Can anyone fluent in 3D Studio Max kindly assist me?

[ionsith]

  Hello,

  I'm trying to model the '63 TARDIS console room walls... it's not working out so far. I have tried spline modelling the roundels and then incorporating them into the wall, but it looks messy. I have seen some amazing virtual builds on here, just wondering if anyone can advise or point me towards useful tutorials? I'm going to be (hopefully) incorporating it into the game Skyrim as a mod, so I'd like to keep the poly count down if possible.

  Thank you in advance!

[Rassilons Rod]

I haven't used 3DS Max for literally YEARS. Almost as long as I've been doing 3D. It depends on what sort of roundel you want. The classic ones I can detail for you (in a non-application specific way). I think that with the 1976-1989 roundels, you're on the right track.

I initially had some difficulty myself doing the original roundels, but the best advice I got was "Concentrate on just one Roundel".



The way I did it was to make a pipe (as long as the internal diameter is correct then don't worry about the outside). Also, make it as deep as you want the roundels to be.

Then build a box that is the correct length from one flat edge of the roundel to the other (by which I mean, from halfway between two roundels to halfway between two roundels on the other side). This is for use only as a template.

Then start dragging the outside vertices to the top edge of the box, rotating for each side. Eventually you will end up with a hexagonal pipe, with a round inside.

Duplicate and tile them, so that they fit together at 5 roundels high and 6 columns wide. Merge them and then straighten the sides so you end up with a square wall.

Even if you're not doing 60's roundels, this method will help to build a good wall to put the later ones into the back of.

-Marc

[Teletran]

The problem I ran into when I first started was that the computer isn't very good at incorporating a lot of convex shapes into a flat plane so if you try to do the wall in one piece you'll get a lot of jagged triangles overlapping your roundels or the spline just won't cap properly. Like this:


The most important thing is to get the geometry right, the original roundels were laid out a bit like this:

with alternate columns being upside down relative to this diagram

[cobalt]

upside down relative to this diagram

That's actually a good way to do it. Build one roundel, with a hexagon of wall facing around it, and then construct a wall out of those modules. Link it all together and viola.

[ionsith]

Thank you all for your help... The roundel in the hexagon seems to be the best way and I've built a pretty decent wall. Now I just need to UV map and texture!

[pmc]

I have done this and the easiest way I have found is to create a single editable spline then extrude it.

For each wall, in the Create tab select Shape then click Rectangle.

In any of the viewports create a rectangle that is the correct dimensions for the outside of your wall.

Next select Circle and create a circle in the same viewport. Copy this for the number of roundels you want and arrange these inside the rectangle or the outline of your wall.

Next select all the shapes and right click and select Convert To then Convert To Editable Spline.

next select the wall outline and click the Modify tab and select Attach, then select all the circles.

Next extrude the editable spline you have created and this will give your wall depth.

for the back of the roundel just add a thin tube shape.

Hope this makes sense if not let me know and I could email you  3DS max file sowing you what I mean.

Paul

[ionsith]

Hi Paul, thanks for the tip.. I can see what you mean, but I'm thinking ahead to UV mapping and texturing too. Wouldn't it be easier to create using the hexagon method one roundel, then UV map and texture it before copying it and linking it to make a wall?

[pmc]

To be fair I'm not familiar with this console room but as far as I understand its walls are just white aren't they?

Even if not and they do have a texture I'm not sure what your gaining by having individual roundel wall parts, differnet types of mapping can be applied to any object even down to individual face level. By having them individually stacked you do run the risk of being able to see the join.

I created this in MAX a while ago using my previously explained method. The actual roundels are individually lathed splines.



Paul.

[galacticprobe]

Looks pretty spot on for this version of the console room (ca. 'The Key To Time' era?). Although, I think the silver handle on the interior door next to the scanner screen should be on the opposite side of the door. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.)

Other that that I think this looks great. The unlit roundels have the extra detailing that you really didn't see in the lighted roundels when they were at their brightest, so I think you've captured this one in its glory. As to the wall color, it wasn't so much white as it was a pale grey, sort of like how you've got it. The same goes for the floor. The ceiling is another story as it was almost never seen. I know there were short, plain extensions of the walls above a moulding that was atop the roundels (where your walls end now), but above that it's anyone's guess as to what it was supposed to look like.

Dino.

[Rassilons Rod]

Looks pretty spot on for this version of the console room (ca. 'The Key To Time' era?). Although, I think the silver handle on the interior door next to the scanner screen should be on the opposite side of the door. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.)

It changed at different periods. Would need to do some research to be more precise though!

What I can say for sure though, is that the door comes from the Season 14 wooden console room.

[ionsith]

To be fair I'm not familiar with this console room but as far as I understand its walls are just white aren't they?

Even if not and they do have a texture I'm not sure what your gaining by having individual roundel wall parts, differnet types of mapping can be applied to any object even down to individual face level. By having them individually stacked you do run the risk of being able to see the join.

I created this in MAX a while ago using my previously explained method. The actual roundels are individually lathed splines.



Paul.

What I was thinking was that by UV'ing and then stacking, it would save me having to do a large texture map for the entire wall with roundels. As I'm looking to use it in a game rather than for a static scene, I'm trying to find the most memory-friendly route. As far as I am aware, to import into a game, I would need to use UV mapping.

   If you don't mind, I would love to check out your file and see how it was put together... it looks amazing.

[pmc]

Ok I will e-mail you a copy, what version of 3DSMax you using?

Paul.

[ionsith]

3DSMax 2012.