Is it like this:
If a beam is connected from nod 0 to 1 and from 1 to 4. Another from 2 to 3 and from 3 to 5.
Node 1 and 3 have the same coordinates, but are they rigidly connected or not?
segments (ie. polylines)
2 = conic section (ie. arcs, circles, ellipses, parabolas, hyperbolas)
3 = standard freeform curve
5 = smoother freeform curve
The higher the degree, the less effect a single control-point has on the curve, but the further that weak effect reaches. Degree=5 curves are smoother, but it's also harder to add local details to it without adding a lot of control points. Rhino supports curves up to degree=11, but you almost never need more than 5.…