend settings. (Pk)

The Curve shape behaves differently with the smear tool than other shapes.

We may also use Cross button for this tool, which will behave as though fully pulling the trigger.

One new shape is added at 60 frames per second if the imp has changed position or the shape rotated at all.

This means that even if you pull the trigger for a moment, it will likely place multiple of the selected shape—purely because of hand shake, etc. If you want to be sure you’re only adding a single shape in an edit, use the Stamp Shape tool.

# Spraypaint

Creates smears of shapes that colour the surfaces they touch, using the selected Colour. (Pk)

Only affects surfaces created by edits added before the spraypaint.

Using different settings, spraypainting complex texture can be quick and easy. (Tg)

# Looseness

Creates smears of shapes that adjust the looseness of surfaces they touch, using the edit’s Looseness. (Mm) (Pk)

This does affect the graphics thermometer cost of the sculpt. (Tg) So it’s a good idea to use the looseness tool to loosen surfaces of a sculpt which will not be seen—for example, the back of a high-detail eyeball sculpt.

When soft-blending, affects the looseness of the surface of positive geometry more as it approaches the surface of the edit shape.

# Crop

Creates a stamp of a shape that crops the entire sculpt to only producing surfaces within the shape—like an inside-out negative edit. (Pk)

When using this tool, parts of the sculpt that will be hidden show as translucent. The parts within the shape that will remain are be shown as fully opaque.

If you’re having trouble figuring out exactly where your edit is in relation to the rest of the sculpt. One way of making this easier is to go into shape edit mode to move it around.

# Cutout

Creates a clone of the sculpt. In the clone, a crop stamp is added. In the original, a negative stamp is added. (Mm) (Pk) (Tg)

Because the crop and negative shapes are in the same exact spot, it is as if we have cut out a block from the sculpt of that shape. And now we have two pieces: the piece we cut out, and the rest of the sculpt that wasn’t cut out.

Note that because this results in a new unique sculpt, it will add to the graphics thermometer. Also, it seems the preview of cutouts and crops may show jagged edges but these are cleaned up when the edit is committed.

# Add, Subtract

A menu toggle. Sets whether new form edits will create positive surfaces (adding mass). Or subtract from positive surfaces and make new surfaces where the edge of positive and negative shapes intersent. (Pk)

Use the Add/Subtract control to to toggle between adding and subtracting. (Tg)

The colour and looseness settings of the edit will apply to the new surface of the sculpt, including for negative edits.

For example, if you have a tight (non-loose) sphere and you cut out a loose cube from its side, the surface of the cut will have the same amount of looseness that edit has. (Mm) (Mm)

# Add + Subtract: When in subtract mode, this toggle appears. When checked, shape settings are remembered separately for adding and subtracting, making it easy to swap between two kinds of shapes while editing the sculpt.

# Shapes

A menu of shapes to choose from for use by the tools. When a shape is selected, its default shape and size will be used, and any other shape settings are reset.

The icon of this menu changes to show the currently selected shape.

Most shapes are stretchable on all 6 sides, as if filling a box. (See the Stretch tool.)

The following shapes are available:

• # Cube A six-sided box or rectangular prism.

• # Cylinder A circular prism.

• # Sphere An ellipsoid. Starts as a regular sphere.

• # Cone A flat circle at one end, reducing in size until it comes to a point at the other end.

• # Donut A regular torus, as if a circular cross section was dragged out around another circle.

  Stretching any of its surface adjusts the thickness of the donut.

• # Filled Donut A donut shape but with the central hole filled in, with flat surfaces on the top and bottom. Like a bun.

• # Wedge A triangular prism.

• # Hexagonal Prism A hexagonal prism, using a hexagon as a cross-section and extruding it out.

• # Triangular Pyramid A pyramid where all 4 sides are triangles.

  The corners can be freely “stretched” or dragged. The sides themselves cannot be stretched.

• # Rounded Cube A cube shape with rounded edges and corners. Note that when stretched into something other than a cube, the rounded edges will stretch and not be perfectly round.

• # Curve By default, forms a simple sphere. Can be edited to adjust this into a quadtratic curve through 4 points, or Freeform edited while using the Moves.

  Great for curvy things like horns or cables.

  # Sphere mode:

  While still a sphere and in Smear mode, instead of placing many of the same shape, curve shapes will be made reaching between the previous and current imp position, creating a single inbroken line.

  This often gives better results than smearing a simple sphere shape.

  Pulling more or less on the trigger will make the thickness of the curves bigger or smaller as it is smeared.

# Flecks

Flecks cover the sculpt, giving it texture.

Choose from the available flecks to set the base fleck type for the entire sculpture. (Cannot choose the Opaque Square Fleck.) Shows the current fleck as the button icon. (Pk) This can be adjusted using the Apply Fleck tool.

# Finishes

Finishes affect how an object reacts to light—how it reflects or absorbs it.

Choose one of the preset finishes to set the finish of the entire sculpture.

# Edit Shape

Click on this context menu button to edit the shape before creating edits with it. Or use the Adjust Properties shortcut to begin editing the shape.

The shape freezes in place while in this mode. It can then be adjusted with various tools and settings within this mode.

# Stamp in Place

Use this context menu button to stamp the edited shape in its current position.

# Tool

Tools to use to edit the shape itself.

• Controlled Scale: (shown, and default when not using a Curve shape) While in this mode, the sides of the shape can be dragged in the same way as with the Stretch Tool. (Pk)

  # Extrude: If the shape is made thin enough, the shape itself will disappear and the outline of the cross-section of the shape will be shown. This would leave the shape in “extrude” mode, which is used by Smear mode. (Tg)

• # Make Curve: (shown, and default when using a Curve shape) Shows 4 adjustable handles to drag the position of different points of the curve. The shape will join those together using quatratic curves to form a single line. If the two middle handles have not been moved, move the end handles to create a straight line between them. (Pk)

  2 taper handles hang off of either end. Drag the handle farther away the end to make that end larger, or toward the end to make it thinner and more pointy.

• # Grab Point: While in this mode, a number of spherical nodes will appear on the shape. Select the one you want, and that will become the point attached to the end of your imp. Note that the angle you were holding your controller at will also be used as the angle you are holding the shape at. (Mm)

# Blend Amount

Drag to set the amount of blending the current shape will have when added to as an edit to the sculpt. Shows a live preview. (Pk)

When adding a positive form edit, blending will draw the existing geometry and the new geometry edit towards one another.

When adding negative form edit, blending will cause existing geometry to shrink away from the new geometry edit.

# Hard Blend Mode

When checked, uses hard blend. When unchecked, uses soft blend.

The following works for non-form edits also, making their effect lesser the farther away from the shape’s centre the surface is. (Mm)

Soft Blends smoothly transition existing form edits towards a new positive edit, or away from a new negative edit. (Ne)

Good for smooth oranic shapes.

Sharp edges will still show up when affected by soft blends. These can be smoothed out with multiple blending edits, or can be avoided by using spheres, curves, and rounded cubes only, which have no edges.

Hard Blends work similarly, but instead of a smooth surface merging into other shapes, creates flat slopes between the surfaces.

Good for machinery and crystals.

Note that the new shape will keep its own normal shape; only older shapes will warp as a result of the blend. For example, placing a soft-blended cube next to a sphere will cause the sphere to blend towards it, but the cube will not be warped at all.

# Looseness Amount

Affects how much data is used for the surfaces created by the shape, which causes the voxels to be built larger with less detail, and flecks on the surface to be larger.

As the visuals are entirely made up of flecks, this can make the object look rough or decayed. (Mm) (Pk)

Defaults to around 20% of maximum.

# Varying Looseness

When on, the middle of a flat surface will have as much looseness as possible, but the surface will become tighter as it approaches an edge, up to the set Looseness.

This effectively means you can have looser, more textured surfaces while keeping the edges tight and crisp. (Mm)

# Hole

This is not available for all shapes.

Sets how far away from the centre of the shape the hole reaches. Everything from there towards the centre is cut away. (Pk)

# Opacity

How much the existing surface colour of the sculpt is affected by the new colour per shape added. (Pk)

# Section

Click on this to cycle through the sections available for the current shape, which cuts away the shape into different fractions. Most of the time these sections are 1, 2 (half), and 4 (quarter). (Pk)