Book Image

3ds Max Speed Modeling for 3D Artists

By : Thomas Mooney
Book Image

3ds Max Speed Modeling for 3D Artists

By: Thomas Mooney

Overview of this book

Production of 3D art is an exciting medium, but the task of modeling requires intense attention to detail, so speed and efficiency are vital. This book breaks down speed modeling workflow in 3ds Max into stages you can easily achieve, with a focus on hard surface modeling and methods you can apply to your own designs."3ds Max Speed Modeling for 3D Artists" will help level up your 3D modeling skills. It focuses on hard surface modeling, and shows the range of tools and techniques in 3ds Max 2013.This book shows content creation methods aimed at 3ds Max modelers preparing to show their skill to the industry. The key feature of modeling that artists must exhibit is speediness while preserving technical accuracy. The author helps you follow set project guidelines while pushing creativity and outlines the entire workflow from concept development to exporting a game-ready model.The book begins with introductions for new users to the interface and modeling tools, and progresses to topics aimed at users already familiar with 3ds Max, who want to improve their content creation process. You'll also see ways 3ds Max content is used with other applications, like sculpting software and game editors, and learn features of speed modeling, efficient workflow, re-use of content, and tips on getting more done, more quickly.By the end of this book you will have learned key topics in modeling, ready to face professional level work with elan.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
3ds Max Speed Modeling for 3D Artists
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Generating shapes from edge selections


Any edge selection can be converted to a Spline. Splines have several uses. They can be rendered as wire-like volumes. They can be used as guides for animation, for polygon extrusions, and even UV mapping. They can be used as profiles for the Extrude, Sweep, and Lathe modifiers to generate new geometry. Closed shapes can be the base for Garments used with the Cloth modifier, and open shapes can be used to define Hair and Fur geometry.

In this example, we'll generate shapes from existing geometry and use it to create a model connecting the Body and Legs of the vehicle constructed in the earlier sections.

  1. Open the scene \Packt3dsMax\Chapter 04\ShapesStart.max.

  2. Select Body by pressing H (Select by Name) and zoom and orbit so you can see the lower part (shown in the following screenshot). Press 2 to enter the Edge mode and select the loop shown on the end of the front protrusion.

  3. If you are using PacktUI.ui, you can right-click on it to access Create Shape...