Many Different Tools in 3Ds Max

This week we got introduced to some more tools within 3Ds Max. These tools that we have been shown I have found interesting and am sure they will come in handy when creating my models for the assignment.

The first tool is called Spline - This tool allows you to draw a 2D shape and then if you want modify the shape by converting the shape to an editable poly and extruding the shape to make it 3D.

The next shape was the Loft tool - This tool I thought was very cool, because you can create basic shapes such as a circle or a box and then create a spline line going straight up. From there you make sure the line is selected and click the loft tool. Then you need to click 'get shape' in the menu and click on the basic shape you have drawn and the loft tool will make the line you have drawn 3D but make it the shape you have clicked on.

The next tool was the ProBoolean tool - This tool will be talked a bit more in the next post regarding cheese, but in short this tool allows you to create an object then put other objects onto/into that object and remove those objects and make indents in the first object. All will be made clearer in the next post.

Next was the lathe tool (the cheating tool) - This tool was a bit more complex than the others however it is extremely useful. First you need to create a shape using the spline tool but only half the shape! Next you need to select hierarchy and affect pivot point. The point needs to be set in the middle of the shape for this tool to work, next you select modifier menu then lathe. This will then create a 3D shape from a half drawn image.

The next tool is the Array tool - This can come in handy because if you wanted to copy a shape you have just created then you could use the shift option, which is the easy option. However you can use the array option. To do this you select the shape and click tools and then array in the drop down menu's. This will then give you the option to create more objects of the same and modify them, for example rotate duplicate etc.

The final tool we were shown was the Bridge tool - This tool is used to connect other shapes together. For example you create two boxes and delete the faces that are opposite each other. You then need to make the objects editable poly's and choose the boarder options and select the specific boarders of the shapes, then select the 'attach' tool to connect the two faces together creating the 'bridge'.