Software : Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2009
Description : This is a response to a question on the forum. The question is 1. How does one snap in 3ds Max and 2. how can one move things dimensionally. This 3ds Max video tutorials explains both.as well as angle snaps and axis constraints.
Topics Covered
-Snapping
-Angle Snaps
-Axis Constraints
-Absolute World vs. Offset world
-Translations (moving objects) with dimensions
Disclaimer: Just to be clear I am in no way trying to reduce the complexity and elegance of this project. This project has far more thought than just random slices /patterning in a form. What I am putting forward is a technique with which one could quickly go about modeling a similar pattern in 3ds Max.
Software : Autodesk 3ds Max
Description : I’m going to start this post by saying this is not something I will do regularly but i was compelled in this case to give it a shot . A user on the forum (This was the first post on the new forum) asked how they might model the new Beijing Stadium by Herzog de Meuron in 3ds Max. The technique shown is meant to be a design modeling technique. I also have to say it was not completely successful, but i wanted to post an attempt. A form that resembles the stadium was modeled then sliced randomly to get edges in an editable poly. Those edges are then chamfered and extracted to then be shelled. In this video the slice plane is used within the element sub-object level. Thinking about it a bit more the quick slice option might have been more suitable for the exercise. If anyone has a suggestion on how they might go about it (any software) please feel free to post it up. Follow the Forum thread here.
Modifier : Delete Mesh
Works on: Mesh, Poly - All sub objects
3ds Max Description : Delete Mesh provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack. The possible choices are faces, vertices, edges, and objects. Apply the Delete Mesh modifier to delete the geometry specified at that sub-object level.
Modifier : Bend
Works on: All Geometry Types
3ds Max Description : The Bend modifier lets you bend the current selection up to 360 degrees about a single axis, producing a uniform bend in an object’s geometry. You can control the angle and direction of the bend on any of three axes. You can also limit the bend to a section of the geometry.
Software : Autodesk 3ds Max
Description : This is the third part of a series in which I will try and go through all the operations that can be done at the sub-object level of the various geometry types in 3ds Max. This 3ds Max Video Tutorial goes over the majority of the procedures that can be done at the vertex level of an editable Mesh. All of the example are simplified to show the fundamentals of each command.
Modifier : Surface
Works on: Splines
3ds Max Description : The Surface modifier generates a patch surface based on the contours of a spline network. A patch is created wherever the segments of the interwoven splines form a three- or four-sided polygon. The Surface modifier and the CrossSection modifier, taken together, are referred to as Surface Tools. They allow you to create complex or organic surfaces, like the fuselage of a plane, or a three-dimensional character.
Modifier : Cross Section
Works on: Splines
3ds Max Description : The CrossSection modifier creates a “skin” across multiple splines. It works by connecting the vertices of 3D splines to form a skin. The resulting object is another spline object that can be used with the Surface modifier to create a patch surface. These two modifiers, when used together, are sometimes referred to collectively as “Surface Tools.”
Software : Autodesk 3ds Max
Description : This is the second part of a series in which I will try and go through all the operations that can be done at the sub-object level of the various geometry types in 3ds Max. This 3ds Max Video Tutorial goes over the majority of the procedures that can be done at the segment and spline level of an editable spline. All of the example are simplified to show the fundamentals of each command.
Modifier : Shell
Works on: Splines, Meshes, Polys, Patches, NURBS
3ds Max Description : The Shell modifier “solidifies” or gives thickness to an object by adding an extra set of faces facing the opposite direction of existing faces, plus edges connecting the inner and outer surfaces wherever faces are missing in the original object. You can specify offset distances for the inner and outer surfaces, characteristics for edges, material IDs, and mapping types for the edges.
Also, because the Shell modifier doesn’t have sub-objects, you can use the Select options to specify a face selection for passing up the stack to other modifiers. Please note that the Shell modifier doesn’t recognize existing sub-object selections, nor does it pass such selections up the stack.
Software : 3ds Max
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Description : This 3ds Max video tutorial covers how to model a parametric screen constructed from hexagons. This technique is pretty straight forward. We start with a 6 sided nGon then uses a series of modifiers to create the lattice work. This tutorial does not get into rendering just how this geometry can be quickly modeled while maintaining parametric relationships for things such as the size or the members, the size of the opening, and level of variation in the pattern.
Design ReForm is meant to be a source of information for the integration of design and technology. The ambition of Design Reform is to publish tutorials and explorations in parametric modeling with software such as 3ds Max, Revit, Maya, and Rhino.
