Under used Modifiers/Tools
polycounter lvl 10
I couldn't find a similar thread so thought I would ask people what they thought was an under used modifier or feature (or an existing oe used in an unusal way) in 3Ds Max.
One I stumbled upon was the similar button. You can select a set of faces then click the button and it selects all similar on a mesh. Very handy when modelling things with radial symmetry on like alloy wheels.
Another I recently found out about was the UVW Xform modifer, usefuk for squashing UVs into a 0-0.5 range. For example I wanted 2 horizontal tiling textures on the same texture sheet. So I could map the UVs to the 0-1 thn squash one set to the 0-0.5 and the other to 0.5-1.
Anybody else have any features they think not many people might know about?
One I stumbled upon was the similar button. You can select a set of faces then click the button and it selects all similar on a mesh. Very handy when modelling things with radial symmetry on like alloy wheels.
Another I recently found out about was the UVW Xform modifer, usefuk for squashing UVs into a 0-0.5 range. For example I wanted 2 horizontal tiling textures on the same texture sheet. So I could map the UVs to the 0-1 thn squash one set to the 0-0.5 and the other to 0.5-1.
Anybody else have any features they think not many people might know about?
Replies
The CTRL+Q hotkey is also underused, it selects meshes a like the ones you have selected, still figuring out how exactly it finds the other meshes.
The Turn to Poly modifier with a limit polygon size of 4 is also underused, though it's for a quick and dirty result, especially useful when converting revit models, any pipe like model always collapses on me when I export them as they are. Using this modifier they don't.
I don't know all the ins and outs of Max yet, but just thought I would pick out a couple that I liked. But you are right, I don't want it to turn into a list all modifiers thread.
Thanks for the link, will have a look through to see if there is anything I can learn.
I really appreciate you taking the time to write out a detailed response, thank you.
I wouldn't say you're being harsh, but you are comparing skillsets that are completely alien to a 3D artist. Piloting an airplane requires knowing your aircraft's capabilities, extensive flight training, among many other requirements including licensing. Being a 3D artist isn't a particularly difficult profession compared to most work out there, and there's so many good amateur modelers who simply learn in their spare time. Modeling software doesn't require you to do everything by the "book" because there is no book. You're not going to die if you don't model a box with the box creation tool - you could just make a plane and extrude edges and cap the hole and no one would know the difference.
Semantics aside, I love your menu layout. I may look into adapting your menu choices and see if it helps improve my workflow. Thanks for sharing.
By all means!
I know you're probably not directing your comments solely at me because this is admittedly a pet peeve of yours, so I'll avoid taking it personal - but I will toss in a few more remarks. I decided on my career path because I enjoy creating worlds and felt that I had a future in it. I didn't do it because I enjoy playing video games - because I don't, generally. I grew out of that long ago.
I'm simply acknowledging the reality of what I do for a living and how I perceive it. I don't find this work to be terribly difficult at all. I enjoy it, so it doesn't feel like work to me. My days pass by quickly and I find myself at home again without feeling like I'm counting the minutes until I can leave the office. I've done what I consider to be "hard" jobs. I've pushed shopping carts in 95 degree temperatures wearing long pants and polo shirts. I've dug ditches and cleaned bowling alleys. I've done food preparation and dealt with raging customers who hate you because you're the face behind the counter selling them a cell phone. Modeling isn't something I consider hard. It's a passion, something I enjoy. I strive to be better at it and continually find ways to improve my work because I love what I do.
I didn't say it wasn't technical. ;-) I said I didn't find it hard. In my experience, "technical" and "hard" don't often go hand in hand. I do agree with you, though. I've met those kinds of people in college and my words always fell on deaf ears. I gave up trying to help them improve and focused on my own work instead. I don't create the best work - but I do try to improve whenever I can.
Right, I don't disagree whatsoever.
And that's great - I applaud anyone who can dedicate that kind of time to improving themselves. I do what I can with the limited amount of time in my day between my career and raising two children with my wife.
You shouldn't assume that my post was meant to antagonize you. If we're going to be harsh to one another, may I suggest that you not run with a statement and take it the most negative way possible in the future? If we're giving out advice to one another, based upon your own attitude I'd rather work with someone who needs to learn more about their craft than someone who talks down to you. Skill only goes so far if people hate working with you, and I guarantee that any employer will find someone who they can work with and train over someone who gives them a hard time.
No hard feelings. Thanks for the discussion!
In max 2014 hit x to call up a search, type in the first few letters of what you're looking for and then hit the command.
This really helps to clear out the UI of all those little buttons and things that you need often enough to leave laying around but use them infrequently enough that calling it up this way won't slow you down. This is quickly becoming how I apply modifiers and call up my own scripts. You'll notice "Biped Keyer v1.3" isn't actually part of max, its a script that I have, but it shows up in the list, fuckin awesome.
I can't wait for the day when you can tear a command out of the search box and drag it into the UI and dock it, to create a button or a menu, you can already kind of do that with the Ribbon. Maybe someday they will get all of their ducks in a row... someday...
I'm relatively new here and I don't know you beyond this thread, so I can't say that I'm either positive or negative toward you specifically. I'm just responding to what you've given me. You disagreed with me and did it in a way that I'd consider to be less than friendly but not hostile. I'm doing my best not to let it color my perception of you, as I imagine I'll see you around here frequently and I'm not fond of making enemies out of great artists. I think we all have pet peeves and the way we express that doesn't always come off the way we intend it... So I apologize that we're getting off to the wrong foot here. Speaking of feet, it seems I've opened my mouth and inserted the entire shoe store.
Saying someone needs to know everything about a tool to be a professional is absurd. Even if someone were to go over the manual from start to finish, unless they found a normal use for all the things they learned or had unbelievable cognitive recall eventually most of it would be forgotten.
Professional != Guru/Master/know-it-all
For example, if you find yourself searching for a script to do something and you come across information that tells you that Max already does it ... you need to learn more about Max.
Professionals should have extensive knowledge of their tools and trade, and many here clearly do. That's why people who want to become professionals come here to seek that knowledge. I think they should be warmly welcomed.