Weights
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This button allows you to edit existing Weight Maps by assigning weights to your points interactively.
It’s best used with one of your viewports set to Weight Render mode, and with the Numeric panel open. (These things will allow you to see what you are doing.)
Choose the Weight Map you want to edit from the VMap Bar at the bottom of the screen.
Place the tool on the point you wish to edit, and drag right to increase the weight, and left to decrease it. You can see the weight you are assigning in the Numeric panel, in the Change field.
You may also be able to see it in the Weight Shade viewport, or in the shape of the object, depending on the Weight Map you are using.
A weight of zero will have a grey-green color. Positive weight values will approach bright red. Negative values will approach bright blue.
Change
The number in the Change field is a relative number, not an absolute. In other words, it tells you how much of a difference you’ve made in the weight, not what the weight is. This tool doesn’t work particularly well for assigning specific weights to selected points. For that, you should use the Set Map Value tool. The strength of this tool lies in its interactivity.
There’s nothing better to assign Subpatch Weights with, because you can see the results in real time as you work. Judicious use of the tool can save geometry, since you can sharpen edges with weights, instead of cuts.
Falloff
Like many other tools in Modeler, this one allows you to adjust the Falloff range.By default, the range is * Point*. In other words, the tool will only affect the point you are working with.
You can also assign other Falloff types:
None will assign the weight to all selected points/polys equally (or the entire model if none are selected.)
Linear and Radial allow you to interactively set a range with your RMB, or to use a number of presets.
Polygon applies the weight equally to all the points of all the polys which share the point under your tool.
Point Radial allows you to set a falloff with the RMB that remains centered on the tool as you move it around. ( Rather like the airbrush, but you drag to change the weight.)
Above the different types of falloff there is also the possibility to use a texture to guide how your weights falloff.
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Contributed by Richard Feeney