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Good 3DS Max(7) tutorials for newbie?...


Alfa

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Hi,

 

I have finally started getting into 3D modelling(something I have wanted to do for years). I have downloaded and installed a trial version of 3DS MAX 7, but realise that I desperately need some good tutorials to get me started.

 

I have looked around, but I am a little confused about what I need. So I was hoping I could draw on the experience of others to point me in the right direction :) .

 

Thanks in advance :)

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Hi JJ,

I would learn 3D studio too, but I don't have enough time.

 

Hi Leonardo,

 

Yeah I know what you mean - lack of time has also been the stumbling block for me.

 

I've found this link http://www.3d-tutorial.com/

It seems usefull to me and I hope this can help you.

Bye!

 

PS: found also this: http://www.3d-palace.com/

 

Thanks Leonardo!. I have already found some usefull tips there.....now to try them out :D

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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bravo guys...I wanted to try 3d editing too...but as usual...lack of time...or the concept of spending so many hrs at a model was daunting. :$

WHISPR | Intel I7 5930K | Nvidia GTX980 4GB GDDR5 | 16GB DDR4 | Intel 730 series 512GB SSD | Thrustmaster WARTHOG | CH Pro Pedals | TrackIR4 pro |

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Hey Alfa

I have just installed 3D Studio Max. And i have never worked with this and i'm willing to learn all about it! So i think we can help each other :) ...i hope.

Thnx for the links! I will try em out :icon_supe

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Hey Alfa

I have just installed 3D Studio Max. And i have never worked with this and i'm willing to learn all about it!

 

That makes two of us then :D . It is a little intimidating to begin with, but I have already(yesterday and today) managed to pick up some basics and built myself a little AK-630 artillery mount :biggrin: .....not the most beautiful thing I have seen(lol) but its a start :) .

 

So i think we can help each other :) ...i hope.

Thnx for the links! I will try em out :icon_supe

 

Good idea mate! :D .I came across a small tutorial by a German guy, which was a lot of help....I can PM the link to you if you like :D .

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Hey Alfa,

I have been learning 3dsmax for a little while. I would recommend going to your local library and search for books on 3dsmax there. I have found a few that have helped. Also, check on amazon.com for used books (cheap!) covering the subject. I recently purchased a used book called "Advanced Modeling in 3ds max 5" for $8 delivered to my door. There are also numerous online resources like 3dcafe.com. Just try google.

 

Overall, my best advice would be to get yourself a book on the fundamentals of 3dsmax so that you learn exactly what each tool is used for and when it is best to use it. Also, don't forget that modeling an aircraft is a very daunting task (for a very high quality model) and can be very time consuming. That being said, it can also be very rewarding to see your finished model - knowing that you can animate it, rotate it, etc even put it into a game. You'll most likely need to learn to make textures (skins) for your model too.

 

Anyways, I recommend starting small and simple, then gradually increasing the difficulty level to more complex things. I started with handguns and missles before moving on to harder things. You're also going to need to find 3-view drawings of what you want to model. With any luck, these 3 views will also include dimensional measurements. For cars/aircraft/tanks, my best experience has been to buy a scale model, scan the 3 view drawing that comes with it, then use that in the viewports of 3dsmax as a reference for building the 3d model.

 

There are some online resources with 3-view drawings but I can't think of any off hand. For the most detailed drawings, get yourself the scale model like I said above. Anyways, I hope this post has been informative!

:icon_jook

-Jack

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Hello Jack,

 

Thanks for the advice :) .

 

Yes I realise that I should get some solid documentation to learn it properly. So far I have just been messing about with it and whenever I get stuck I look for clues in varies online tutorials - then mess around a little more :D . I have no illusions that I will be making sophisticated aircraft models anytime soon and I do intend on sticking with small and simplistic projects(read crude) to begin with.

 

I dont have any problems making textures(have been doing that for years), but I still dont quite know how to "wrap" a 3D shape that I made myself in 3ds max...lol. I also know of quite a few places where I can obtain highly detailed technical scale drawings(blueprints actually) of varies military stuff, so for me the "rock on the road" has to do with figuring out how to use the 3dsmax software and learning the different techniques for making nice looking models :) .

 

Man I hate being a noob....:icon_mrgr .

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
How's things coming along JJ? Got any renders you wanna share?

 

Hi Viper,

 

Hehe yes I got lots of stunning renders to show.......but nothing I made myself though :biggrin:.

 

I recently bought a membership for a 3D modelling site, which allows me unlimited download from a database of high polygon models for a year and I have downloaded most of the modern Russian navy by now :) .

 

So I must admit that I have been messing around with those models instead of getting my act together and try to scratch-build something myself :icon_redf . But I did learn quite a lot about the functionality of 3ds max in the process, so it has not been a complete waste of time :)

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Check this out...

 

1164_rearm.jpg

 

....on this ship I replaced the 3D model of the AK-130 gun mount with that from another ship model because it was better modelled. Because the scales used for the two ships were different, I had to re-scale the gun mount before I could use it and it consists of about a dosen seperate parts - turret base, turrret, barrels, optical sight etc..

 

AK-130 mount..

AK-130.jpg

 

...which had to be carefully positioned in relation to each other when fitting the new gun to the ship model. But it came out pretty well if I may say so myself :) ...

 

...original version:

1164_old.jpg

 

...re-armed version:

1164_new.jpg

 

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Hey Guys,

 

I know this is for 3dmax 5 ( there not that much difference between 3dmax 5 and 7 ) and I know its modeling for a different game, but I thought I would share it anyway. These video tutorials will give you a good idea on how to go about modeling aircraft and show you how to use a few different modeling techniques.

 

All you need to do is find some good image plates of the aircraft you want to model and then follow the video tutorials.

 

It should be enough to get you started anyway.

 

Hope you find them usefull.

 

http://www.bobsyouruncle.net/StrikeFighter3dModeling.htm

 

have a good look about, there worth saving on your HD for future reference.

 

Hi-Hat

CO vvs 504th Red Hammers

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Alfa,

 

Be carefull with putting bits from one model on to another model ( unless you made both models yourself of course ) even if its a free model its frowned upon by 3D modelers and is know as "Kit Bashing".

 

In other words, do what you like to other peoples models in the privacy of your own home, but dont post pics of someones elses model that youve just stuck another gun on etc, I dont want you getting in trouble as you didnt know.

 

Its fine if you have the authors permission etc. Some authors can be funny buggers ya see :(

 

I just thought I better give you a heads up as your new to 3D Modeling.

 

Looking forward to seeing some of your work btw.

 

Hi-Hat

CO vvs 504th Red Hammers

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Hello Hi-Hat,

 

Thanks for the Link :D .

 

Yes I know I probably shouldnt show renderings of fiddled-with models in public, but in this case all the material was made by the same artist - I just "upgraded" one of his ships with bits from another(dont know why he didnt do this himself BTW)......and they werent free ;) .

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Glad to hear it Alfa! The more time you spend messing with the program, the more you learn. Did you have any luck finding books at the library? I haven't been working with 3dsmax 5 lately because I have been taking courses in AutoCAD and 3Dmodel Solidworks. My favorite is definitely Solidworks. If you build something in SW, you can export the individual parts to a CNC machine which will make them and then you can assemble the parts yourself. Really cool stuff - going from 3d model to real-life-in-your-hands creation!

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Guest EVIL-SCOTSMAN

w00t, that pic of the boat looks real nice :p

 

it isnt the Moscow by any chance is it Alfa ?

 

good luck in getting stuck into 3dmax, I only wish I had time and patience to do that myself :(

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Glad to hear it Alfa! The more time you spend messing with the program, the more you learn.

 

Yeah thats what I found as well :)

 

Did you have any luck finding books at the library?

 

Well I didnt try to be honest - I have found lots of good tips and tutorials on the internet, so I have enough material to "process" for the moment :)

 

I haven't been working with 3dsmax 5 lately because I have been taking courses in AutoCAD and 3Dmodel Solidworks. My favorite is definitely Solidworks. If you build something in SW, you can export the individual parts to a CNC machine which will make them and then you can assemble the parts yourself. Really cool stuff - going from 3d model to real-life-in-your-hands creation!

 

That does sound very cool indeed! :D

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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w00t, that pic of the boat looks real nice :p

 

Yes the models are incredibly detailed, but also too "big" for sim purposes - e.g. there is also a model of the "Pyotr Velikiy"(Kirov class) and the polygon count is......1 million :icon_eek: .

 

..it isnt the Moscow by any chance is it Alfa ?

 

Hehe... well thats actually a good question E.S :) . It is a "Slava class" vessel like the "Moscow" in Lock-on yes, but I am afraid the artist has confused the individual vessels a little - he gave it hull # "055" which belongs to a Northern Fleet vessel called "Marshal Ustinov", but then gave it the name "Slava" which is the one formerly carried by the vessel now called "Moscow".....so ...

 

To clarify - there are 3 Slava class vessels in service with the Russian navy;

 

#121 "Moskva" (formerly named #126 "Slava") in the Black Sea Fleet

#055 "Marshal Ustinov" in the Northern Fleet

#011 "Varyag"(formerly named #031 "Chervona Ukraina") in the Pacific Fleet

 

good luck in getting stuck into 3dmax, I only wish I had time and patience to do that myself :(

 

Yeah I know what you mean :)

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

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JJ

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  • 2 weeks later...
Well, today i made my first modell, with help from tutorial.

It isn't the best n smoothest you have ever seen but it's a start!

 

Hehe....cool! :) .

 

I have decided to plunge myself into it and, heavily assisted by a video tutorial, try[empahsised] to make an aircraft from some drawings I have :) .

 

It will probably be a humilating experience :Flush:

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

JJ

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Hehe....cool! :) .

 

I have decided to plunge myself into it and, heavily assisted by a video tutorial, try[empahsised] to make an aircraft from some drawings I have :) .

 

It will probably be a humilating experience :Flush:

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

 

 

yeah video tutorials are the best...that's the way i'm learning it too =) looking for something more advanced now....just a slight

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I decided to go back to basics and re-do the default tutorials to erase my bad habits. Here's my crack at the first tutorial, the chess pieces. The next tutorial is a P-38. I'm looking forward to it! For reference, there are some cool "tips & tricks for games" video tutorials at the autodesk website along with the .pdf 500+ page tutorial manuals. Definitely recommended. Here it is:

 

chessrendered8kq.th.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

some links I got... might be good to you guys

 

hmmm getting into this myself - particularly cars... heres some links Ive been using...

 

http://www.3d-palace.com/

 

http://www.simplymax.com/

 

http://www.highend3d.com/

 

http://www.onnovanbraam.com/index.php?m=tutorials&g=blueprintsetup

 

http://www.suurland.com/

 

 

particularly like the 1st link - loads of free tutorials to get ... hope you find something useful - good luck ;)

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