3D Studio MAX

[A_LIPSTICK]

Wtf?

No seriously, I just need to build a simple mesh. Does anyone use this? I really need help.

[hobmoblin]

I have it laying around somewhere, but I found it too intimidating. I think DF uses it.

[SpaceGuitarist]

I kinda used it. But all I can do is stuff like this. Can't help you, sorry.

[Assassin]

Originally Posted by Elliptic

Wtf?

No seriously, I just need to build a simple mesh. Does anyone use this? I really need help.

OMFG o_O. You using 3DSmax? You're becoming more geeky .
Anyway what do you want to create? A simple box? Just click on "box" on the toolbar on the right and click somewhere in the field and draw a box. Yay!
I can help you more if you like, PM/email/MSN/IRC me .

[Reek]

I started learning 3d modelling at some point, but like with pretty much everything else, I was just too lazy. Plus it's a geekiness border I'd rather not cross

[the_angry_monkey]

I used to love 3d modelling - then I tried to migrate from Truespace to Cinema 4d R8 and it turned out that I had to learn all over again so I basically stopped. Interfaces in 3d progs suck!

[Rex_Hollywood]

Originally Posted by Anakin

I started learning 3d modelling at some point, but like with pretty much everything else, I was just too lazy. Plus it's a geekiness border I'd rather not cross

Same about the first part, but knowing 3D modelling is the shit, because you're like a modern artist or something.

[Lightwing]

Go to Create and select primitives if you want to work with really simple stuff (boxes, spheres, etc).

With the primitive selected (box, sphere, etc), look at the property menu on the right. Find a drop down menu that has a really long list of stuff and select "Edit Mesh." Now you can mess around with vertices and planes of your primitive (move them, extrude them, so forth).

[Reek]

Originally Posted by FireBall2K

Same about the first part, but knowing 3D modelling is the shit, because you're like a modern artist or something.

Actually, I've seen people here create amazing things with that.
I still remember kaderoboy's design of citadel island, wowzers.

[Darkflame]

Its not the software, its what you do with it

I love Max personaly.
Just as I loved Bryce and Truespace before I switched.

[Bot13]

I worked with

Truespace
Blender
3D Canvas
Cinema 4D
Maya
3D Studio Max

I'm using 3dsmax for 2 years now, and I really dig it.
Everyone should give it a try.

[A_LIPSTICK]

First of all, I'm having trouble with the camera views. They're just... what the fuck? How do I like... zoom in to a particular place of an object. Like, fix real close to it? Instead of just zooming in to wherever the hell it wants to.

[Bot13]

First of all, the most used buttons. Once you know their function out of your head, you'll be fine.
I must admit I had 3dsmax opened at the time I read this topic, and still have it open, so I could make a screenshot of the buttons.


These are the buttons you'll be needing the most. You can find them in the lower right of your screen.


This long row of buttons is the upperleft row.
I deleted some buttons, because you'll not be needing those just yet. They are mostly for attaching things to eachother wich need to react with Reactor. You'll not be needing reactor for simple models, only for some animations.

Right, let's explain the first buttons.

Zoom: It's just exaclty what you think it is. It zooms your viewport. You can't zoom into the direction you want though, it just zooms in the center. Click and drag in the viewport to use it.

Row of Zoom options: I hardly use one of these, their just for zooming all your viewports together, or set them at exactly the same amount of zoom.

Perspective tool: It changes the amount of perspective in your viewports. I hardly touched this one; I never needed it.

Hand: To move your camera relative to the model to any direction. Up, down, right, left.

Turn: Turn your camera around the 3d model you're modeling.

Enlarge Viewport: It function is to enlarge the selected viewport to the size of all 4 together, so you can see more detaills without zooming in.

Next, the upper buttons.

Undo, Redo: Speak's for themselves. Get a braincheck if you don't get it.

Select: Select any model in your viewport wich isn't selected.

Turn Model: Same as normal turn, but this time the model turns, not the camera. It can achieve the same thing, but grather turn the camera though.

Scale: To scale your selected model to any direction you like, or all directions at the same time.



I hope it helped

[A_LIPSTICK]

Waaaaaaaay, thanks Bot13! I'll keep it at as cheat sheet.