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Introduction
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This first tutorial will introduce 3D Studio MAX and then explain how
to create some simple solids. I am assuming that you have no experience
with a CAD system, but have some understanding of basic computing
concepts. |
| I'll also include notes and commentary in
paragraphs like this one (as well as most of the images). |
During these tutorials you should notice that I will give less
detailed instructions as we go further. In addition, once a particular
topic has been covered once, I am likely to say "to something" without
explaining how... |
The
Interface
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Firstly, we'll have a very quick introduction to Max's
interface. |
| Start Max by clicking on the Windows 95 "Start" button (in the bottom
left corner) then select "Programs" and "CAD & Modelling" and finally
"3D Studio MAX R2". If these instructions prove incorrect, then
search! |
| Once Max has started look on the right hand side... |
| The Create command panel (the hand icon) is open with the 'geometry'
(cylinder & sphere icon) button IN. The buttons for the standard
primitives are shown in the Object Type "rollout" (a "rollout" is a
collection of commands or options, it has a button at the top with a minus
"-" on the left if the rollout is open or alternatively a plus "+" if its
closed). |
| Click on the Utilities command panel (the hammer) - this totally
changes everything below... |
| Click on the Create command panel again, then click on the Camera icon
on the 'row' behind the command panels. Once again the bit below is
totally changed - though this time there isn't much there! |
| Click on the Geometry icon again, then click on the down-arrow of the
selection box that currently shows "Standard Primitives", choose "Extended
Primitives". This will change the contents of the Object Type
rollout. |
| Go back to the Standard Primitives, then click on the minus "-" on the
left of the Object Type button. This should shrink the rollout, hiding its
contents. Click on the plus "+" to expand the rollout. |
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This, I'm sure, seems messy and really complicated at present. Don't
worry! Once you start to learn what all the various things are for, it'll
start to become simple and straightforward! |
| Before I explain more, it's worth noting that (like most CAD related
applications) Max uses standard Cartesian coordinates, with the X-Y plane
being the ground. |
| Notice that the perspective viewport has a
white line around it, this indicates that it is the active
viewport. |
To the left of the command panel are the four viewports. In the
top-left is the Top (plan) view. To the right is the Front (X-Z) view,
under the Front is the Perspective view. Finally, in the bottom-left is
the Left (Y-Z) view. |
| To change the active
viewport, right-click in the viewport.
To complicate matters, Max "changes" the labelled coordinate system
according to which view is active... |
When you draw on any of the three 2D views the object will be 'based'
on the "0 height". In other words, if you draw in the top view the X and Y
coordinates are visible and the Z coordinate is 0. If you draw in the
Front view the X and Z coordinates are visible and the Y coordinate is
0. |
| I'll explain more about the interface as we continue. |
Create a
Box
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| If the Perspective viewport is not the
active viewport then make it so!
If you don't like the box's colour, click on the colour in the "Name
and Color" rollout and then select another colour. |
Click on the "Box" button. Notice that a "Parameters" rollout is
displayed. Move the mouse cursor into the Perspective view, press the
mouse button down to enter the first corner point, then "drag" the cursor
to enter the other corner point of the base (release the mouse button).
Move the mouse up - the box height will dynamically change - press the
mouse button when you're happy with the result! Create a few more boxes,
using the other viewports. Notice the differences in how the boxes are
created. |
Zooming about the
place...
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There are a number of other 'zoom' related
commands whose icons are located to the right and below this icon.
Investigate... |
Before we go any further, it's worth understanding how to change what
the views are showing. Click on the "Zoom" icon, then "drag" the cursor UP
in one of the viewports - the objects in that view will appear to get
bigger. Drag DOWN to zoom out (which reduces the apparent size of the
objects in the view). |
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The second zoom command (Zoom All) operates like Zoom except it zooms
all the (non camera) views at once. "Zoom Extents" changes the current
view to display all the objects in the scene. "Zoom Extents All" changes
all the (non camera) view to display all the objects. "Region Zoom" is
used to zoom in on a selected area of the view (2D views only). "Field of
View" zooms perspective and camera views. "Pan" changes the view centre.
"Arc Rotate" changes the viewing angle for the view. Finally, the "Min/Max
Toggle" changes between seeing four views and one view. |
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You should be aware that the undo command does not undo
zooming... |
Create a
Sphere
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Click on the Sphere button, then click to set the centre and then
"drag" to enter the sphere. When the object has just been created it's
possible to change the object's parameters. Change the radius (in the
Parameters rollout), for example round it off to the nearest 10. |
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Investigate the other Standard Primitives - they're all pretty
straightforward! |
Simple
Editing
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To
select more than one object - hold the Ctrl key down and click on the
(next) object. |
Click on the "Select and Move" icon (it's located at the top of the
application's window near the Help menu), then click on one of the objects
you've created - the cursor should change into a shape like the symbol on
the icon. You can now drag the object to a new position! |
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Click on the "Select and Rotate" icon (beside the Move icon), then
click on a box. Rotate is rather strange! Instead of having the mouse
movement equal rotation. Movement up and down (the screen) equates to
rotation! |
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"Select and Scale" is very similar to Rotate, click on the object(s)
and then drag up or down to enlarge or reduce the object size. |
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To delete a shape, pick the "Select Object" icon (under the "Views"
menu) then simply click on the shape (to select it) and finally press the
"Delete" key. |
Changing the
Perspective
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While there's nothing wrong with the default perspective view, I'll
let you know how to change it - in-case you get bored  . |
If you drag the cursor when it is outside
the circle the view is tilted! |
Right-click in the perspective viewport (if it's not the active
viewport). Click on the "Arc Rotate" icon (near the bottom-right of the
application's window). Move the cursor inside the green circle hold the
left mouse button down and drag it around... |
Render the
Scene
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Click on the "Render Scene" icon (near the top-right), the dialog box
that's displayed is a bit intimidating at first! Click on "640x480" in the
"Output Size" group and click on the "Render" button at the bottom. |
Once you've set-up the
rendering parameters to your satisfaction you can use "Quick Render"  or "Render Last"  |
Max will display a new window and render the active viewport
(hopefully the perspective view!), the background should be black and the
lighting will be the two default lights. Click on the "X" to dismiss the
window. |
Other
Shapes
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Click on the Shapes Icon (beside the Geometry Icon), then select the
Rectangle button and draw a rectangle! This is a 2D shape, but it can be
edited... |
| If the buttons in the Modify
command panel's Modifiers Rollout are inactive, click on the rectangle -
to select it. |
Click on the Modify command panel, then select Extrude : set the
Amount value (in the Parameters Rollout) to 50. I know this isn't very
interesting, but be patient! |
| When you do this the box should disappear
and the rectangle should be redrawn. |
In the "Modifier Stack" rollout, click on the drop-down list with
"Extrude" showing and then select "Rectangle" and the select "Edit Spline"
from the Modifiers Rollout. |
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Click on the "Select and Move" icon then, in the Top View, right-click
on one of the corners and then select "Bezier" from the menu, then drag
one of the green squares and watch what happens... |
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Repeat this process on one of the other corners - except use "Bezier
Corner" instead of "Bezier". When you're happy with the resulting shape,
go back to the drop-down list in the "Modifier Stack" rollout and change
"Edit Spline" back to "Extrude". |
Have a
cuppa
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In this section you'll create a simple cup using a similar technique
to that used above. Select File - Reset, this will start a new "scene",
don't save your first effort unless you really want to keep it! |
| The figure to the left shows a side view of half of a cup - the centre
of the cup is at the left of the shape. |
| Right-click in the "Front" view then, click on the Create command
panel (and if necessary, the Shapes icon), then click on the Line button
and draw a shape similar to that to the left! The shape you draw doesn't
need to be exactly the same as the example. Then use Edit Spline to add
some curves to the cup's sides. |
| HINT: set the corners to "Bezier Corner" (not "Bezier"). |
| You'll need to scroll the
command panel up to find the button. Do this by moving the cursor around
until it changes into a hand and then dragging up! |
When you're happy with the profile, click on the Lathe button. This
spins the shape around (by default through 360o), but 3D Studio
MAX uses the centre of the shape as the rotation centre. To change this
click on the "Min" button in the Align section of the the Parameters
Rollout. |
Deformations
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| Use "Box" to create the box!
Start in the top-view make it (about) 1 x 1 grid in the top-view and 10
"grid" units high... |
There are a number of interesting commands in the Modify command
panel, in this section I'm going to introduce "Bend"... |
| Create a tall box with comparatively small width and depth. |
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Select the Modify command panel (if necessary select the box) and then
pick "Bend". Move the mouse down to the Parameters roll-out and then press
(and hold down) the left mouse button over the "up arrow" of the Angle
entry area. With the button still down, move the mouse up and down, watch
the viewports to see the effect on the box. Let go of the mouse button,
you should see the box is now "leaning over" but it is not "curving
over". |
| To make the box "curve over", click on the drop-down list in the
Modifier Stack and change the value from Bend to Box, then change the
"Height Segs" value from 1 to 10 - the higher the value the smoother the
curve. |
Attics !? 
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Actually, we're not going to create an attic, we're going to look at
"lofting"! |
| In 3D Studio MAX that's called
"lofting"! |
One common question that people ask is: "how do I create (something
like) a pipe" - that is how can I extrude a shape along a path!? |
| To end the line series, press the Esc
(escape) key or the right mouse button. |
Click on the Create command panel, then on the Shapes icon at the top
of the command panel. Draw a circle in the Top viewport and then (in the
Front viewport) draw a group of lines (they will form the path). |
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Edit the spline to create a "smooth-ish" line, then click on the
Create command panel and the Geometry icon, finally change the drop-down
list from "Standard Primitives" to "Loft Object". |
| This ensures that the surface created will
be visible in wire-frame views! |
Select the path (the lines) and then pick the Loft button. Click on
the "Skin Parameters" roll-out and click on "Skin" in the Display
section. |
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Click on "Get Shape" and pick the circle. MAX should create an object
made from passing the circle along the path! |
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Anyone for
Coffee?
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The techniques introduced above (together with the simple primitives)
can be used to create most of the simple shapes that are common in
architectural models! |
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If there's any time left, have a go at creating a coffee table with
some glasses and maybe a bowl of fruit... |
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If you do create the coffee table, you should save it! |
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