Modeling in 3ds Max 9?

[SuPa-]

Just wondering how to model in 3ds Max 9. I know how to edit, extrude, etc. a mesh, but not how to make vertices into faces (like you can in milkshape) Is there an option for this or can you just not do it?

Any other sorts of modeling tips for it would be nice

 

[DwarfZealot]

i don't think you can model like in milkshape, i asked that before and i got no replies.

 

[BlinkBoy]

what do you mean by creating faces from vertexes? you mean to select 3 vertexes and create a face or something similar. Please explein, most 3dsmax users haven't touched milkshape.

 

[HappyTauren]

exactly that. It is not an avalable option in max, though. In max you have to base models off primitives, not vertices.

 

[SuPa-]

Well that's dumb XD Despite its immense amount of features it doesn't have something like that :C

 

[HappyTauren]

i think you should experiment with it though, there MAY be an option to do so, but its hidden amongst 2000 options that are not even used in wc3.

 

[BlinkBoy]

To create a polygon from vertexes your mesh must editable poly, then go to the polygon subgroup and click create polygon. Afterwards select one by one and in order, the vertexes that will form the polygon until you reach the last one. If you aren't seeing the new polygon after you finish the process, then repeat the process or try looking out if the new polygon had been created in the other side(in this case select it and flip it).

That should do. Btw Create Polygon won't allow you to create illegal faces, so make sure that you welded all your vertexes, before doing so.

 

[Kimbo]

Well that's dumb XD Despite its immense amount of features it doesn't have something like that :C

no, its dumb using vertex modeling to make a face IMHO. Far too tedious and milkshape is not really a modeling program, its scrap compared to max. Use a technique called box modeling, thats what i use and what TDR uses and alot of other modelers, Jigreal to my knowledge uses some weird "carve into planes" and fold it all together like origami sorta technique which i find is VERY tedious and requires some plan ahead sorta stuff.

Box modeling is fast and such, all things in life are based upon basic shapes to give you an idea why I use it for modeling.
Making a creature out of vertex modeling is stupid and slow, its like clay working, making the outer layers of clay inch by inch, instead of basing your clay work off a slab and molding it with your fingers to get your shape. Vertex modeling is like working with paper mache, but with not object to paper mache on, just using your hands tediously to do it all with no base.


jigs tut:
http://wc3campaigns.net/showthread.php?t=89763

whitehorns tut:
http://wc3campaigns.net/showthread.php?t=94987
the tutorial that got me started.

 

[SuPa-]

Thanks for the links, but vertex modeling isn't bad at all. I think it's fun, and it's actually not that slow. I'm able to lay out all the vertices and make them into faces in quite a short time. I just have to select them and press f for each face Milkshape's quite a good program, and you're able to make the same quality low poly models in it as in 3ds Max. It's not like I HAVE to use vertex modeling in Milkshape, but I like it more than using primitives. Anyway, how do I select multiple faces at different places (oh my god, that rhymed,) and deselect certain faces? Oh, that origami-type modeling is interesting. I thought of doing it before, but never got up to it

 

[LiOneSS]

Anyway, how do I select multiple faces at different places (oh my god, that rhymed,) and deselect certain faces?

convert to editable mesh>select by face>select one face>select more faces while holding the Ctrl button.
that's it. have fun!

 

[TDR]

forget about editable mesh! It's ancient, and keyboard shortcuts are screwed up when in it. You should convert your model to editable mesh (or apply an edit mesh modifier on it) only when you want to export it for a game, because it triangulates the mesh. For everything else use editable poly, it has more features and it's said to be much faster.

To select more things hold ctrl + click/click & drag and to deselect stuff hold alt instead.

If you can't live without this vertex modeling thing, then try this: create whatever primitive and convert it to editable poly. Go into any sub selection mode and delete everything. Then go to vertex sub selection and chose Create. Now you can create verts anywhere you like. After that you can use what BlinkBoy said to create polygons from those verts. Though it's kind of a shitty technique if you ask me. Box modeling or edge(poly) modeling are much more effective.
Here's what edge modeling is all about. Hold shift while dragging an edge and this will happen:

You can start from a simple plane and build up your mesh this way. It's easier and better imo.

 

[SuPa-]

I've been using editable poly I'll try that, TDR (I forgot about edge extruding)

 

[Mechanical Man]

forget about editable mesh! It's ancient, and keyboard shortcuts are screwed up when in it

LOLZ! Finally I know the reason why I can't clone my meshes with Ctrl+V while working on certain ones. Thanks

 

[SuPa-]

Weird... The hold shift + move edge was working, but then 3ds Max wouldn't let me select anything, so I shut it down then re-opened it. When I try it now it just deselects the edge. It still works when I duplicate polygons with shift + move

 

[TDR]

man you can't extrude just any edge like that. It has to be an end edge...I mean...there must be void on one of the sides. If an edge is surrounded by polygons it can't work.

 

[SuPa-]

Ok, I see, thanks . I have another question, after awhile of using the collapse, on the same vertices, it stops letting them collapse. I'm guessing this is because the vertices are still there. How would I go about welding them together? Or am I doing something else wrong? There's a weld tool, but it doesn't seem to be doing much

 

[TDR]

umm...I don't really get what you mean by "using the collapse, on the same vertices"...You can only collapse a group of vertices once, because it collapses them into 1 single vertex.

The weld tool works if the vertices are in close proximity of each other. You can extend the range of the weld though by increasing the weld threshold. Or you can use target weld to weld a vertex far away to another one (the 2 vertices must be connected through an edge though).

 

[SuPa-]

well, I'll collapse two vertices together, and then collapse another pair of vertices, and then collapse both collapsed together, and it won't work sometimes

Anyway, here's my real try at 3ds Max
It sucks xD

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=481688&postcount=136

 

[TDR]

oh my god...that amorphous blob you made has the topology from hell! And tons of unwelded vertices. I suggest you follow the tutorials that come with 3ds max. There used to be a very nice tutorial in max 5 that showed you how to make a space fighter ship. that helped me a lot to introduce myself to the tools and general workflow. Now it looks like it's gone, but there's a "modeling an airplane" one instead. I think you should look at that, it will help you understand max's workflow.

And collapsing works on the same system as target welding: the vertices you want to collapse must be connected through an edge. And I mean ONE edge. If there's more than 2 edges between them, it can't possibly work.

 

[SuPa-]

I've looked at the tutorials that come with mine... they're complete crap xD

 

[TDR]

they're no crap at all man, they introduce you to max. I followed them when I started and they helped me a lot.

 

[SuPa-]

Not the ones I looked at that pop up when you start up max... they didn't mention extruding or anything of the sort. Barely even mentioned actually modeling.

 

[INF3RNO]

any1 got a good tut for uv mapping in 3ds max 9 or maya? think jig's had on in his but it didnt work for me?

 

[ElectricSaiyan]

Just wondering how to model in 3ds Max 9. I know how to edit, extrude, etc. a mesh, but not how to make vertices into faces (like you can in milkshape) Is there an option for this or can you just not do it?

Any other sorts of modeling tips for it would be nice

there's no way to do that in 3DS Max as far as I know of, which is why I stick to Milky..

@Inferno: I wrote a tutorial for UVMapping in Milkshape if you wanna give that a try. http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=481668&postcount=4


Edit: Ignore me I'm an idiot haha...I just read Blinkboy's post...
Well, I prefer Milkshape anyways. Sometimes I wish I had learned with 3DS Max, but then again, I have no clue where I would get 3DS Max 5, cause I don't know where I would even buy it from...much less even attempting to download it.

 

[wugiboy]

I have 3dsmax 4 and from certain features I see in the tuts, my version doesn't have it..

so I guess I'll be sticking with Milkshape for quite some time

 

[TDR]

there's no way to do that in 3DS Max as far

oh my, you really don't know max at all . Of course you can do that! You can do it with the cut tool. It cuts through polygons and creates vertices along the way...

 

[HappyTauren]

hmmm TDR, why don' you make a general modeling tutorial for max, it would be awesome. I can't use machete all the time to cut through shit to get to some valuable information in max 5. Although ms3d is awesome, it has been boring me for some time now -.-'

 

[ElectricSaiyan]

oh my, you really don't know max at all . Of course you can do that! You can do it with the cut tool. It cuts through polygons and creates vertices along the way...

yeah I really don't
haha

I have 3DS Max 8 but I sucked so bad at using it, I gave that up. If you'd write some information on Max like HappyTauren suggested, that might help me out

 

[TDR]

hmmm maybe I will. But not any time soon, that's for sure.

 

[Mechanical Man]

Is not chamfer that lets you make vertices into faces?

 

[SuPa-]

Ok... I just got the ZBrush Trial. How do I navigate it? I suck at looking at tutorials so... xD

 

[TDR]

...so learn how not to suck at looking at tutorials.

 

[SuPa-]

Ok... I figured out how to navigate and such in ZBrush but I still don't get how to rotate/pan view while painting (and switching to and from edit mode) which is the main thing I'm interested in. I can't find any good tutorials bleh

~Edit~

Ok, I found out how to. I had been using the wrong thing dur-her xD