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

Packing the layout


When you have picked out and unwrapped all the parts of a complex model, you may feel like you have completed a marathon; except a final lap remains, which is to fit all the pieces as efficiently as possible into the main mapping square. While 3ds Max has an autopacker built into the Unwrap UVW modifier, it is not really useful. A human is needed to puzzle out the most compact, optimal arrangement. It's best to think of it as a sort of puzzle game. You can quickly get an adequate result, but it takes real skill to achieve an optimal result. In terms of method, all you'll need to do is turn on Face mode (3), tick Select By Element

in the Edit UVWs window and use Freeform Mode to start transforming the UV islands. Here and there, you might nudge a vertex over a little or break a piece in two (or join two pieces), but there's no trick involved.

This is what I ended up with after unwrapping the pieces. At this stage, I wasn't too worried about welding together every possible...