Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Credits
Copyright
Publisher's Letter
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction
How to Use This Book
What You’ll Find
System Requirements
What’s on the Book’s Website
Chapter 1: Getting to Know 3ds Max Design 2010
Introducing the New 3ds Max Design 2010 Features
Getting Started
Touring the Interface
Working with Objects
Getting the View You Want
Working with the Custom UI and Defaults Switcher
The Bottom Line
Chapter 2: Introducing 3ds Max Objects
Understanding Standard Primitives
Modeling Standard Primitives with Modifiers
How 3ds Max Sees Objects
Making Clones That Share Properties
Introducing Extended Primitives
Working with Groups
The Bottom Line
Chapter 3: Creating Shapes with Splines
Drawing with Splines
Modifying a Shape Using Sub-object Levels
Outlining and Extruding Splines
Combining and Extruding Primitive Splines
Joining Closed Splines with Boolean Tools
Creating a Solid Form with Splines
Introducing the Spline Types
Editing Splines
Placing and Beveling Text
The Bottom Line
Chapter 4: Editing Meshes and Creating Complex Objects
Creating Openings in a Wall with Boolean Operations
Tracing a Sketch
Editing Meshes
Using Instanced Clones to Create Symmetrical Forms
Attaching Objects to a Mesh
Smoothing Meshes
Creating Objects Using Box Modeling
Creating Clones with Array and Snapshot
The Bottom Line
Chapter 5: Creating AEC Objects
Creating a Parametric Wall
Adding Doors and Windows to Walls
Changing Elevations with Stairs
Setting Boundaries with Railings
Adding Foliage to a Scene
The Bottom Line
Chapter 6: Organizing and Editing Objects
Naming Objects
Organizing Objects by Layers
Lofting an Object
Using the Noise Modifier
Extruding with the Sweep Modifier
Aligning Objects
The Bottom Line
Chapter 7: Light and Shadow
Lighting Your Model
Rendering a View
Ambient Light
Adding Shadow Effects
Playing in the Shadows
Using the Light Lister
Using Scene States
The Bottom Line
Chapter 8: Enhancing Models with Materials
Understanding Bitmap Texture Maps
Adding Materials to Objects
Understanding Material Libraries
Editing Materials
Understanding Mapping Coordinates
Using the Standard Material
Map Scalar Modifiers
Adding Entourage
Assigning Materials to Parts of an Object
Exploring the ProMaterials
The Material Utilities
Modeling with Displacement Maps
The Bottom Line
Chapter 9: Using the 3ds Max Camera
Understanding the 3ds Max Camera
Setting Up an Interior View
Creating an Environment
Immersive Environments for Animation
Using Render Types
Render Elements for Compositing
Matching Your Scene to a Background Image
The Bottom Line
Chapter 10: Working with External Files
Gaining Access to Materials and Objects from Other Files
Arranging Furniture with XRefs and the Asset Browser
Replacing Objects with Objects from an External File
Arranging Furniture with XRef Scenes
Using the Rendered Frame Window
Using the Asset Browser on the Internet
Tracking and Locating a Scene’s Assets
Creating Panoramas
Publishing a DWF File
The Bottom Line
Chapter 11: Using mental ray
Understanding mental ray
Using Photon Maps
Final Gathering
Contour Renderings
Using the mr MultiMap Material
Skylight Global Illumination
Using High Dynamic Range Images
Using mr Proxy Objects
Using Lighting Analysis
The Bottom Line
Chapter 12: Understanding Animation
Understanding the World of Video Time
Creating a Quick-Study Animation
Understanding Keyframes
Increasing the Number of Frames in an Animation Segment
Accelerating and Decelerating the Camera Motion Smoothly
Editing Keyframes
Adding More Frames for Additional Camera Motion
Adding Frames to the Beginning of a Segment
Other Options for Previewing Your Motion
Moving the Camera Target over Time
Controlling Lights over Time
The Bottom Line
Chapter 13: Creating Animations
Rendering the Animation
Automating Output of Multiple Still Images
Rendering a Shadow Study
Creating a Walkthrough
The Animation File Output Options
The Bottom Line
Chapter 14: Atmospheres, Effects, reactor, and Particles
Adding Atmospheres Effects
Using Hair and Fur to Add Grass
Using reactor to Animate Objects
Using Particle Systems
The Bottom Line
Chapter 15: Using Other Autodesk Applications with 3ds Max Design 2010
Creating Topography with Splines
Setting Up an AutoCAD Plan for 3ds Max
Importing AutoCAD Plans into 3ds Max Design
Exploring the File Link Manager
Importing a Truss
Importing Revit Files into 3ds Max
The Bottom Line
Appendix A: The Bottom Line
Chapter 1: Getting to Know 3ds Max Design 2010
Chapter 2: Introducing 3ds Max Objects
Chapter 3: Creating Shapes with Splines
Chapter 4: Editing Meshes and Creating Complex Objects
Chapter 5: Creating AEC Objects
Chapter 6: Organizing and Editing Objects
Chapter 7: Light and Shadow
Chapter 8: Enhancing Models with Materials
Chapter 9: Using the 3ds Max Camera
Chapter 10: Working With External Files
Chapter 11: Using mental ray
Chapter 12: Understanding Animation
Chapter 13: Creating Animations
Chapter 14: Atmospheres, Effects, Reactor, and Particles
Chapter 15: Using other Autodesk Applications with 3ds Max Design
Appendix B: Modifiers and Materials
Modifiers
Materials and Maps
Index
Senior Acquisitions Editor: Willem Knibbe
Development Editor: Denise Santoro Lincoln
Production Editor: Liz Britten
Copy Editor: Kathy Grider-Carlyle
Editorial Manager: Pete Gaughan
Production Manager: Tim Tate
Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley
Vice President and Publisher: Neil Edde
Book Designer: Maureen Forys and Judy Fung
Compositor: Jeffrey Lytle, Happenstance Type-O-Rama
Proofreader: Word One, New York
Indexer: Ted Laux
Project Coordinator, Cover: Lynsey Stanford
Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed
Cover Image: © Pete Gardner/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
ISBN: 978-0-470-40234-4
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McFarland, Jon. Mastering 3ds max design 2010 / Jon McFarland. -- 1st ed. p. cm. Summary: “The only comprehensive tutorial/reference exclusively devoted to Autodesk’s robust architectural visualization software 3ds Max Design is a powerful real-time 3D design, modeling, and animation tool for architectural visualizations. This book covers all the software’s crucial features, including how to simulate and analyze sun, sky, and artificial light-crucial factors for sustainable design-and how to define and assign realistic materials and work with AutoCAD and Revit files. You’ll quickly learn how to get the most from this powerful software’s 3D modeling, animation, and rendering capabilities. McFarland is an Autodesk Authorized Author with professional experience in creating complex visualizations for a large property development company. His real-world focus means workflows and instructions are professional and proven, and projects will include those that pros work on every day. Uses actual examples from the author’s experience, including retail spaces, small offices, residential developments, and more Concise explanations, focused examples, step-by-step instructions, and hands-on tutorials teach the basics and fine points of the software Covers all the essential features, such as how to simulate and analyze sun, sky, and artificial light Demonstrates efficient use of the interface; how to work with Revit and AutoCAD files; using data, scene management, and solid modeling tools; rendering real-world surfaces; and setting up animated walkthroughs Mastering 3ds Max Design 2010 provides a practical education in using this powerful architectural visualization tool”--Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-0-470-40234-4 1. Architectural design--Data processing. 2. Computer-aided design. 3. 3ds max (Computer file) I. Title. NA2728.M426 2009 720.2840285’536--dc22 2009025051
TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Autodesk and 3ds Max are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dear Reader,
Thank you for choosing Mastering Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.
Sybex was founded in 1976. More than 30 years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.
I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at nedde@wiley.com. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.
Best regards,
Neil Edde Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley
This book is dedicated to my wife Rhonda, who puts up with me; to my four children, Kai, Sakina, David, and Sam, who bring me so much joy; and to my grandson Mateo, may he enjoy the future. And to my mother and father who gave me the encouragement to do whatever I wanted, no matter how wacky it seemed at the time.—M.G.
This book is dedicated to my family and friends, for always encouraging me in my endeavors, providing their emotional support, and for their understanding when I had to miss events or disappear from the face of the Earth to finish projects such as completing this book on schedule.
I would also like to dedicate this to Mr. Gil Moscatello, for introducing me to AutoCAD back in 1989 in his Architectural Drafting classes, for tolerating my enthusiastic investigation and critiquing of the software, and for his guidance and encouragement which has and will continue to help me throughout my career.—J.H.
To my wife Lucy and our two sons, Zach and Jacob—J.M.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to everyone at Wiley/Sybex for their continued support over the years. Big thanks to Tom Hudson for pursuing his dream that turned into this software, and Gary Yost, Dan Silva, Rolf Bertteig, and Jack Powell for creating a program that has turned into my life’s work. I’d like to acknowledge Frank Moore, for getting me into this mess by hiring me at Autodesk in 1990. And my gratitude goes to Gary Rackliff for hiring me exactly at the right moment in my life. Thanks to Jeff Harper for incredibly hard work under the gun. And double thanks to my wife Rhonda, for keeping me sane when my computer was driving me otherwise.
—Mark Gerhard
I would like to acknowledge the support of Mark Gerhard in recommending me for editing and updating the Mastering Autodesk VIZ 2008 book to make it appropriate for the new 3ds Max Design 2010 software, and for his help in updating the content. I would also like to acknowledge Willem Knibbe, Denise Lincoln, Pete Gaughan, Liz Britten, and everyone else on the Wiley/Sybex Team who helped keep me on schedule, assisted with graphics and figures, and made the edits and corrections.
Thanks go out to Jon McFarland, Scott Onstott, and George Omura, who worked on the previous editions of Mastering Autodesk VIZ. They provided a very thorough framework on which to build. I would also like to thank Scott Onstott for allowing us to use his models as examples for a number of chapters of this book. Thanks also go out to Michael Clamp for the use of his wonderful photograph of Notre Dame de Haut in Chapter 4 and to Brian P. Skripac, former Architectural Consulting Expert at IMAGINiT Technologies, for the Revit model used in Chapter 15.
I have to thank my family and friends again for all their love, support, encouragement, faith, and patience.
—Jeff Harper
About the Authors
Mark Gerhard is a 3ds Max Guru. He has devoted the past two decades to this software in all its forms. Mark was one of the first artists hired by Autodesk in 1990 to test the first version of 3D Studio on MS-DOS. In his 14-plus years at Autodesk he worked as an instructor, product manager, demo artist, application engineer, and technical writer. He wrote many of the tutorials that shipped with 3ds Max from versions 3 to present. He has been an ATC instructor, teaching 3ds Max to countless individuals at high schools, community colleges, and universities around the world. He has been the technical editor on numerous books on 3ds Max for New Riders, Wiley/Sybex, Friends of ED, Apress, 3DATS, and Focal Press. He has been co-author of several books as well.
Currently Mark teaches 3ds Max to architects and engineers across the United States and Canada. He is also a Forum Assistant on The Area, Autodesk’s forum for all things 3D.
Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in Practice of Art from University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on painting and sculpture. He is the author of the children’s book “The Elf of the Shelf Sees Himself” (Push Press, 1983). He is also a trained musician, proficient in the tradition of North Indian Classical Music, having studied tabla with Ustad Shankar Ghosh and Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh of Calcutta. He has also studied vocal music with Ustad Ali Akbar Khansahib. He is also a student of Indian folk music, having studied and performed with the Bauls of Bengal (Babukishan Das Goswami Baul).
Jeff Harper started using Autodesk products (initially AutoCAD 9) in his architectural drafting classes when he was high school. Jeff was very excited to see AutoCAD add 3D modeling to its toolset and starting thinking cinematographically, creating renderings of his CAD files with AutoShade. Soon he began using 3D Studio R3 (for DOS) to help visualize his projects while he studied Architecture at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He upgraded to 3D Studio Max 1.0 for Windows when it was released, and he has used every version since, he also used LightScape 3.2 and a few versions of Autodesk VIZ.
He has used 3ds Max to create architectural and civil engineering visualizations from a combination of aerial and terrestrial LiDAR, USGS NED data, high-resolution digital orthophotography, stereo-compiled mapping data, and CAD files from different packages and disciplines. Jeff has also used 3ds Max to create models, stills, and animations used in Computer-Based Training programs for aircraft maintenance. Jeff has even used 3ds Max to create an STL file used to create a rapid-prototyped form from which he hand-pressed ceramic tiles used in the backsplash for a kitchen remodeling project.
As a CADD Manager and Data Manager for a large multistate, multidiscipline engineering firm, Jeff wrote a number of workflow/training documents to assist users with certain CAD and GIS functions and assisted users with AutoCAD, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, MicroStation, InRoads, Adobe Photoshop, and ArcGIS.
Jon McFarland lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He manages a design department at a property development company, where he uses AutoCAD and 3ds Max to create visualizations of proposed facility construction and expansions. He has authored five books and teaches AutoCAD and 3ds Max courses at the university level.
Introduction
A significant portion of your work as a designer will involve sketching and drawing throughout the design process. These visual explorations will not only help convey your ideas to others, but they will also help you see problems with a design and help you refine your ideas. 3D computer modeling and animation take design visualization beyond hand-drawn sketches and foam-core models, by allowing you to create a complete replica of your design and study it from any point of view in any lighting condition.
With 3ds Max Design 2010, you can apply color, texture, lighting, and other effects to see how variations of these elements affect your design. You can get a realistic look at your design to help you make better decisions as you progress through the design process.
Mastering 3ds Max Design 2010 is intended to help architects, designers, and visualization artists present their designs through 3D models, rendered stills, and animations. This book focuses on the use of 3ds Max Design 2010 as a modeling and presentation tool. Because Mastering 3ds Max Design 2010 is focused on design issues, you will not find information about character animation or advanced special effects. You also not find descriptions of every single tool or function available in 3ds Max Design 2010.
In this book you will find step-by-step tutorials covering the primary functions of the software that you will use in the process of visualizing designs. These tutorials are based on years of experience using 3ds Max on real projects with real requirements and deadlines. By completing the tutorials, you will learn how to construct complex geometric forms and how to apply realistic textures and lighting to study a design. You will also learn how to create effects to help emphasize parts of your design for presentations.
How to Use This Book
The goal of this book is to give you the appropriate skills to produce professional-level presentations of your ideas, from conceptual designs to finished renderings and animated walkthroughs. Once you have mastered those fundamental skills, you will be equipped to confidently explore 3ds Max Design 2010 and its robust set of tools and options on your own.
To get the most value from this book, you should read the chapters sequentially from front to back, doing all the exercises as you go. Each chapter builds on the skills you learned in previous chapters, so you can think of this book as your personal, self-paced course on 3ds Max Design 2010. As you are doing the exercises, don’t be afraid to try things not in the tutorials. 3ds Max Design is too robust and complicated a piece of software to completely teach in one volume.
The first three chapters of this book will help you become familiar with how 3ds Max Design 2010 works and how it is organized. If you are already familiar with 3ds Max, 3ds Max Design, or Autodesk VIZ, you may want to skim these chapters to become accustomed to the new user interface and to be introduced to the some of the new features of 3ds Max Design 2010. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 will show you how to build fairly complex geometry using a variety of tools. These chapters introduce you to the more common methods of constructing and modifying objects in 3ds Max Design 2010. Chapters 7 through 10 show you how to use lights, materials, and cameras. Chapter 11 covers the mental ray rendering system. Chapters 12 and 13 introduce and then expand on animation topics. Chapter 14 covers using the built-in particle effect and dynamics systems in 3ds Max for enhancing your visualizations. Chapter 15 covers bringing data from other Autodesk programs into 3ds Max.
At the back of the book there are a set of appendices that offer general reference information on some of the more common tools used in 3ds Max Design 2010. Once you have completed the first few chapters of the book, you can use the appendices as an aid in your own exploration of 3ds Max. You can then refer to the appendices as you continue to work through the rest of the book.
Before you start going through the tutorials in this book, you need to go to the Sybex website (www.sybex.com/go/mastering3dsmaxdesign2010) and download the compressed files with the content. You must extract the chapter archive files to a folder on your computer that you will use to complete the tutorials in the book. You will need those files to complete the exercises in the book.
Connecting 3ds Max to the Chapter Files
It is important that you configure 3ds Max Design 2010 to recognize the location of the tutorial files from the Sybex website (www.sybex.com/go/mastering3dsmaxdesign2010). Make sure that you perform the instructions given in the section titled “Adding a Map Path to Help 3ds Max Find Bitmaps” in Chapter 8. If you like, you can set up 3ds Max as described in that section right after you have extracted the files.
What You’ll Find
To give you a better idea of what you’ll find in this book, here is a summary of the chapters and their contents.
Chapter 1: Getting to Know 3ds Max Design 2010 In Chapter 1, you will get an introduction to 3ds Max Design 2010 and the new User Interface, and you’ll get a first look at 3ds Max objects and how they are created. Toward the end of Chapter 1 you will be introduced to the different ways you can view your designs in 3ds Max Design 2010.
Chapter 2: Introducing 3ds Max Objects Chapter 2 delves deeper into the workings of 3ds Max objects. You’ll learn about the different types of objects available in 3ds Max Design 2010 and how you can use them to create the shapes you want. You will learn how to manipulate 3ds Max’s core set of shapes, called primitives, and turn them into more complex shapes. You will also learn about the different methods you can use to duplicate shapes, and how these methods can help you quickly complete your design.
Chapter 3: Creating Shapes with Splines In Chapter 3 you will look at how you can create complex forms from simple lines. Here you will learn how to manipulate a basic type of object called a spline shape and turn it into a wineglass. You will look at creating walls and 3D text objects as well.
Chapter 4: Editing Meshes and Creating Complex Objects Chapter 4 introduces you to object and editing methods that are common to architectural projects. You will start modeling a well-known building, using a hand-drawn sketch as a template. You will also focus on drawing objects that have unusual shapes.
Chapter 5: Creating AEC Objects Chapter 5 will introduce you to the parametric AEC (Architectural, Engineering, Construction) objects included with 3ds Max Design 2010, such as walls, windows, doors, stairs and railings, and foliage objects.
Chapter 6: Organizing and Editing Objects In Chapter 6 you will continue working on the main scene from Chapter 5 by exploring ways to organize the components of the design. You will learn how to use object names and layers to help identify parts in the design. You will also continue your exploration of modeling complex forms by creating additional objects and modifying existing objects to add detail and depth to the scene.
Chapter 7: Light and Shadow Chapter 7 uses another well-known building to introduce you to the concepts of lighting and rendering your digital models. You will also learn about the different types of lighting and shadows and how to use them together. In addition, you will learn how you can create more realistic renderings by the careful placement of additional lights in strategic locations.
Chapter 8: Enhancing Models with Materials In Chapter 8, you will continue to build on what you learned in Chapter 7 by exploring materials. You will experiment with the many properties of materials and maps in 3ds Max Design, such as diffuse color, bump map textures, and reflections. You will learn how to align a texture to a surface, and you will be introduced to methods for adding entourage, such as trees and people, to scenes.
Chapter 9: Using the 3ds Max Camera Chapter 9 discusses placing cameras in your model and creating environments to surround your models. You will learn how to control the background to affect the mood of your renderings. You will also experiment with rendering only selected portions of your scene to save time.
Chapter 10: Working with External Files Chapter 10 shows you different ways to use 3ds Max files. You will learn how to combine different files efficiently to allow you to work collaboratively with other members of a design team. You will discover ways to share data between project files. You will also see how you can share your models on the Internet.
Chapter 11: Using mental ray In Chapter 11 you will use the mental ray rendering system. The mental ray system offers you the capability to create incredibly realistic renderings. You will learn how to set up and use global illumination, create and use mr Proxy objects, the Multi-Sub-map material, create contour renderings with the Material Override feature, and perform Lighting Analysis on your projects.
Chapter 12: Understanding Animation Chapter 12 offers you an introduction to animation in an architectural context. You will learn to create and control the animation of a camera to create a flyby of one of the buildings you worked on in earlier chapters. You will also learn how to edit an animated object’s motion, create previews of your animation, and control lights over time.
Chapter 13: Creating Animations Chapter 13 continues your look at animation by exploring the options for outputting your animations to files, creating shadow studies, adding other animated elements to add to the realism of your visualizations, and creating effective walkthroughs of your designs.
Chapter 14: Atmospheres, Effects, reactor, and Particles In Chapter 14 you will learn how to use the built-in particle systems, effects, and dynamics system to add atmosphere to your visualizations.
Chapter 15: Using Other Autodesk Applications with 3ds Max Design 2010 Chapter 15 shows you how to take advantage of files created in other Autodesk products, capitalizing on their unique strengths to reduce the time and effort you need to expend to create high-quality finished models in 3ds Max Design 2010.
In addition to the main chapters in this book, there are two appendices.
Appendix A: The Bottom Line Appendix A has the solutions for the Master It exercises found at the end of each chapter.
Appendix B: Modifiers and Materials Appendix B is a reference for the Modifiers and Materials found in 3ds Max Design 2010.
System Requirements
This book assumes that you already have Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010 and a PC that can properly run the software. Additionally, you should perform a complete installation of 3ds Max Design 2010, including the optional tutorials and plug-ins. Many of the extra and demonstration plug-ins are not covered in this book; however, you should experiment with them on your own. The following list shows you the minimum system requirements necessary to run 3ds Max Design 2010; you should exceed these values whenever possible for better system performance and stability.
Autodesk does not support running 3ds Max Design 2010 on Windows Me, NT 4.0, 98, or prior versions.
You can find the complete system requirements for 3ds Max Design 2010 on the Autodesk website, www.autodesk.com/3dsmaxdesign.
The 3GB of free disk space includes space for the sample files and general workspace for your projects. For later chapters, you may want to have AutoCAD 2007 or later installed and Adobe Photoshop CS or later. You can obtain a trial version of Photoshop from the Adobe website. You can also download a 30-day trial version of AutoCAD 2010 from the Autodesk website. These additional software applications are not crucial to have, but you may find them to be useful companions to 3ds Max Design 2010.
What’s on the Book’s Website
You will want to make sure that you have downloaded and extracted the sample files from the Sybex website (www.sybex.com/go/mastering3dsmaxdesign2010) that are mentioned throughout the book. The website includes the *.max and support files necessary to complete the exercises in this book in archive files.