Well I've finally decided to make myself try and at least finish 1 3D render a week, progressively doing more and more difficult tutorials. I've decided to make this thread just to keep track of everything I'm doing and to show you guys my progress.

 

 

 

My only 3D background before this has been some slight use of C4D and Terragen (but that doesn't really count). So it's definitely a lot different than photoshop :P

 

 

 

Also I will be sure to try and remember to link a tutorial when it is used so you guys can try it out. I am using 3D Studio Max 2008 currently.

 

 

 

 

 

1) Rubix Cube. A very basic, untextured item just to get the basics of the program down. Camera controls, basic functions, ect.

 

 

 

 

2)Katana Sword UNFINISHED. This was a more advanced tutorial that has taught me quite a bit of techniques, especially involving vectors, lines, texturing (and bitmaps!) plus I messed around with the lighting. The blade isn't finished yet, sadly, just because I can't get it to look good.

 

 

 

 

3) Monitor Box Modeling. Pretty quick, I'm definitely getting the hang of this now. It's just an untextured, low poly monitor. Taught me the basics of box modeling.

 

 

 

 

Looking at the back looks like I screwed up a little bit on the stand. Not major enough to matter. :P

 

 

 

4)Blood Cells Scene. Just learning how to set up a scene, some other various new controls... but mostly was a bit more of learning about textures. Sadly I don't know enough about lighting yet to get it to look like the guy in the tutorial's last image, but the texture was created from scratch at least.

 

 

 

 

5) Vray Tutorial. 8/19/08 Learned the basics of Vray rendering here. There really is no modeling here, I used default shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

6) Chess Pawn August 25, 2008. Bit more advanced modeling, might end up making an entire chessboard down the road now that I have the pawn.

 

 

 

 

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That's it so far. I'm completely open to any suggestions on what to do next, good tutorials or just general tips.

 

And yeah, I know, they're probably going to be pretty bad for a bit :P. I'm starting to get a hang of the program though.

Awesome that you're trying new things, Nadril! I'm not exactly a 3D expert so unfortunately I can't really give you any tips/tutorials :P

 

 

 

But your first two renders look great so far! I'm very interested in seeing your progress.

Awesome that you're trying new things, Nadril! I'm not exactly a 3D expert so unfortunately I can't really give you any tips/tutorials :P

 

 

 

But your first two renders look great so far! I'm very interested in seeing your progress.

 

 

 

Thanks. I actually want to do 3D Design in the future (for games, stuff like that) but I just never got around to it. I figure that 3+ years of doing one thing a week should help eh? :D

Awesome that you're trying new things, Nadril! I'm not exactly a 3D expert so unfortunately I can't really give you any tips/tutorials :P

 

 

 

But your first two renders look great so far! I'm very interested in seeing your progress.

 

 

 

Thanks. I actually want to do 3D Design in the future (for games, stuff like that) but I just never got around to it. I figure that 3+ years of doing one thing a week should help eh? :D

 

ROFL definitely!! :XD: It would actually be pretty cool to compare your work 3+ years from now to your current renders. Progress ftw :

Hmm, nice. I've always used Blender for my 3D work, you ever tried it?

He's better off learning Max anyways, it's the industry standard.

 

 

 

Looking pretty good, I find 3d stuff so confusing lol

He's better off learning Max anyways, it's the industry standard.

 

 

 

Looking pretty good, I find 3d stuff so confusing lol

 

 

 

Tell me about it lol, I'm so used to just kind of doing whatever and not really adhering to strict blueprints or anything.

He's better off learning Max anyways, it's the industry standard.

 

 

 

Looking pretty good, I find 3d stuff so confusing lol

 

 

 

Tell me about it lol, I'm so used to just kind of doing whatever and not really adhering to strict blueprints or anything.

 

That my problem too, as I build 3D aircraft for a major flight simulator. When you have real pilots flying your plane, you better make sure you've got every last bit right. Guess it would be somewhat of the same for general game design.

He's better off learning Max anyways, it's the industry standard.

 

 

 

Looking pretty good, I find 3d stuff so confusing lol

 

 

 

Tell me about it lol, I'm so used to just kind of doing whatever and not really adhering to strict blueprints or anything.

 

That my problem too, as I build 3D aircraft for a major flight simulator. When you have real pilots flying your plane, you better make sure you've got every last bit right. Guess it would be somewhat of the same for general game design.

 

 

 

Yeah. Especially with game design it has to be ready to be animated (unless you're making a static world piece) and if you mess up something you're going to get a lot of clipping issues with the animation.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to focus on the modeling part though more than anything.

He's better off learning Max anyways, it's the industry standard.

 

 

 

Looking pretty good, I find 3d stuff so confusing lol

 

 

 

Tell me about it lol, I'm so used to just kind of doing whatever and not really adhering to strict blueprints or anything.

 

That my problem too, as I build 3D aircraft for a major flight simulator. When you have real pilots flying your plane, you better make sure you've got every last bit right. Guess it would be somewhat of the same for general game design.

 

 

 

Yeah. Especially with game design it has to be ready to be animated (unless you're making a static world piece) and if you mess up something you're going to get a lot of clipping issues with the animation.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to focus on the modeling part though more than anything.

 

Oh animations... I hate, hate hate them. Keyframe animation. Yuck.

3) Monitor Box Modeling. Pretty quick, I'm definitely getting the hang of this now. It's just an untextured, low poly monitor. Taught me the basics of box modeling.

 

 

 

 

Looking at the back looks like I screwed up a little bit on the stand. Not major enough to matter. :P

4)Blood Cells Scene. Just learning how to set up a scene, some other various new controls... but mostly was a bit more of learning about textures. Sadly I don't know enough about lighting yet to get it to look like the guy in the tutorial's last image, but the texture was created from scratch at least.

 

These are really good. You seem quite good at this. Just downloaded blender and I failed. The blood one has really good texture and depth. Don't really know what to comment on though.

I'll download blender and see what I can do. You sir, are an inspiration.

 

Right I failed, for anyone to actually slightly know what that means, is a god.

 

I like blood cells. :o

I have done only one thing with blender, that was an animation. Unfortunately I don't know how to reproduce it.

 

 

 

Lol @ all us raster graphics junkies sitting around confused with 3D. :lol:

If this is you 'taking a journey' i would hate to see what happens when you put all your time and effort into something.

 

 

 

These are really great! The katana is by far my favorite one though, its very realistic, and the lighting on it seems to be perfect, i cant wait for the finished product.

 

 

 

The Blood Cells are also great, though they dont look like blood cells imo nor does it look like your in a blood stream, but as for the image its nicely done

 

 

 

Good job Nad, you are truly impressive when it comes to computer graphics, you are a natural XD :thumbsup:

Sup Nadril.

 

 

 

lol.

Sup Nadril.

 

 

 

lol.

 

 

 

Oh [cabbage].

 

 

 

Enlighten me.

If this is you 'taking a journey' i would hate to see what happens when you put all your time and effort into something.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have to agree. Then again I don't recall a time when any of your work has been horrible or really bad. I did quite enjoy your old Terragen scenes as well. I look forward to seeing your progress. I've tried playing in a 3D program before and I made a standard cube. That was about all I could do.

Still as good as ever then nadril, I like the stuff, even following a tutorial shows some skill in the fact it looks great :D

looks great Nadril, specially the katana hilt and the blood cells :thumbup:, but "the katant texture need more polys".

Very very nice.

 

I wish I had 3d skillz. :x

Sup Nadril.

 

 

 

lol.

 

 

 

Oh [cabbage].

 

 

 

Enlighten me.

 

 

 

What are you looking for? :P

Sup Nadril.

 

 

 

lol.

 

 

 

Oh [cabbage].

 

 

 

Enlighten me.

 

 

 

What are you looking for? :P

 

 

 

Anything really =P. General tips, good tutorials, whatever. If I remember you use 3DSM right?

 

 

 

The main thing I'm having a problem with is good Lighting and to a lesser extent textures.

Yeah, I don't really do it much now though (blame MMO's)

 

 

 

I would suggest maybe http://www.3dtotal.com they have a few decent tutorials to get you started. For lighting there are various different solutions, 3 point system, global illumination, object lights to name a few. Vray is a good renderer, I believe they do a pretty open free version too. Brazil by Splutterfish just recently unveiled a new version too, so maybe they have a demo of that on the site. I hear Maxwell Render is good, but takes a long time to render.

 

 

 

Try modeling things around you, that's probably the best way as you have actual live reference to look at.

 

 

 

Might as well say it too: That looks nothing like a rubix cube.