Guide; An easy start to 3D-modelling

[Red Spot]

Perhaps not the best of titles ... what I mean is that I'll try to show you how you can put yourself into a position where modelling is a bit easier, specially for the ones that do not yet know some of these relativly easy tricks (took me quite some time to figure this out, but this does make up for lost time ...:))

What I'll show you here are 10 pictures with a little story, that'll show you an easy way to get a model in 3D-Max, blow it up several times so you can easilly mod it, than without rescalling putting it back in game as .cas ...

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1. Using Vercingetorix's .Cas importer/exporter (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=141) import a model you like to start out with and import it;
https://img519.imageshack.us/img519/9108/nieuwbitmapafbeeldingry5.th.jpg (https://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeeldingry5.jpg)

2. Select the entire model and all its bones by pressing the keys "ctrl+A", than select the scale-tool, than right-click the scale-tool. The window show in the picture below will pop-up and enter the scale you want to use in the right-part of that window, I usually go for 400 (4* the original size) wich is big enough to see every vertex clear enough but not so big you end up working with too much detail;
https://img519.imageshack.us/img519/121/nieuwbitmapafbeelding2ga0.th.jpg (https://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding2ga0.jpg)

Remodel the model you re-scaled as you like and save is as .max as you go, wich is much easier to work with than constantly importing/exporting models.


3. Once you're done modelling and want the model exported to .cas again .. start a fresh scene and import a random working .cas. Press the "select by name" tool and select the "Scene Root";
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9108/nieuwbitmapafbeelding3oe1.th.jpg (https://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding3oe1.jpg)

4. You now have the scene root selected wich is all we want from the vanilla model, so invert the selection;
https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/817/nieuwbitmapafbeelding4ml2.th.jpg (https://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding4ml2.jpg)

5. Press the "delete" key and all you're left with is the all-important Scene Root;
https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5135/nieuwbitmapafbeelding5dg6.th.jpg (https://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding5dg6.jpg)

6. Now to get the new model on the original Scene Root, select the merge option and select your new model;
https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9468/nieuwbitmapafbeelding6xw1.th.jpg (https://img254.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding6xw1.jpg)

7. You now will be prompted with a window where you're asked what you want to merge with the current scene, wich is basicly everything except for the Scene Root in the changed model.
So select the Scene Root of your new model and push the "invert" button wich will make you merge everything except for the Scene Root;
https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6675/nieuwbitmapafbeelding7bm3.th.jpg (https://img252.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding7bm3.jpg)

8. Now the most important aspect of this procedure, the relinking of your model to the original Scene Root, just press "yes" here;
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1677/nieuwbitmapafbeelding8aa7.th.jpg (https://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding8aa7.jpg)

The original Scene Root contains the correct position and scaling we want for the game, so by relinking the new and large model to the old and correctly sized Scene Root your entire model is properly orientated and scaled for you, no need to mess with getting your model down-scaled in the proper position ...

9. The new model correctly sized, ready to get exported;
https://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1296/nieuwbitmapafbeelding9jc7.th.jpg (https://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding9jc7.jpg)

10. Export it again as .Cas and go have fun with your new model ;)
https://img212.imageshack.us/img212/2866/nieuwbitmapafbeelding10wf0.th.jpg (https://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nieuwbitmapafbeelding10wf0.jpg)


Yeah I know I could have done this is in like 6 steps, I prefered to picture-spam you all a bit ... :saint:


G

[wlesmana]

The lack of responses is probably only modelers would appreciate this little trick. I had not known this and now that I do, modeling is now a bit less frustrating (and less squinting!).

Thanks!!

[Dol Guldur]

Well, if Wles likes it, then it must be good ;)

Thx. Red Spot. I believe some modellers use the trick of attaching a permanent weapon too? Not being a modeller it is all rather mysterious to me ;)

[Red Spot]

its what you get from when your eyes are slowly starting to let you down .... :wink:

I basicly adapted the way I tend to work in Photoshop to Max and it worked .. at least for me .. :smiley:


G