Modeling Questionare

[gx]shadow · Post by **[gx]shadow** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 7:03 pm

don't know why i did not do this earlier, but here we go. i would consider myself a pretty good modeler and want to give back to the community. so if you have any questions about 3ds max and possibly gmax feel free to ask me. i will answer all questions to the extent of my ability and if i feel that is not good enough, i will point you in the direction to finding the answer. just please do not ask about skinning(only simple skinning for me), uvw wrapping, or the hek. And please refrain from posting renders in here to show off and DO NOT ask extremely general questions like "how do you model?"

Katarn · Post by **Katarn** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:07 pm

you can also ask me as i'm making the complete faq for the forum and all these questions will go in there.

venomai · Post by **venomai** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:10 pm

Ok, I guess I'll start off

I've got two questions.

1. Where do you find high quality side views of your weapons for references? I've been using Google and http://world.guns.ru/main-e.htm but for some weapons I've had a lot of trouble finding big pictures that aren't on a strange angle. Any other suggestions?

2. I've got a nice M4A1 pic I want to put in to 3DS max as a reference for modeling. I've tried a couple different reference setup methods (including the one you've mentioned) to try and get this working, but every time it keeps resizing it. I'm nearly positive my size is correct (unless its showing me a different size?), and I've tried testing other references in the same scene and they all work perfectly. As you can see from the screenshot below, the bigger image is the one I'm having trouble with.
http://img221.echo.cx/img221/7905/3dsmaxhelp36hp.jpg

I think the problem is because of the size, its large so it gets zoomed out to fit the window while viewing. But the image in the viewports is horrible quality, even compared to that of the zoomed out image when viewing. When viewing in max it zooms to 1:2 size ratio instead of 1:1. See below; this is just after pressing the "view" button in Material Editor (I've zoomed to 1:1 using the mousewheel, but it originally starts at 1:2)
http://img221.echo.cx/img221/50/3dsmaxhelp26cl.jpg

And here is my material editor.
http://img221.echo.cx/my.php?image=3dsmaxhelp11jm.gif

Hopefully you know how to fix this, so far its the only time I've had problems with setting up references. It would be a great reference - if it would ever work!

Sonictag · Post by **Sonictag** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:03 pm

You just have to search around for weapon reference pics. Once you have got your reference picture into scale of 1:1, you can generally just scale the whole model with the scale tool and it will keep its proportions. So you can scale down or up if you wanted to. Or zoom in or out.

You can make the blueprint look better by going:
to Customize --> Preferences --> Viewports --> Configure Driver and tick there "Match blueprint..."

And that will make it look alot better quality.

[gx]shadow · Post by **[gx]shadow** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 7:02 pm

Just do what sonictag said. and here is a link to a site with a whole ton of blueprints for cars. most of them are very good. i believe they have blueprints for other things such as planes, weapons, ships, etc but i don't know how good those are.

venomai · Post by **venomai** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:08 am

sonictag wrote:You can make the blueprint look better by going:
to Customize --> Preferences --> Viewports --> Configure Driver and tick there "Match blueprint..."

And that will make it look alot better quality.

Alright, thanks! Fixed it

Phenomena · Post by **Phenomena** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:58 am

i have a question... everything >_< lol

No-Ca$h · Post by **No-Ca$h** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:50 pm

i have a question: where can i get a good modeling program other than 3ds max or milkshape 3d (because my trials ran out) that can import and export .obj files?

Patrickssj6 · Post by **Patrickssj6** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:58 pm

maya i think

No-Ca$h · Post by **No-Ca$h** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:36 pm

where can i download maya i looked on google but cant find it. and is it free or is there a free trial because i cant really spend any money right now.

No-Ca$h · Post by **No-Ca$h** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:34 pm

nevermind i got it but it doesnt import or export .obj files unless theres a plug in

Patrickssj6 · Post by **Patrickssj6** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:39 pm

you got the trial?
please give me the link

No-Ca$h · Post by **No-Ca$h** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:44 pm

http://www.alias.com/eng/community/down ... ndex.jhtml on the left towards the bottom it says either demo or trial version click on the red one. and it doesnt support .obj

[gx]shadow · Post by **[gx]shadow** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:06 pm

i would search google a bit for an obj plugin for it. and another modeling program is gmax and it totally free. gmax is a toned down 3ds max.

__Blaz0__ · Post by **__Blaz0__** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:42 am

ok, I have one.. I'm having major problems trimming 2 faces at an intersection point. I have tried using the slice tool, but end up with what seems to be inaccurate cuts. I have tried boolean and that doesn't give me what I need. It's not as easy as moving them on the x,y, or z axis' as the part I am tryin to trim is on an angle. I've looked and searched, but haven't found anything on this. I don't know if I'm lookin in the wrong place, but either way, I can't make it work.. Maybe you can give a few suggestions. Most I talk to don't do any modeling. I'll paste a pic so u can see what I'm speaking of.

I have tried moving the points back, anfd the hitting the faces then making them planar, but that creates problems for whats attached to it. Makes things out of square that way. I haven't even figured out if I can create my own axis points on a 3-point definitiion as per say a CAD program(thats where my specialty is). Then I could drag the points along the same axis of my part and would be easier, but as for now, I'm kinda stuck on these things, but doing other stuff in the meantime.

Thanks for any help..

__Blaz0__

an emu · Post by **an emu** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:46 am

u should weld the verticies of the two face's corner's together. move one kind of close by moving it on x, then y until u get it releatively close. then u weld and ur done

[gx]shadow · Post by **[gx]shadow** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:22 pm

well, i am having a hard time determining what i am looking at. feel free to im me and maybe show me renders on different angles so i can answer your question

__Blaz0__ · Post by **__Blaz0__** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:37 pm

An emu, I know how to weld and move verts. I need help in trimming the face to another face. I dont want to disturb the other faces in the object by moving some at an odd angle. Shadow, I'll see if urt around tonight.

Lata,

__Blaz0__

Zeros · Post by **Zeros** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:26 pm

well heres a Q: how would i go about replacing the mc fp arms with those of a hunter? about as far as ive goten is cuting off the hunter arms