BuildVolumeMesh issue

[tairoark]

I wad thinking of using the Variable Shape Mixer to mix two shapes, both with guard rails. For example:

These shapes are very simplified. Maybe your real use case can not be achieved with the solution I am suggesting. If it is the case, let me know and I will talk to you about the last resort solution.

I'd like to hear your "last resort solution"?

And if you have any comments about what I wrote here:

What you are showing in your profile images with the guardrails built into the profile IS mostly my original architecture. To change road widths, I run through the profile points and push them out from the center to change the road width, allowing the edges to remain unscaled. This was why I was using two profiles (start and end) with the Variable Shape Mixer.


The suggestion for using the Scale values of the Shape Extrusion is a cleaner solution (one profile, no manual point manipulation as just described) and more efficient. It does however prevent using the profile to define edge specific shapes (like you drew above) for the 'guard rails' as they would get improperly scaled with the road width.

The Variable Shape mixer approach also has other problems / complications:
1) I would need four separate profiles for each road: no guard rails, left side only, right side only, both sides
2) You should be able to see between the bottom of the guard rail and the top of the road. The guard rail support posts would be visible from both sides. Can I have CG Meta data say there is NO texture on part of the profile or does there need to be a transparent part of the texture that maps there (now more expensive because I turn on transparency)
3) If I have a 'curb' AND a 'guard rail' or a 'sidewalk' and a 'guard rail'; the permutations start to multiple

Your suggestion of Shape Extrusion scaling of the base road seems a generally better method. If there was just a way to align another extruded shape along the edge of the previous extrusion?

It is likely possible for me to (after a Refresh update):
A) calculate the edge points of a road (using the road's spline and the ScaleMultiplierX AnnimationCurve used for the road)
B) create a new spline along this edge
C) extrude the guard rail in a separate graph

This just seems like something a graph module would be best suited for in a single pass but not in my area of expertise. The graph already knows these edge points.

Your thoughts are appreciated