3dsmax for Falcon Bms-models: specific tips, videos and screens

[Jasajas]

Hey

As an absolute beginner on 3dsmax I´m eager to learn. I´m for now covering the tuts that are out there and finding my way through making all the mistakes. The tuts are very good and its challenging but very rewarding aswell. As in everything, there are ofcourse specific things to think about when the goal is to model airframes and even more specifically for Falcon bms, and that is not covered other then in the sublime posts in this forum-section. I am more then willing to keep going and who knows when one is capable to share work to this community. :-).

My wishes for this post is to be able to make the future modelers benefit from the imminent artists that today are sharing freely to the Bms-community. By posting screens and perhaps videos on solutions that are the best for this specific use, we who are learning could help faster. This maybe a really bad idea as I understand that some think of this as “secrets in the craft” if so, atleast I can post my progress and share what I find on the way.

This is my first:

Falcon Bms forever!

[WaveyDave]

There isn’t that much BMS/Falcon specifics to learn.

Areas where some knowledge is good:

• Linking
• Material setup
• Running MAXScripts

Regards
Dave

[Jasajas]

Thx:-)

I just now got 3ds Max installed on my computer at work. Finally!
If you run into trouble installing 3ds, check C++ installs on your system and as in My case: uninstall all, install the versions in the extracted folder corresponding to your system 32/64 and run the installer again.
That was à nightmare to search for and figure out. My homesystem installed it with no problems, so dont know what it was that got fubard. Back to work then…:-)

/Jaws

[Jasajas]

I have a question for you: To what extent should you keep a symmetry in vertices and if not (Moving Vertices freely) what disadvantages are there. I´m now struggeling to keep symmetry and be able to stay on the blueprints? Thank you, eminent artists:-)

/Jaws

[WaveyDave]

There is no requirement to have perfect symmetry.

Just model one side and then mirror the other side, there are many ways to do this e.g. symmetry modifier, mirror.

Regards
Dave

[lazystone]

@Jasajas:

I´m now struggeling to keep symmetry and be able to stay on the blueprints?

Please keep also in mind that in fact blueprints ain’t always 100% exact.

Cheers,
LS

[Jasajas]

True.

I´m so fresh at this so I havent experienced first hand what happens later in the process :-). Trying to make symmetry as much as it is possible (if only because it feels really good; I know I´m one of those:-) Therefore I believe I am capable of doing good work, but it will and is taking aaaalot of time.) Mentioning productivity: I today found out about the doubleclick to ring and the shiftclick-neighbour to loop feature. OMG what a difference :-). Not to mention the “Make Planar” feature…that was pure extasy :-). It will be a recognizable J35 when I´m finished.
Thank you for posting useful tips.

/Grateful Jaws

[Jasajas]

The way of the Dragon continues…

A tiny update:
http://imageshack.com/a/img594/1867/euqs.jpg

If there are anyone willing to load my .max and take a look and give some advices how to best move on, feel very free to Pm. Tutorials next:-)
Have a great!

[Scuby]

Good job!

[Jasajas]

It continues…:-). Rawmaterial to the gear, weapons and Ir-pod. I tried some uv-unwraps and used a checker and it´s working just fine too. Making good textures seems to be pretty hard. Ah well, time will tell.

Hasta luego!

[Jasajas]

Hey

Is there any chance of re-using any texturemaps in the Falconfolder If the sole intention is to use it to learn and if possible in 3-4 weeks, share it with the community? I´m starting to figure out this 3d-stuff but the texturing is just above my league for now. There are alot of useful maps to use as in gear, weapons etc. If i were to use it I would OFC give the creator the creds if I had the chance. Ask permission to use, is easy when its signed. (OMG Janhas! You have skills m8!) but what about all the others without? Sry for being so noobish on this one. I cant really understand this “Ownership” within a freeforall sim. Please enlighten me!

Thank you in advance!

/Jaws

[stk2008]

If you want some help with UVW unwrapping I can lend a hand I have dabbled with this in the past and 3D modelling

@Jasajas:

It continues…:-). Rawmaterial to the gear, weapons and Ir-pod. I tried some uv-unwraps and used a checker and it´s working just fine too. Making good textures seems to be pretty hard. Ah well, time will tell.

Hasta luego!

[WaveyDave]

@Jasajas:

Hey

Is there any chance of re-using any texturemaps in the Falconfolder If the sole intention is to use it to learn and if possible in 3-4 weeks, share it with the community? I´m starting to figure out this 3d-stuff but the texturing is just above my league for now. There are alot of useful maps to use as in gear, weapons etc. If i were to use it I would OFC give the creator the creds if I had the chance. Ask permission to use, is easy when its signed. (OMG Janhas! You have skills m8!) but what about all the others without? Sry for being so noobish on this one. I cant really understand this “Ownership” within a freeforall sim. Please enlighten me!

Thank you in advance!

/Jaws

IMO it’s harder to map a new model to a existing texture. You end up having to stretch and distort the map to fit the texture. Some things work better than others e.g. wheels. I would suggest learning how to mark efficient maps first.

The image of the model you posted look ok, seems it may need some work on the smoothing groups. I would go that before the mapping.

Regards
Dave

[Jasajas]

Thanks Wavey! Smoothing groups…I guess its of to another tutorial. haha! Thx m8 for the inputs.

Regards

Wallentin

[Metalhead]

I don’t think he has your documentations Dave…

[Jasajas]

This post is deleted!

[Jasajas]

Εὕρηκα!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJtm7UX5yYQ

In the description there is a link to F4browse and LE-program and in the LE-folder is the manual with complete guides on everything you need to know about importing and editing…:-) How could I have missed that tut. THANK YOU! It shure isnt easy to gather the info you need, if you´re not keen on asking a thousand questions to the poor souls that already have made the leap. Maybe there is a reason as in the words meaning in swedish political processes: Tröghetsprincip = Lets just do it really, really hard for anyone to make a change and in that we make shure there is quality in the changes that infact do take place. I cant say I make that pass, but I will try anyway. If I can make it, ANYBODY fairly interested can. Ofc i´m not close to exporting/importing but there are crucial things to know about the modeling and texturing that was indeed very nice to get now.

I would also like to thank Arty for his Hotlist: https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?13653-Arty-s-Hot-List

Back to reading.

Falcon Bms Forever then!

[Jasajas]

Extremely slow progress, but nevertheless going forward (or sideways)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6235336/Sk%C3%A4rmklipp%202014-12-07%2023.45.22.png

/Jaws

[Arty]

wrong photo link?

[Jasajas]

Yeah sry! Updated.

Nothing to see really, but I´m proud as hell. Its coming along but in other areas then the actual geometry. I´m reading up on texturing atm and playing with these…http://dev.quixel.se/
They are free atm, by choosing “legacy” version, if anybody is interested. Swede Power

Cheers