[dr22]

Hi All; I just downloaded the trial version of 3DS Max 8; I don't know why seeing as I have no idea of how to use it and I can't aford it. Got any suggestions?? How to start out using it? And, yes I know I'm stuid got it.

[dr22]

Why does my clock say 3:15AM and the one here says like 12?. I'm on the west coast of the USA Northern part?

[Colonol Dekker]

*shrug*  You used any Max before?

[dr22]

No Sir;

[Colonol Dekker]

Sir ?!?!,..................................


http://www.3dkingdom.org/ Try this site, it should help with the basics...



Zap for the sake of it.........

[dr22]

OK thank you I will.

[Scooby_Doo]

Course you can always ask questions here too, theres quite a few of us that use max (although not the same version)

[Taristin]

Best way to learn max is to use the tutorials that came with it. Building a low poly starship for example, is one of the best ways to learn.

[Scooby_Doo]

And if yuor really getting started into modelling try things more common place than starships, like a basic chair or simple house...

[dr22]

Well I'm not sure which type of program to buy to use for this type of game modding. I don't want to spend the $3400.00 for this perticualr level of program. But as of yet I have not found one that has enough power to keep up with you guys that I can afford. Any suggestions?

[Scooby_Doo]

Well for free Blender seems to be the best (although I personally don't like it).  Just try and avoid truespace at all costs 

[Colonol Dekker]

I actually like Truespace, The mappings too awkward though, but thats what delgations all about...........

[Roanoke]

Well I'm not sure which type of program to buy to use for this type of game modding. I don't want to spend the $3400.00 for this perticualr level of program. But as of yet I have not found one that has enough power to keep up with you guys that I can afford. Any suggestions?

Well that's a full commercial licence and there are other legal ways to buy it.
As for alternatives, Vasudan Admiral swears by Blender.

[Vengence]

Well I'm not sure which type of program to buy to use for this type of game modding. I don't want to spend the $3400.00 for this perticualr level of program. But as of yet I have not found one that has enough power to keep up with you guys that I can afford. Any suggestions?

Good god kid, don't waste your cash on that license. If your still in school or college just order an educational edition. They range from $300-$600. Do the math, its cheaper that way. 3ds is quite a powerful program IMO. The interface is simple, objects are easy to make with the right amount of skill (usually low) so I highly recommend it if your willing to pay for it.

[brandx0]

I've always been a big fan of Max, 3d Studio (the original) was my first modelling program, and then when Max came out I naturally moved to that (I think I started on Max 2.0, but it might have been 2.5)

Either way, great program, and simple to use, and it will piss you off less than lightwave =P

[Turey]

Well I'm not sure which type of program to buy to use for this type of game modding. I don't want to spend the $3400.00 for this perticualr level of program. But as of yet I have not found one that has enough power to keep up with you guys that I can afford. Any suggestions?

Good god kid, don't waste your cash on that license. If your still in school or college just order an educational edition. They range from $300-$600. Do the math, its cheaper that way. 3ds is quite a powerful program IMO. The interface is simple, objects are easy to make with the right amount of skill (usually low) so I highly recommend it if your willing to pay for it.

Hell, if you're still in high school, just go see if your school has a FIRST robotics team. that's how i got 3ds max 8 for FREE.

[Vasudan Admiral]

Well I'm not sure which type of program to buy to use for this type of game modding. I don't want to spend the $3400.00 for this perticualr level of program. But as of yet I have not found one that has enough power to keep up with you guys that I can afford. Any suggestions?

Whatever you do, don't spend huge amounts of money on a 3d modelling tool if you're not absolutely certain 3d modelling is what you want to do.
As Roanoke says, I use Blender. While it may not be up there with 3ds Max in terms of rendering, it easily keeps pace and IMHO outstrides Max in a few areas that relate to FS modding, and it's free: www.blender3d.com

I'm currently in the planning stages of a big tutorial for Blender to try and (almost) free some of the newbies around here from the tyranny of Truespace. Until then though, there's this rather outdated but still good tutorial here: http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/fs2/mods/fighterguide/step1-1.php

[Scooby_Doo]

LOL I like how people forget to block out things like their ICQ list 

Hmmm should do a tutorial for Max, especially with it's powerful material/texturing and UV mapping. 

[dr22]

Hi All; Well I'm not in school. Though I'm begining to think I might have to find a course at a junior college that covers moddeling in order to get started. Seems as I go through the tutorials I just get thick headed or something and get tired of trying to do what the tutorials say, but they don't seem to work for me.  As for Blender it looks a bit daunting just looking at the work screen. At any rate thank you all for your input and suggestions. I have done level building before with Descent3 they had a really good downloadable tutorial and lots of peopel that helped me through the begining stages and in the end I did what I thought was some really good playing levels. Though I can't seem to get them off my iomega ZIP 100 disk's into Windows XP-SP2. Bummer.

[Nuke]

speaking of decent ive imported the pyro i was working on in truespace to max. and im gonna try to finish it in max. that sould be intresting. its based off the original in the model dump i posted a week or two ago, i decided its poly count was too low. i added some more detail in truespace but then i shelfed it. il see if max can do any better.