3dsMax Help

[DarkFact]

Hi!

I've been using 3dsMax since R1.2; about 8 years so I'm offering my *services* to the community. I'm certainly no expert as 3dsMax is too vast to know everything, but I have been making game art for years. I have also refined my pipeline for TV3D 6.5, so if you need help getting your level lightmapped and exported to TVM, I can help you there also.

So if you're a programmer that needs some models made for prototyping or even a quick/dirty game level for testing, just let me know. I own a 3dsMax website that's been around since 2003 where I give away over 600 free 3ds models, so I'm sure we can get you what you need.

If you need help, just let me know!

[Raine]

Aloha Dave,

I think you deserve more attention, and I guess the Announcement section suits the post better

It's very nice of you to offer your help; you could also post some picture of your works!

[ZaPPZion]

or maybe put your portfolio/website in your signature
This is awesome by the way, you're helping the community a lot, thanks in advantage
(if i need anything, i'll contact you )

[DarkFact]

You're welcome guys! I didn't want to break the forum rules by posting my website link here. I thought that would be considered advertising.

Here are a few samples. Some are high poly some are low. The buildings are all low.







I believe this one was used in the 6.5 screenshots here!

[nateslunaXX]

wow, i like the last one..i hope i can make a render like that? what is the fps of that render?

[DarkFact]

wow, i like the last one..i hope i can make a render like that? what is the fps of that render?

Hey thanks!:)

The FPS when I took the screenshot was at 325. The total polygons in the scene is 5190.

[ZaPPZion]

wow! i'm really really impressed by your art darkfact. It's amazing what talent some people have (i tried modeling something, but nobody could tell me what i made  hehehe)

[newborn]

Hey! Thats my router!! Nice job!

[DarkFact]

Hey! Thats my router!! Nice job!

LOL..It's mine too.

Most of my models were copied from what I saw that day. I actually did model junk on my desk, too.

[ZaPPZion]

it's not your router newborn, it's not darkfact's, it's actually MINE!
anyway, i really love your work darkfact, and i already downloaded a couple things from your website to experiment with:)

[nateslunaXX]

Hey thanks!:)

The FPS when I took the screenshot was at 325. The total polygons in the scene is 5190.

325 awesome!...i only got 600 from rendering just black and test..ahaha!!
what's your website's url?

[DarkFact]

My current test bed.



Alleyway Video - 9MB WMV

[excaliber]

I'm attempting to learn 3DS and have found it to be quite the beast of a program! Also insanely massive and complicated.

Could you point me in the direction of a good tutorial covering texturing?  I am currently creating the mesh object (the internals of a building) in Sketchup, then exporting to 3DS for texturing/lighting.  I've figured out lighting down to a degree I'm satisfied, but I can't work out a good way to texture.

The only method I've been able to find selecting each polygon face I want and applying a material to that.  This proves to be quite painful for large, complex internal scenes.  Is there a better way to do it?

[ZaPPZion]

You should have a look at the tutorials that come with 3ds max. There are perfect samples of texturing. I'd say uvw unwrapping could be a good solution for complext things.

[DarkFact]

The only method I've been able to find selecting each polygon face I want and applying a material to that.  This proves to be quite painful for large, complex internal scenes.  Is there a better way to do it?

This is the most versatile way to do it so that you have maximum control and can put specific textures on specific faces. However, if you plan ahead, you can speed up the process by tiling in groups such as all walls that share a texture. Then you can go back and place a unique texture in the wall (such as one with graffiti) only where needed.

There is no quick way to texture a level I'm afraid. It's a very long and tedious process if you want your level to have realism. Just be patient and you'll discover your own tricks to speed it up.

[excaliber]

Thanks for the help.  Good to know I wasn't missing a cool trick to texture quickly

Out of curiosity, should double-sided polygons be avoided (ie. ceiling/floor)?

[DarkFact]

There's no intrinsic reason to avoid double-sided polygons; it's up to you and your modeling style. If you plan to model your levels with snaps, then you might want 0 depth planes for a floor/ceiling combination so there's no thick space between levels. It's up to you though.

[excaliber]

Ok, thanks.  I wasn't sure if it was something evil or not

So I got a simple level working with some textures and ran into lighting issues.  As you can see in the first image, I have a omni point light in the back room.  It is lighting the rest of my scene and going through the wall to affect the ceiling.  I'm not sure how to make the light not penetrate walls

[DarkFact]

Are you using 3dsMax to lightmap the level? If so, use Inverse Square falloff on your omni lights.

[excaliber]

Worked like a charm, thanks!  There is a light in the other room but it is no longer bleeding through.

Thanks again DarkFact.  I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions as I keep learning 3DS.