As the topic says, I'm pretty much requesting any tutorials on modeling for Max 9, from beginner, up to advanced. Specifically ones that would help me with indoor modeling, because all the outdoor stuff isn't absolutely difficult. I need specific detail tutorials, such as how to create buildings, caves, tunnels (as in like subways/sewers), bridges, etc. All sorts of things that would help me to create levels similar to Lockout/Blackout, Guardian, Hang 'Em High/Tombstone, The Pit, Chill Out/Cold Storage, etc.

Reason being, I just recently returned to Halo again. I've been so occupied with everything else that I just disappeared from these forums and Halo CE gaming entirely. Having gotten bored of every other game I have [except WoW], I figured, time to come back. However, I know very little about modeling as it is, and can only do basic box modeling for outdoor levels. And one of the projects I was working on before I left for several months was remaking Lockout, as there never was a good one made yet [and it's not too complex, no one just ever got around to it], despite there being like 5 versions. I was also considering making it as Blackout instead, with the new textures and everything, and I thought... Hey. Why not just bring all my favorite Halo 3 levels to CE once I learn to model?

Answer: Because I can't model, and I can't find tutorials no matter how much I lurk. [I'm an epic failure of a lurker, 4chan would laugh at me.]

Lockout, The Pit, Hang 'Em High, those levels wouldn't be terrible hard to model, if I knew how. That's just the thing, I can't figure out how to model without running into error after error after error. I don't know how to create hollowed boxes, walkways, or anything. I'm seriously that much of a novice. Plus if I start learning modeling now, maybe I could end up being of help later on for anyone else; Which really, I'd love to be able to do.

So all I'm really asking for is a gathering of /specific/ links to tutorials on modeling, that would help me to learn anything I'd really need. Especially with indoor maps like Lockout, Hang 'Em High, etc.

I laughed so hard at that.

Mainly, modelling just comes to you. You could try http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/3DS-MAX/Modeling/1 it's quite useful.

Sounds good to me honestly. That's one of the things I mentioned; Collaboration. Specifically I said: "Plus if I start learning modeling now, maybe I could end up being of help later on for anyone else; Which really, I'd love to be able to do."

I figure even if I learn how to model pretty well, I'm not going to really make my own team that keeps everything to themselves and doesn't release anything but the final map, and locked down. Nothing against H3MT, their maps are great; I'm saying that keeping things completely private just isn't my thing. I'd be more of a freelancer, and would just help any team or user who asks, and they can choose to do with it what they want... Of course, I can't be a person who gets everything done for everyone. I mean with a bit of moderation and realism...




I've searched through that and have downloaded several tutorials. Watched quite a few, and they really are very useful. I've been using Tutorialized for Photoshop and 3DS Max for a while, but unfortunately it doesn't help me grasp the art of 3DS Max as well as I was hoping for. I understand how to extrude/bevel, weld, collapse, and all of that. But despite all of that, I can't figure out how to make a map that's still entirely in the skybox but yet an indoor map like The Pit or Hang 'Em High, without running into errors.

Also, the links that I would've clicked on the stickied thread by Matooba, are all down. Which doesn't much help me. Dx


Suggestions and explanations of how each option works, and when/how to use it would be helpful too, though probably out of the question... Example, I know when selecting two vertices next to each other, you can click "Collapse" and they become one, but you can also click "Weld" after setting the threshold and it does the same. How do you know when to use which option? Explanations like that could help me out just a bit as well...


Sorry for seeming like a newbie asking so many questions. I just really want to get this down and be able to model, instead of just being someone on the sidelines who watches everything happen and envy the abilities. ;P

Thanks. That'll be the next one I watch, though I had to find the link to download at the bottom of the thread.

Some guy named "Ben" had a 3-part tutorial for modeling uploaded here, and though it took some time to download, that's what I'm watching now. Already I'm learning things I didn't know about... Especially because now I'm liking Editable Poly, when all the standard tutorials suggest Editable Mesh.

Editable Poly FTW. It's so much better than mesh.

No kidding. From everything I've seen, it's a lot more organized and easier to adjust things. Mesh has limited modeling capabitilies, especially for plane modeling... Poly, so far, has made everything look easy.

Just 30 minutes into part 1, [Part 1 is an hour long, I don't want to know how long 2 and 3 are, or the total], and I've already figured out enough that I think I could maybe model The Pit. But I'll keep watching until I'm sure I know enough to do it.

I just hope that with my terrible memory, I remember all of this tomorrow. I don't want to watch these tutorials all over again. [Yes, my memory is /that/ bad.]

I don't like GMax personally. It's just a free equivalent of 3DS Max, which is what I use anyway. Max 9 works perfect for me, and the tutorials I found plus the one posted have really helped me out a lot more than I'd expected. And since my brother's got no internet access, I may throw him these tutorials and get him to try to design some stuff.

Also, just a thought, but if it's The Narrows as in the Halo 3 map, as much as I like H3MT and Halo 3, that is one map I'm definitely /not/ getting. I despise that map, especially on Live. I'd play Isolation faster than that. xD;


EDIT:

Just a question, but if you create something via plane modeling, do you have to make a box around it for the Skybox, and just attach that to it? Or what would you do to get it in game?

Also, I feel stupid; In most tutorials, you have the red/green/blue arrow to change X/Y/Z axis. How do I get that to display?
Edited by MF Boom on Oct 3, 2008 at 07:08 AM

1:u have to make sure there is no open edges
2:press "x" key

Alright, thanks. I knew about the grid, but couldn't figure out the axis thing... and I didn't want to go pressing a bunch of keys and end up screwing up 3DS Max to the point of no return.

Also, I figured as much. But how do I create a plane-modeled level like Lockout for instance, which is just a floating building attached to an ice cliff, and get it in game? Would I have to create a box that surrounds it as the skybox, it would it just be fine entirely on it's own?

That tut is awsome. If only the links worked.
Editable poly has the best tools, like bridge, bevel, inset, etc. But every now and then it has some glitches. Like sometimes there will be verteces that wont register and wont weld to anything. But all the glitches I've encountered can ba overcome by just switching to editable mesh and doing it there. Although switching itself can sometimes cause glitches.

Are there any tuts or documans explaining ALL the keyboard shortcuts?

http://files.filefront.com/part+1+llamas+video+tut/;8819648;/fileinfo.html

yea it looks like only the 1st one is left up

Batch files are best. You can easily just go to the Windows folder, find the cmd.exe, and copypasta it to the Halo CE root directory. Then you never need to dir> ever again. I ended up making a shortcut to that, Guerilla, and Sapien in a second Quick Launch bar... If I ever record videos for Halo CE map development, you'll see 'em in the top right. It's pretty beautiful if I may say so myself.


Also, Bluestreak is the best exporter you can get that's compatible with Max 9. I've never used Chimp [which I think is preferred for GMax users, not for Max], nor have I used Blitzkrieg [don't think it works for Max 9]. Most mapmakers prefer Max 8 because of support for Animation, but I don't really see a difference in it simply because I never use animation in my maps. oo;

Well first thing I learned in modelling was the following: f2 f3 f4 are the BEST!

If modeling a map, it's good to import a MC to compare the size of the map with the size of Chief.

Plane modeling: Create plane, convert to poly, select EDGES and shift + drag that edge. That is the basics of plane modeling.

When you want to reference something, have your reference picture, Create a new material, import as a bitmap, and apply that bitmap as a plane. Then tweek the settings so you see the material. note: plane has to be 1 by 1 faces/edges

As of late, I figured most of that out. F4 is especially helpful for seeing the edges, which makes visibility and actual editing much easier.

But the only thing I don't know is exactly how to import a proper sized MC into the model. Any tips on that?

Also, plane modeling is good and all, but after you make the full-scale model of what you want your map to be, how do you get it in-game without all the open-edges problems? Do you just create a box around it, flip all the faces, then give it the '+sky' material ID, or what?

Actually I've been trying to figure that out myself: Some maps simply have so many errors it seems impossible to actually fix them *sigh*

I just found a MC model and imported it into a map and build around it. Removing it is the only issue b/c the wireframe of the MC is still there when the mats and the bones are all gone. :/