• 3ds Max

Working with polygon sub-objects

Build a simple primitive model and then manipulate it using the tools in the Modeling ribbon. 


Tutorial resources

These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:


00:04

Let's take a look at how we can start to get some geometry into our scenes.

00:07

So the first thing we want to do is start to create some initial pieces of geometry.

00:12

And in most applications like this,

00:14

you're gonna have some basic shapes like spheres and cubes that you can bring in

00:18

in three S max. These are called primitives and they're very easy to create.

00:21

There are a couple of places we can do this. So we could go up to the menu

00:24

and choose create,

00:26

go down to standard primitives and we can start to drop some shapes from here.

00:30

But most of the time we'll come over to our command panel,

00:33

go to the create panel and let's work our way from top to bottom

00:36

and we can start to filter down what we want to actually create.

00:40

So right below the little plus sign, you can see

00:43

there's geometry that we can create,

00:45

but we can also create shapes,

00:46

lights, cameras and so forth.

00:49

So let's say we want to create some geometry,

00:51

we'll continue to go down and here we can

00:53

further filter what we want to actually create.

00:55

So we could create standard primitives, extended primitives and so on.

00:58

We'll just stick with standard primitives.

00:60

Continuing our way down, we can now choose the object type.

01:02

So here's where we get to select the actual shape that we want to use.

01:06

So we could create a box, a sphere and so forth.

01:08

Let's create a box.

01:10

Now, clicking on this doesn't actually create the box yet.

01:13

If we come down to creation method,

01:14

you can see there is a cube and a box creation method.

01:18

There's also this keyboard entry where we can

01:20

actually put in numbers and create the cube.

01:22

If we know exactly how big we want it to be,

01:25

we're going to do an interactive creation mode here using the box method.

01:29

So I'm gonna click and drag

01:31

and you can see that the base of the box is being drawn out from that initial corner

01:36

and it's being drawn out

01:38

in two dimensions. So aligned with the grid.

01:40

If I release the mouse button

01:43

and move the mouse, it's now going to change the height.

01:45

And you can see those values change over under the parameters. If I click again,

01:49

now I have the box,

01:52

we can also go in and let's change our shading to edged faces.

01:56

We can come in and start to change our height segments

01:59

with segments and so forth.

02:01

So you can change how many segments you have on that actual box.

02:04

Let's right. Click to complete that.

02:06

And now you can see those parameters go away.

02:08

So once you create your primitive

02:11

to further modify it, you're gonna click over next to the create panel,

02:15

the modify panel.

02:16

And now you can see this box listed here

02:19

here, we can go in and change those values that we initially had.

02:22

So link

02:23

with

02:24

height and also the divisions.

02:27

Let's go ahead and delete this and I'll show you a couple of other ways that we can

02:30

create geometry. So creating a box from one corner to the other,

02:34

you may need to do that at some point.

02:36

But there are many cases where you're creating a model,

02:38

you want to create it at the origin.

02:40

And so there are a few ways that we can do this.

02:42

Uh We could come into our keyboard entry and we

02:44

could put some values in here for the length,

02:47

width and height and just hit create.

02:49

And you can see that box

02:51

is created right down there at the origin.

02:53

We could also choose a cube method of creation.

02:56

If I do that, you can see, I don't have that initial base

03:00

part. It's making the cube uh the same dimensions. Obviously, it's a cube.

03:04

So all the sides are the same. So it's drawing it out all in one sort of stroke.

03:08

If you want to create a different kind of primitive, let's say a sphere,

03:11

we'll click on sphere.

03:12

And you can see there are two creation methods here, edge and center.

03:15

So if we take a look at the difference between those,

03:18

you can see this sphere is being drawn out from one side to the other.

03:21

All right, whereas if we change it to center,

03:24

it's gonna draw out from

03:26

the center of the sphere. So it just depends on how you like to work.

03:29

I'll go ahead and get rid of this sphere.

03:31

So you can see there are a number of

03:32

different types of primitives that you can create.

03:35

And oftentimes the objects that you'll be making

03:37

will be similar to one of these kinds of primitives.

03:39

And so it can be a good starting point.

Video transcript

00:04

Let's take a look at how we can start to get some geometry into our scenes.

00:07

So the first thing we want to do is start to create some initial pieces of geometry.

00:12

And in most applications like this,

00:14

you're gonna have some basic shapes like spheres and cubes that you can bring in

00:18

in three S max. These are called primitives and they're very easy to create.

00:21

There are a couple of places we can do this. So we could go up to the menu

00:24

and choose create,

00:26

go down to standard primitives and we can start to drop some shapes from here.

00:30

But most of the time we'll come over to our command panel,

00:33

go to the create panel and let's work our way from top to bottom

00:36

and we can start to filter down what we want to actually create.

00:40

So right below the little plus sign, you can see

00:43

there's geometry that we can create,

00:45

but we can also create shapes,

00:46

lights, cameras and so forth.

00:49

So let's say we want to create some geometry,

00:51

we'll continue to go down and here we can

00:53

further filter what we want to actually create.

00:55

So we could create standard primitives, extended primitives and so on.

00:58

We'll just stick with standard primitives.

00:60

Continuing our way down, we can now choose the object type.

01:02

So here's where we get to select the actual shape that we want to use.

01:06

So we could create a box, a sphere and so forth.

01:08

Let's create a box.

01:10

Now, clicking on this doesn't actually create the box yet.

01:13

If we come down to creation method,

01:14

you can see there is a cube and a box creation method.

01:18

There's also this keyboard entry where we can

01:20

actually put in numbers and create the cube.

01:22

If we know exactly how big we want it to be,

01:25

we're going to do an interactive creation mode here using the box method.

01:29

So I'm gonna click and drag

01:31

and you can see that the base of the box is being drawn out from that initial corner

01:36

and it's being drawn out

01:38

in two dimensions. So aligned with the grid.

01:40

If I release the mouse button

01:43

and move the mouse, it's now going to change the height.

01:45

And you can see those values change over under the parameters. If I click again,

01:49

now I have the box,

01:52

we can also go in and let's change our shading to edged faces.

01:56

We can come in and start to change our height segments

01:59

with segments and so forth.

02:01

So you can change how many segments you have on that actual box.

02:04

Let's right. Click to complete that.

02:06

And now you can see those parameters go away.

02:08

So once you create your primitive

02:11

to further modify it, you're gonna click over next to the create panel,

02:15

the modify panel.

02:16

And now you can see this box listed here

02:19

here, we can go in and change those values that we initially had.

02:22

So link

02:23

with

02:24

height and also the divisions.

02:27

Let's go ahead and delete this and I'll show you a couple of other ways that we can

02:30

create geometry. So creating a box from one corner to the other,

02:34

you may need to do that at some point.

02:36

But there are many cases where you're creating a model,

02:38

you want to create it at the origin.

02:40

And so there are a few ways that we can do this.

02:42

Uh We could come into our keyboard entry and we

02:44

could put some values in here for the length,

02:47

width and height and just hit create.

02:49

And you can see that box

02:51

is created right down there at the origin.

02:53

We could also choose a cube method of creation.

02:56

If I do that, you can see, I don't have that initial base

03:00

part. It's making the cube uh the same dimensions. Obviously, it's a cube.

03:04

So all the sides are the same. So it's drawing it out all in one sort of stroke.

03:08

If you want to create a different kind of primitive, let's say a sphere,

03:11

we'll click on sphere.

03:12

And you can see there are two creation methods here, edge and center.

03:15

So if we take a look at the difference between those,

03:18

you can see this sphere is being drawn out from one side to the other.

03:21

All right, whereas if we change it to center,

03:24

it's gonna draw out from

03:26

the center of the sphere. So it just depends on how you like to work.

03:29

I'll go ahead and get rid of this sphere.

03:31

So you can see there are a number of

03:32

different types of primitives that you can create.

03:35

And oftentimes the objects that you'll be making

03:37

will be similar to one of these kinds of primitives.

03:39

And so it can be a good starting point.

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