3ds max - box modelling: strange gradient on faces

Scaph

Hi guys,

I'm a beginner on 3DS max and I've followed a few tutorials on box modelling on digitaltutors.com. However, now that I want to make my own stuff from ground up, I'm getting in a serie of STRANGE problems and I can't find any help on internet.

I started to make some sort of submarine, call it the way you want. And I haven't made weird manipulations. It's only selecting edges, raising them, extruding, simple stuff like that. I did put a mental ray 50% flat grey material with no reflectivity etc.

And I don't know why, there are faces that are flat and when I make a quick render, they appear round or smoothed. When you look at the mesh, there's a sharp angle! What the hell is wrong?

Here's what I mean: anyone has an idea?

Pedro Amorim

That is because you have the same smoothing group going across multiple faces.

JonathanLambert

You need to define separate smoothing groups or add more geo to get a smoother transition between the faces. Also check for unwelded vertices or extra faces hiding in there.

Scaph

Hey thanks for the fast reply!
I saw something in a tab and there were small squares with numbers inside.
Is that what you mean?

How to get rid of this issue?

Another question: how did that happen since i didn't use any smoothing modifier?

Thanks!

Scaph

Oh didn't see your post Jonathan. Ok I'll try once i get home. Thanks!

Scaph

It did work! I selected my object and in the smoothing groups tab, i clicked "clear all". End of my problem. Then i read about smoothing groups as one smoothing method among others. It might be a little tedious when you have a very large and detailled single object. But that's probably just inexperience talking. The hard part is to keep track of the group numbers already used and select all the polygons etc.

I'm in the process of modelling a huge giant submarine, mainly for purpose training but i told myself it could be used in a film. And at this point, i realized that smoothing - and more precisely, smoothing level - is really tightly bound to the function of the model: will it be seen from short, middle or long distance? I don't know and I'm consequently realizing that the more detailed the better, except in terms of rendering time optimization.

I'm sure it's nothing new for you all, but as i mentionned in my first post, I'm a 3ds beginner and sharing my "discoveries" could help shorten the learning curve of those who will come after me.

Thanks for your help guys! Have a nice day!

PyrZern

I dunno about Max, but in Maya, I can set it so that any edge at an angle higher than certain degree set for hard-edge smoothing thingy. Can you do similar thing in Max ?

baalnazzar

Yes, same andgle setting is in max. This should solve the problem automatically

easterislandnick

Its not exactly the same in Max as Maya. Maya smooths edges whilst mas smooths faces.

Scaph

I never tried Maya, but just reading what you say, the maya way seems more logical to me. Max and Maya should make babies. :-) have you guys ever seen something like a pluging for max that would smooth edges rather than faces?

endeffect

Firstly master native features of your software before installing any plugin to change anything. If you try to change something before you master and you get a problem, you can't understand its because of the plugin, max or you. That's my 2 cents.

Scaph

Endeffect, that's very true. I'll see how i can do without plugins at first, learn as much as i can this way. After all, plugins that simplify basic functions are a bit like a microwave oven: useful and quick, but you better know how to make fire with firestones first. :-) survival techniques are always useful to know.

Thanks for all guys! Have a nice hipoly day!