My Ambition

[nick3d]

Hey all, long time no speak aye.
I thought id post up what I want to achieve by the time im 20 (not long over a year)
As you all know I used to use Autodesk Maya as my preferred piece of software... Well it is :)
But, I want to try and learn how to use 3DS Max as well as boost my abilities on Autodesk Maya. Autodesk Maya I havent worked on properly for a year now, as for I am a web designer, and this consumed too much of my time, anyway, I still know how to use Autodesk Maya, but when it comes to 3ds Max. I don't have a clue... The reason I want to learn how to use this piece of software is for when I go to university when im 20 ofcourse, I want to build up a e-portfolio of stuff which I have modelled, but will need some tutorials to start with... I did try searching for that beretta one... Well I fount it YAY... NOT... It seems as though it is not available no more, its there, but the content is currupted for some unknown reason :(
Anyone know of anything similar to the beretta tutorial?

And this thread will include w.i.p's as well as an achievable gallery *fingers crossed*

Anyway before we get serious, I thought I would say hi to everyone again first :)

[Maniac]

http://vimeo.com/palace/videos

a bunch of decent tuts

[nick3d]

Cheers mate, will post up when iv finished something (I tend to never finish anything, thats my problem lol)

[PenGuin1362]

If you know Maya, in my opinion, it will be significantly easier to pick up Max. Since 3DS Max has much more user friendly UI layout, and more importantly, the Modifier stack. I went in reverse order and learned Max then Maya, and it took a while to learn where everything was and how Maya functioned. Personally I prefer Maya, I find my work flow has been more streamlined in Maya, but really it's all a matter of choice (and what the company you're with uses). Good luck, learning both programs is greatly beneficial when it comes to looking for a job. Blender might be a good option to look into as well since it's becoming quite the popular free modeling program.

[Hunter]

I need to learn Maya, but I don't like the look of the UI :( Looks boring. I prefer Max, allows more control over your triangles from what I have seen in Maya.

Anyway, here are some links that I have saved:
http://www.maxforums.org/grotey/membertuts.html#GP
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/support-tech-discussion/5643-big-tutorial-thread.html
http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/autodesk-3ds-max/next-gen-weapon-creation-day-1-the-high-poly-model/

[nick3d]

If you know Maya, in my opinion, it will be significantly easier to pick up Max. Since 3DS Max has much more user friendly UI layout, and more importantly, the Modifier stack. I went in reverse order and learned Max then Maya, and it took a while to learn where everything was and how Maya functioned. Personally I prefer Maya, I find my work flow has been more streamlined in Maya, but really it's all a matter of choice (and what the company you're with uses). Good luck, learning both programs is greatly beneficial when it comes to looking for a job. Blender might be a good option to look into as well since it's becoming quite the popular free modeling program.

I personally agree with maya well not being the better choice, but its my much prefered choice, what it is, I'm going uni in 2 years time, and I want the knowledge of all 3d design software which is used, that way it will be beneficial for when I apply to go to Uni. Build a e-portfolio, showing I can use different pieces of software, but because I don't have no A-levels, I can't go to Uni yet, and I still, to this day haven't even finished a project, got loads of w.i.p's from over a year ago, which still arent finished.
I spoke to guy from Stafford University, and he said to me, that if i have a decent enough e-portfolio, I should have no problem getting into the university.

And martyn...
You will end up learning how to use maya, because your at uni now... you do 1 year of 3ds? and 2 years of maya? am i correct?
Maya is also prefered over 3ds by most top end games company's, but its beneficial to know both UI's.

Oh and cheers for the tut's will have a look at them in a bit. I'm off out tonight

[PenGuin1362]

Maya is also prefered over 3ds by most top end games company's, but its beneficial to know both UI's
Very true. Get to know Maya like it's your best friend.


I prefer Max, allows more control over your triangles from what I have seen in Maya.
Well you can't really say that then can you since you don't know Maya. Coming from an avid Max enthusiast and someone who was very reluctant to use Maya, I haven't touched max for any of my projects since I learned it. But I still do miss the modifier stack :(

It's good you're ambitious about learning both programs but it certainly is beneficial. But if you don't have a decent portfolio right now than what is FAR more important is your actually knowledge of how you use the program. What you should focus more on is learning the work flow for creating "next-gen" art assets, the process of sub-d modeling to low poly, to unwrap, bake, then texture. It's also imperative you learn texturing. So if you want a good portfolio I'd focus on those aspects first cause the sooner you start on projects for your portfolio the better off you'll be come graduation. And you can learn the programs as you work along the project.

[Hunter]

I actually don't know if they do much of Maya on my course Nick, Maya was on an optional semester which was called 'Introduction to CGI'. I'm sure there will be a bit though.

And yeah Nick, practice Sub'D modelling straight away, that's all I am doing now (copying Halo...) but practicing Sub'D. Done hard surface now so I am going to try some more organic objects.

[Higuy]

I used Maya back during the summer a bit. It was a bit difficult to get the hang of, and It didnt seem to have as many features as max did. Correct me if I'm wrong though, only got to use it for a couple weeks.

[DEElekgolo]

I had saturday classes at art center for a few months. The class its self was very shitty as to how they tought maya. Box modeling a box character, rendering it, etc etc. Maya seems to lack to me in modeling, but animation is fun and easy. Now that max has softimage CAT, max is just as good at maya as animating now. And max has an entire composition package built into it as well.

[PenGuin1362]

Both Max and Maya can achieve the same results, I've used both for years, it all comes down to personal preference. This isn't a max vs. maya conversation.

[nick3d]

Personally as you all know I prefer Maya, but only because i aint used 3ds, and penguin1362 you are correct, this is not a debate on which UI is better, or on which individual piece of software is better, it is personally about learning both of them, I am reasonably comfortable with maya, but 3ds used to just confuse me, will be putting something up soon, i'm still working off tutorials because i still aint too confident with the UI

[PenGuin1362]

Use people here to help since most of us have learned off Max, so post any questions

[nick3d]

I sat up last night... Bored out of my face, with no internet :( great stuff so I decided id check out the 3ds tutorial files which come with it, I am actually taking a liking to 3ds myself, its a lot different compared to maya, but what can I say, iv only done 3 mini lathe tutorials, plus a bit of boolean work

The pawn, is just line work, then lathe work

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/fernn001/pawn.jpg

The rook, is line work then lathe work, and then extrusiion

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/fernn001/rook.jpg

The bishop is line, lathe and boolean work

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/fernn001/bishop.jpg

[Hunter]

Id +rep you but ADMINS TOOK IT OFF >:( BIG GAYS!

[Limited]

So a bit of advice for you. Do not put any result of the tutorials in your portfolio. Yes do the tutorials to practise the skills, but if the person viewing the portfolio, notices its the result of a tutorial, it will look very bad for you.

As for Maya and Max, It depends what course your looking at, if its an animation course, its likely to be mostly Maya, I have a few friends on animation course and first year was all 2d, and 2nd and 3rd year was 3d in Maya.

If your going to do game modelling, the 3 examples you have posted are completely wrong, boolean should never be used in a game asset. The lathe tool is pretty bad as well. Also, if your going for a game modeling course, do ALOT of low poly work, they love the fact you can make good looking assests with low polys and using textures to bring out the details in models.

[nick3d]

So a bit of advice for you. Do not put any result of the tutorials in your portfolio. Yes do the tutorials to practise the skills, but if the person viewing the portfolio, notices its the result of a tutorial, it will look very bad for you.

As for Maya and Max, It depends what course your looking at, if its an animation course, its likely to be mostly Maya, I have a few friends on animation course and first year was all 2d, and 2nd and 3rd year was 3d in Maya.

If your going to do game modelling, the 3 examples you have posted are completely wrong, boolean should never be used in a game asset. The lathe tool is pretty bad as well. Also, if your going for a game modeling course, do ALOT of low poly work, they love the fact you can make good looking assests with low polys and using textures to bring out the details in models.

I'm just learning how to use the interface of 3ds, once I know enough on how to do plane modeling, then I will start doing pieces of my own work, theres no chance I will post up results from tutorials in a e-portfolio, because that would be daft to be honest, i basically said that I will be posting up completed tutorials, none of this will be put into an e-portfolio, only once iv learnt the software shall I start doing my own stuff, which is what I did with Maya.

Plus I have some good news, I am being enrolled onto a course called ACA which is an adobe certified association, how high is this qualification?