Hi Aaron,
CreateIcosahedron can create spherical surfaces quite easily. See -help output for details.
In terms of manipulating coordinates in matlab then writing them back for SUMA's use. You can output surface models in the .1D or the VEC format. Which define a surface with two separate files. A coordinate file, and a triangulation file.
Your best bet is to use ConvertSurface to turn any surface you have into the 1D format and see what it looks like.
Lastly besides loading a surface that you've created into SUMA, you should take a look at the demo scripts: @DriveSuma and @DO.examples
Those scripts run automatically, and illustrate many of the things you want done.
cheers,
ziad
