ms3d tutorial in progress
polycounter lvl 18
I'm trying to prototype a model in mikshape using only primitives while doing a tutorial on it. Here's what I've got so far.
I build the model from custom shapes and then plan to connect them later by closing the gaps. My main motivation for doing is trying to work around ms3d major downside: modeling speed.
I'm trying to learn how to use wings3d, but find it kinda hard. My head's currently not into learning new programs.
I've set it to an intermediate/advanced level so I won't explain the basics of ms3d modeling also I've never done any tutorial writing so I would appreciate some tips.
Stages 1&2:
tutorial artwork:
I build the model from custom shapes and then plan to connect them later by closing the gaps. My main motivation for doing is trying to work around ms3d major downside: modeling speed.
I'm trying to learn how to use wings3d, but find it kinda hard. My head's currently not into learning new programs.
I've set it to an intermediate/advanced level so I won't explain the basics of ms3d modeling also I've never done any tutorial writing so I would appreciate some tips.
Stages 1&2:
tutorial artwork:
Replies
This is blasphemy, since people either love or hate Milkshape, but I find the quadranal polygon work flow in Maya is similiar to Milkshape.....however the Split Polygon tool is much faster and makes workflow easier.
You may want to check out Maya.
If you still insist on using MilkShape, buy the 1st modeling book by Paul Steed. Any Edit Mesh techniques that Max has can be applied to MilkShape.......But you should be interested in Poly Mesh techniques, which MilkShape does not support.
I agree with NoSeRider about the similarity between Maya PLE and Milkshape. Split polygon is great because it allows you to create an n-gon as a placeholder and then come back to clean it up later.
1) When you import an md2 or md3, it doesn't bring in any frames.
2) Whenever I use "create polygon" it tells me that I need to select 3 vertices, even though indeed I have selected 3 verts.
Otherwise, though, it's a pretty decent program, and easy to use. It's a bit slow going for poly by poly work.
I made some alterations to equip the model with the ut2k3 alien_male and it turned out ok. I need to redo some areas, like the feet, but other than I still need to spend more polygons as Im well withon a reasonable UT budget. 1761 triangles so far.
PS: the hair, which has a green material, is from the original UT Alien_Male.
About the tutorial stuff... I think I'm going to document the proces in pictures, make a visual presentation on how I made the model and not an actual step by step tutorial. I think I'd be shooting myself in the foot, because there are better tools out there and not many people would ever use it. Most people seem to use ms3d for file conversions.
I guess I'm a bit old-fashioned for sticking with this program.
[ QUOTE ]
When you import an md2 or md3, it doesn't bring in any frames.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can import all the frames one by one if you really want to, because you can tell Milkshape which frame it has to import. You won't be able to import the skeleton though, because the MD2 and MD3 format don't use skeletal animation, but vertex animation.
[ QUOTE ]
Whenever I use "create polygon" it tells me that I need to select 3 vertices, even though indeed I have selected 3 verts.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you want to create a polygon in Milkshape, you have to click on the option "create polygon" first and then click on the three vertices (one after another).
I'm just getting started with learning 3DS MAX (and finding it more than a little confusing) - would I be better off switching to Maya?
In San Diego all of the Major Game Studios are using Maya. Southern California has about a 50/50 ratio of games studios using Maya/Max....and the ratio is higher for film.
Back east the ratio for using Max is higher.
I can only tell you that I find the work flow in Maya similiar to MilkShape.....