3-view implementation in gmax/3dsmax

[DanKH]

Hi

I've pulled the plug and starting to get quite familiar with both gmax and 3dsmax ... but one thing annoys me though...

When I try to setup the intial grid with applied material to top/front and left planes, they either do not show or only show in some maniac resolution...

I create the plane via keystrokes, and then apply the material based on an exploded 3-view cropped to each of the 3 views. front.bmp, top.bmp and left.bmp ... no fuss in creating them ... but either they are of the "wrong type of bmp" or I am doing something hillarious wrong, because all I get is some

I've tried anything from 32bit colour bmps, 1 bit, greyscale .. you name it ... And I'm sure I assigne the materials correctly, at least according to a few tutorials and a single more or less lucky punch, where I got the top.bmp applied, but not sure why that one and not the others .....

[SkippyBing]

Dan,

Have you applied UVW mapping to the planes? You need to do that to map the bmp to the object, I can't remember how planes work, but they do sometimes have the right mapping to start with depending on which view you create them in. I tend to set the viewport background as the image so someone else will probably give you a better explanation.

[Garry Russell]

Dan a

Are you talking abput setting 3 views to the inside of a box to act as a guide to the model or are you talking about mapping a created object??

Garry

[DaveG]

Could be your video driver is not configured properly in Max.
Go to the "customise" menu and select "preferences". Click the "viewports" tab then the "configure driver" button.
Make sure the "background texture size" and "download texture size" are set to the highest setting. Also check the tick boxes to "match bitmap size as closely as possible"

You'll need to restart Max to see any change.

[DanKH]

Got it! I had to push a particular button.. and hey! a textured box!

I find it easier to texture a "box" instead of using the background of the viewport .... but any tips and tricks are welcomed :-)

Garry: it's for reference
Dave: Thanks I'll look into the settings anyhow ..


Now I just need to place a few tubes here and there, manipulate them a bit ... and voila ... :-)

[Garry Russell]

Hi Dan

I was interested as that's where my attampt to use 3DS max stalled....I could get one or two sides but added the third side threw the others off .

I must try again someday

Garry

[DanKH]

Garry: I'll tell you what I do once I'm sure what I do :-)

Btw. I'm doing this on a 64 bit system, do you foresee any troubles in that?

3ds MAX is a 64bit version, but MakeMDL is of couser 32bit .....

Would be nice to know before I get too long

[Garry Russell]

HI Dan

I'll get back to you later on that

Often it's better for one novice to ask another novice who has just been there because the experienced guys see things through experienced eys and can forget the basic trip ups

Just now I'll continue in FSDS..if I can get my life and equipement in order

Garry

[SkippyBing]

I have read somewhere, FSDeveloper I think that you need the 32 bit version of Max to export to FS properly, but I've not seen anything to confirm it. Probably worth trying to export a simple cube first to check it all works.

[Scorpius]

Hi Dan,

There is a very good book called 'gmax bible' by Kelly Murdock which lays it out rather nicely. It's not cheap at £31.50 but at 852 pages I have found it really helpful, particularly when the background image decides to resize itself. All the keybourd commands are there too so it goes well with the online gmax tutorial sites out there.

Ordered mine from Waterstones but it took 16 days to arrive. Works with Windows 7 too.