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

Searching for content in the scene


In a scene with hundreds of models or model components, naming objects is probably the best way to keep content easy to access. There are a few ways to rename an object. One way is to type in the Modify Panel the name you want in this field:

You can also rename objects by selecting them in the scene or highlighting them in the Layer Manager, and choosing Rename Objects from the Tools menu. Another way, if you are using the Outliner script we discussed earlier, is to double-click on the object label.

In the following steps, we will look for a single object amid hundreds using filters:

  1. Open the .max file Packt3dsmax\Chapter 1\Begin.max. This scene is made of hundreds of objects mostly called Object001 and Part001 and so on.

  2. You could use the Select by Name tool, and you could use the Outliner to browse the scene. Another way is to use Tools | New Scene Explorer.

  3. In the Scene Explorer window that pops up, you get a list of objects rather similar to the Outliner script's Hierarchy mode list. At the top, there is a menu called Select. Open this and choose Search from the bottom of the menu, as shown in the following screenshot. You can alternatively click on the icon Configure Advanced Filter from the vertical icons.

  4. Another window will pop up called Advanced Search or Advanced Filter (depending on how you opened it), and this lets you filter the scene by numerous Property/Condition/Reference value combinations. For instance, expand the Property list and choose Hidden, and set the Condition to Is so that only hidden objects will be searched. Notice that the object Skydome is the only hidden object. It is highlighted in yellow. You can unhide it using Outliner or if you right-click in the scene and choose Unhide All from the Quad menu, then similarly freeze it.

  5. In the Advanced Filter window, click on Remove. This clears the current filter.