Topic: modeling and texturing from scratch

[Reverend]

I have access to 3DMax 4.0 or 4.2.... Photoshop something, 7 I believe... are these the main programs I need to begin modelling and texturing on my own? If so, what add-ons would be helpful to keep polygons down, and so on?

Mainly, can anyone here direct me to the most thorough tutorials concerining this?
I have made my own nine-race map, but am feeling like a pirate, as I am using everyone  else's models, and wish I could contribute back a little, even if I only make a few ships. I have watched and listened to you all a lot, and picked up a little here and there, but can barely navigate through either prgram otherwise, but really wish to invest the time to learn how to make some ships myself. Can anyone help, I am pretty serious about it. Thank you any and all.  

[Captain Ron]

I don't know if the tutorials are still up or not but try the staryards (cleeve) he used to have them there.

You will need the max plugins from taldren they are still at nightsofts site just do a google search and they will show up there.

[atheorhaven]

Quote:
I have access to 3DMax 4.0 or 4.2.... Photoshop something, 7 I believe... are these the main programs I need to begin modelling and texturing on my own? If so, what add-ons would be helpful to keep polygons down, and so on?

I'll tell you where I started with my original stuff.  I played around with Milkshape until the trial ran out, and then I floundered around for a bit looking for a replacement.  I finally stumbled across anim8or, which has a sort of similar interface, but is free.  I then started building basic shapes in there to get the basic shape down that I was looking for in the proper locations.  Once that was done, I quickly did up a base (usually single color flat) texture, and a base illumination map (usually just black), and then went into Max. This is where I mapped each texture to the individual part for it.  In Max as well, I'll go to the vertex selection mode, and fine tune the shape to be what I want by pulling and dragging things until they look right.  Once the shape is where I want it, then the detail work on the textures begins, and I use the textures mostly to bring out the detail in the ship.  Mostly because I'm not nearly as advanced in meshing as in texturing.  

But for texturing, I use Paint Shop Pro,  I've not really tried Photoshop other than the LE edition.  I'd personally suggest start off with more basic tools than Photoshop, more because it'd be like getting into a Lamborgini with a "Student Driver" sign on it for your first time driving and expecting to be able to pull off miraculous power turns and advanced driving techniques.  It probably won't happen.  Learn more basic techniques on more basic tools, than work up to more advanced ones from there.  I'm still not at the level of a lot of meshers here, but I am getting better because that's the same procedure I follow.

Oh, and as a suggestion... try downloading some actual .3ds or .LWO meshes (or anything that you can get into Max or your modelling program) and play around with them.  Try kitbashing a bit.  See how things work and how the pieces go together.  It'll help when you go to build your own original stuff..  

[Reverend]

thats all pretty logical!

I have those Taldren plugins for 3DMax; I'll just start fooling with my favorite models and see what happens.... someone here was nice enough to try to tutor me with texturing a simple but obscure model, but that seemed pretty difficult at first.
I try the meshing, then try texturing- it sound loony, but I'd like to have feel for both, so I'd be more productive...
the car analogy was great!  

[James Formo]

Reverend-better not start cause you apted to get the modeling bug and will be hooked for life

[Chay_Mareyn]

For some reason, after trial and error, I can do fairly well with the 3D programs I've tinkered with for original models (Max 4.0, GMax, Lightwave 7X and Milkshape).

It's the creation of original textures that completely eludes me. Most of the better paint/photo apps just confuse me to no end.