3D Studio Max Locomotive Tutorial

1. Create a spline.

The first thing you need to do is create a spline for the front plate of the locomotive. To do this we need to use the "Line" tool and use keyboard entry. Switch to the "Top View" and use the "Min Max Toggle" button located at the bottom right of the screen to maximize the viewport. Then go to the "Create" tab and select the "Shapes" button. Click on the "Line" button and type in the following dimensions. Make sure you click the "Add Point" button in between each set of co-ordinates.

When you complete step 7 you be asked to "Close Spline". Select "Yes". The reason we need to close the spline is to allow it to be extruded correctly. Once you have closed the spline you should have a result similar to figure 3.

Figure 1 Min Max Toggle button

Figure 2 Line tool and keyboard entry

Figure 3 End result

2. Circles and lines

Now that the we have a basic outline of the front plate we can cut out the holes in the top corners. To do this we need to use the "Circle" tool. Firstly we need to make sure the "Start New Shape" checkbox is unchecked and while still in the "Create", "Shapes" tab select the "Circle" button and expand the "Keyboard Entry" rollout. Type in the following dimensions and click the create button after each set.

Now we need to add a line to each side of the two circles on each side of the plate. Click on the "Line" tool and place the cursor over the left quadrant of the top circle and a selection box should appear and a quadrant of the circle should change to the same color as the selection box. When you have this effect left click and then move the cursor to the corresponding quadrant on the lower circle and left click again. Do the same for the other side of these circles and also the circles on the other end of the plate.

Figure 4 Start new shape check box

Figure 5 Object snap selection box

Figure 6 Results after adding the circles and lines

3. Trimming the circles

After you have created the circles and lines we need to remove the inner half of the four circles to do this we need to select the "Spline" sub-object and then select "Trim" from the "Geometry" rollout. You may have to scroll down to see it. Place the cursor over an inner quadrant of one of the circles. A selection cursor should appear similar to figure 9. Left click and the quadrant should be removed. Repeat the procedure for the rest of the unwanted quadrants. You should end up with the result shown in figure 10.

Figure 7 Spline Sub-object

Figure 8 Trim button

Figure 9 Selection cursor

.Figure 10 Finished product

If when you place the cursor over a quadrant and the cursor does not change then you may have a separate spline as shown in figure 10. To fix this you need to attach the splines to the FrontPlate spline. Select the FrontPlate spline and under the "Geometry" setting select the "Attach" button. Place the cursor over the splines and left click. Once you have done this you can then proceed with the quadrant trimming

Figure 11 Unattached splines

Figure 12 Spline attach

4. Extrude modifier

Before we add the extrude modifier to the stack we need to weld the vertices of the arcs and the lines together. Firstly convert the spline to an "Editable Spline" by right clicking on the spline and selecting "Convert to Editable Spline". This removes the "Trim/Extend" modifier from the stack. Now select the "Vertex" sub-object and place a cursor over the end of an arc and the end of the connecting line. This will select the two vertices ready for welding. Once selected we need to select the "Weld" button from the "Geometry" rollout. This will weld the two vertices together. Repeat the procedure for the other joins. Now we can add an extrude modifier to the stack. Expand the "Modifier" list and select "Extrude" from the list. The spline should now be a flat surface with two holes in it. Type 0.05 into the "Amount" box and make sure the "Segments" are set to 1. You should now have a result similar to figure 19.

Figure 13 Converting to Editable Spline

Figure 14 Vertex sub-object

.Figure 15 Vertexes hi-lighted

.Figure 16 Weld button

.Figure 17 Extrude modifier

Figure 18 Extrude settings

Figure 19 End result

Now that we have a solid shape we can convert it to "Editable Mesh".

5. Texturing

Open up the "Material Editor" and drag the Main_01 texture onto the FrontPlate. Add an "Unwrap UVW" modifier to the stack and move and resize the map to the section labeled FrontPlate. There is no need to map each part of the Front and Rear Plates separately as the other sides are either too small to be noticed or are covered up by other parts of the loco.

Figure 20 Correct mapping location

6. Rotate, copy and moving

Now that we have created the FrontPlate we need to rotate it, duplicate it for the RearPlate and move them into location . Select the FrontPlate and the "Rotate" toll and in the "X" co-ordinate box type in 90 degrees. This will turn the FrontPlate up to the correct rotation. Select the FrontPlate and the "Move" tool and while holding down the "Shift" key drag the FrontPlate to a new location. This will create a duplicate of the FrontPlate. Name the new object RearPlate and select "OK". Now we can move the two plates into the correct location. Select the front plate and move it to the following co-ordinates.

You can also use the "Osnap" to select and move the Plates into location. You should end up with a result similar to figure 21. Once you have created the RearPlate we need to move the mapping for it to the correct location on the texture. Select the RearPlate and open up the "Edit UVW's" window and move the mapping over the RearPlate labeled section.

Figure 21 End result after move

Figure 22 Relocated rear mapping

You have now successfully created and textured the Front and Rear plates for a locomotive.

Chapter 7

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