Turn an ArrayList into an Array
In Java and Android, Arrays have a fixed length. Coming from Perl and PHP where arrays can grow and shrink without needing to be redefined, this concept presented challenges while defining arrays. Enter the ArrayList. Unlike Java's and Android's Arrays, whose size doesn't change, you can add or remove elements in an ArrayList dynamically.
However, several of the methods I'm using require Arrays and not ArrayLists. You may also want to convert an ArrayList to an Array because some operations can be faster with an Array. Fortunately, there's a simple call that will convert an ArrayList to an Array, here's how:
Retopology Tools
With 3ds Max 2012, users can retopologize a mesh with no additional plugins or scripts. In this article, I'll highlight the best retopology tools in 3ds Max and their uses. The workflow isn't the greatest and, as far as I know, the tools can't be assigned to hotkeys, but they can be used to retopologize a mesh with 3ds Max out of the box. In order to use the retopology tools in 3ds max 2012, you'll need to use the graphite modeling tools in the ribbon. If the ribbon does not appear, you can reveal the ribbon using Customize Menu > Show UI > Show Ribbon.
Creating Buoyancy without Reactor
Now that I've shown you Flex can be used to simulate water ripples, you may be wondering about the other part of reactor water simulation in 3ds Max 2012: buoyancy. Buoyancy, which causes objects to float on water, is a little trickier now that we don't have Reactor. To accomplish this, we'll have to use a script controller for position and rotation. Fortunately for us, Shawn Lewis over at Script Spot, released a handy little MaxScript called Follow Surface which allows us to make objects float on the water with very little work. I've tested this script in 3ds Max 2012 and it works flawlessly.
Simulate Water with Flex in 3ds Max 2012
Water Ripples using Flex
With Reactor removed from 3ds Max 2012, users will now need to explore other means of animating physical simulations. This tutorial will cover replacing Reactor's water simulation using Flex, a tool already available in 3ds Max. While you could simulate general water movement or ripples using the Ripple modifier or the Waves Standard Map applied to a Displacement modifier, these options require manual animation and can't be affected by dynamic collisions. Flex, which you may have used to add jiggle to fat characters, simulates soft-body dynamics using springs. It's a very powerful modifier which can be affected by forces and deflectors to simulate cloth, rope, water, and other soft-body dynamics.