[Question] 3ds Max Tips?

[Outlawz7]

Please, drop in here some tips on using 3ds Max.
Ive got the program (version 7), seen tutorials on how to make stuff and export it for the game Im modding, but I havent been able to create a damn box in 4 months...
I get so irritated over the thing, that I drop every model I create, even if its a box...maybe some tips on any grids, how to align, snap etc...
Plus, Ive reinstalled it, after my toolbar icons suddenly dissappeared and they are still gone..anyone had this happening to you before?

[KP]

http://tutorials.moddb.com/16/beretta-9 ... -tutorial/

^ That's a good tutorial, at least.

[Jay]

Please, drop in here some tips on using 3ds Max.
Ive got the program (version 7), seen tutorials on how to make stuff and export it for the game Im modding, but I havent been able to create a damn box in 4 months...
I get so irritated over the thing, that I drop every model I create, even if its a box...maybe some tips on any grids, how to align, snap etc...
Plus, Ive reinstalled it, after my toolbar icons suddenly dissappeared and they are still gone..anyone had this happening to you before?

Just stick with it! How many tutorials have you done? The tuts that come with the program are great, they teach you how to use most of the basic tools.

What do you mean your toolbar icons dissappeared? Did you maybe accidentally go into Expert mode? Try pushing Ctrl+X (or go to views --> Expert Mode)

If that doesn't work, go to Customize --> Customize User Interface, and you should be able to get everything back.

[Vaiski]

- Learn to use editable poly. In the beginning the F1 shortcut is your friend.

- Don't build your models like you were playing with legos. Primitives are ok as placeholders but don't build entire model using only boxes and cylinders.

- Don't even think about using booleans

[IronTaxi]

i use booleans on occasion...!! granted they can be a PITA

[Outlawz7]

No no, toolbar is there, just no icons on it...its not any Expert mode or Alt+6 thing...



Well, furthest Ive got, was making a wall with no collision box and texture and I was the only one who couldnt manage to get it in the editor and a map to see in in-game...Ive sent the file to some guys on a forum and MSN, they could see it...turns out, I was missing ONE GODDAMN LETTER in the editor to make it read the new object

Then again, I did everything I had to, exported it in the Object Editor, placed it into a map, but it didnt appear in the game !! I could walk through the spot, where it should be...
Today I tried again, then it didnt work again, and when I took a look, the model was also missing the texture (if it has one, you can see it in the OED)
altough I made one for it (unwrap UVW, Textporter thing)...and the damn game wouldnt read it again.

Been using this tutorial for the models...

http://www.dfreload.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=350

[vfn4i83]

Wow thats buggy.

Here a good link, 3D program tuts, and 1000 others.

http://www.modsonline.com/Tutorials-list-12.html

There's a good beginners guide for Maya. Worth see it.

Vaiski']
- Learn to use editable poly. In the beginning the F1 shortcut is your friend.

- Don't build your models like you were playing with legos. Primitives are ok as placeholders but don't build entire model using only boxes and cylinders.

- Don't even think about using booleans

Wht?

Boolean is the mother of all things, the life itself was built by boolean feature.
And made ezy to mod a bicycle in less than a minute.

[mrmong]

edit poly, edit spline are your friends to begin with, also dont forget to weld your vertices. and set up some shortcut keys, for move rotate and pan

[S.A.S jackwebsterdunstan]

oooooh, i say [R-DEV]vaiski your avatar - whats that your working on then?

[Outlawz7]

Ok...I got the model issue sorted out though...after a week..should have gone into BF2 modding, but if I cant model up a box, then what good am I? lol

[x6.Prowler]

http://www.pixel2life.com

Lots of 3ds Max and other tutorials there

[Vaiski]

Wht?

Boolean is the mother of all things, the life itself was built by boolean feature.
And made ezy to mod a bicycle in less than a minute.

Hehe, Booleans are tempting but you should never use them. Especially if you're a beginner Just learn polymodelling right away.

Booleans create unseen geometry and screw up smoothing. You don't have enough control how it works. Lowpoly models made with booleans have tons of useless hidden geometry that do nothing but increase polycount. You got to fix all those manually. Hidden geometry causes artifacts when used with turbosmooth too.
Usually its faster to just model things by hand and know your model is going to be clean. With booleans you have to clean up everything and you still end up not being sure if there are errors left somewhere.

There are some boolean plugins for sale that produce somewhat clean geometry. However the default max's tool is useless!

IronTaxi']i use booleans on occasion...!! granted they can be a PITA

OMG! j00 n00b!!1

[KP]

Pure poly modelling > boolean. Bit more time-consuming, though, until you start cleaning up after the booleaning.

[Vaiski]

oooooh, i say [R-DEV]vaiski your avatar - whats that your working on then?

Same as mrmong, with the basic editable poly tools.

I usually start up with a 1x1 plane, convert it into editable poly(right click on plane->convert to->editable poly) and just start extruding edges (Shift + drag makes new geometry).
Cut and target weld tools are probably my most used tools.

Pure poly modelling > boolean. Bit more time-consuming, though, until you start cleaning up after the booleaning.

QFT

[Outlawz7]

Vaiski']
I usually start up with a 1x1 plane, convert it into editable poly(right click on plane->convert to->editable poly) and just start extruding edges (Shift + drag makes new geometry).
Cut and target weld tools are probably my most used tools.

Now thats a useful advice...

Ive been trying to make new A.I. models, since the stock ones suck...well, the enemy ones, friendly are uber-detailed, cant even reskinn them without a magnifying glass

EDIT: daydreaming of course, still resolving the issue with exporting a simple box...lol

[vfn4i83]

I trying to model with spline's, but is bit hard to do and work properly.

[Surround]

If you want to try character modeling, this is the best I know (and many other too)

http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials/ma ... anmenu.asp

But if you want to try simple model like toaster, here's one good. It shows some simple tools and how to use them.

http://www.3dtotal.com/team/Tutorials/t ... ter_01.asp


Both of these tutorials are easy and good quality. The toaster tutorial is hand2hand, so everyone should capable do it.

[mrmong]

i was going to give character modeling a try in Z brush or mudbox, but the lab was closed, my mate made an awesome looking tree using mudbox and importing a 4 million triangle model into max and doing stuff that i haven't bothered with yet