ANY 3d modelers here? (3d studio max, maya, rhino)

[tokes99]

I am new to comp modeling can you give me some tips as to how I could begin to model in these programs (preferably 3d max)? Like how to begin and what method you think is easiest or gets the best results.

[MancuZ28]

well, if your completely new, before you do anything you should really do the tutorials that come with max, so you get to know your way around the program...you cant really do anything until you have some idea of whats going on...

As far as modeling cars, i like to box model. I start out with a box in the dimensions of half the car (with about 15 segments for the length and 8 or so for the width and height), minus the windshield/cockpit part of it. i extrude polys on the top of the car to make the windshield, windows and roof. From there i sorta just wing it, moving around vertices till i get something that looks like a car lol...sorry i cant really explain much better than that. This method only really works if you dont have a specific design in mind...if you want to do a real car or have a design in mind, you should probably spline model it, using scale drawings as viewport backgrounds...

lemme know if you need any clarifications, cause im not sure if that made sense lol.

[tokes99]

yeah it makes sense, there just are so many tutorials and none are really particularly of interest to me so I end up not finshing them. I have found some good tutorials on the web, I did a tire w/tread pattern.

The problem with spline modeling for me is that it takes a lot of processing power that my computer does not have. If you have any other general modeling tips, I would be happy to hear them,thanks

[spididdy]

check out www.raz.ro hes got a detailed tutorial on modeling a car ( warning this may be for advanced users only, it is pretty complicated ) but it should give you the idea of whats going on

[waycool9]

um...lets see....i actually use lightwave, but here are some 3d website links for ya.
http://www.danielbuck.net/
http://www.3dkingdom.org/
http://www.help3d.com/index.php
http://www.3dcafe.com/asp/freestuff.asp
http://www.renderosity.com/
http://auto.meta3d.com/
..............hope these are helpful...they were/are for me.

[tokes99]

thanks!!!

[ChaosINC.]

This is really cool, i just got maya ultimate and 3d max 6, and really wanna start doing this but man, i had no idea where to start, thanks for posting the links for the tutes.