Modeling References and Tutorials (3dsMax)

[Clypp]

I will update and maintain this. Please post other tutorials that you think are relevant to BF2 modelers.

General websites
http://www.game-artist.net/ - A modeling/texturing community run by our very own Requiem2d
Official BFEditor - Home
gctalk.com
Video Game Artist and Fan Community: Polycount
Learning @ Your Own Pace® - lynda.com
Free 3d Max video tutorials from video-tutes.com

Reference Websites
The Blueprints - Reference Image Database - 23000+ blueprints online - Side/top/front reference images of many weapons and vehicles.

BF2 development tools for 3DS
BF2 Dev Style Sheet :: DoomLab Studios :: Game Software Development

Excellent video tutorial for modeling a Berret handgun
Beretta 9000 Video Tutorial tutorial - Mod DB

Handgun tutorial with skinning
Tutorial: Creating a Weapon for Source - Part 1 - Game Artist Forums
Tutorial: Creating a Weapon for Source - Part 1 - Game Artist Forums

Tutorial for nicer looking renders
Tutorial: Simple Wire and Clay for Max - Game Artist Forums

Fun bed video tutorial
http://3dcircle.110mb.com/tut/bedtut/

Texturing
Excellent gun texturing video series:
Creating a Weapon For Source download - Mod DB

Texturing BF2 StaticMeshes

Staticmesh Texture Formats - Official BF Editor Forums

Custom Waterplanes (Not the flying type) - Official BF Editor Forums

Uvmapping - The Other Way Around (56k Warning&#33 - Official BF Editor Forums (this is for a vehicle)

Bf2 Tools For 3ds Max - Setup - Official BF Editor Forums (how to setup your 3dsmax tools)

Game Downloads, Game Patches - FileFront.com (video tut)

FAQ
Is there a free program similar to 3DS Max?

GMax - Turbo Squid -- gmax
Blender - blender.org - Home

Idiot's guide to GMax
The Stupid Idiots' Guide to starting with gMax

Blender tutorials
http://www.blender.org/tutorials-help/tutorials/

How do I check poly/tri count?

If you're using 3ds max 9 go Customize->Viewport Configuration->statistics and select Triangle count
Once you've done that just press 7 key. It should show your tricount on upper left corner.

What are the recommended poly counts?

Some Basic Stats for Modeling :: Battlefield: Apocalypse :: A Battlefield 2 Total Conversion. Welcome to the Apocalypse!
Keep in mind that these are "tri" counts and not poly counts.
For PR the tris for heavy jeeps is:
geoml lod0 is 6000
geoml lod1 (3rd PV mesh) 3000
geom1 lod2 (3rd PV MESH) 1500
geom1 lod3 (3rd pv mesh) 180
For the wreck mesh:
geom2 lod0 - 1800
geom2 lod1 - 1000
geom2 lod2 - 200

[KP]

Good going.

For gun reference pics: http://www.imagestation.com/members/DeicideNBF

[Desertfox]

http://www.game-artist.net/forums/tutor ... s-max.html

[Spaz]

Excellent video tutorial for modeling a Berret handgun
http://tutorials.moddb.com/16/berett...ideo-tutorial/

its hard to do that one when the first video isn't working... :/

[Dylan]

Good going.

For gun reference pics: Sony ImageStation - Closed

jesus christ... there goes all the best references there ever was in one place....

[Proff3ssorXman]

Thanks very much mate, I have never done any 3D modeling before, except in classwork AutoCad 08 & 04 but that was very basic and mainly Isometric. I'm downloading the free Gmax thing now so that I can have a bit of a play around.

But anyway thanks for giving all this info, I expect I'll need it.

Cheers

Xavo

[Tomato-Rifle]

How much is 3ds max

[jonjacob34]

here is a very nice link to a set of video tutorials i found that can aid the PR community development teams, the tutorials show basic box and quad modelling techiques, as well as texutre bakeing, this also show the fundments of UV unwrapping in a half an hour session to making levels of detail the proper way (no multires unless organic).

http://www.mesmer.com/public/readtut.php?in=109

for normal generation, as well as specular and diffuse using 3ds max projection cages and render to texuture click this > Ben Mathis - tutorials

this is a work safe link don't let the name fool you, look down the page for normal work flow, its a cracking tutorial.

[jonjacob34]

here are some of the script resource that i use, and are very helpful when moddeling, animating, texturing etc......

Chuggnut's illicit cheese

highlight the page to see infomation, make sure to check out skin tools (give the abililty to mirror vert weight with out painting to another bone, usefull for charcters with skin modifiers) , anipose 2.11 (poses are recorded in to layers where by they can be added to the time line to make animation easier), Unwrap tool (some extremly helpful tools for beginners and pro's alike)

[single.shot (nor)]

(noobtalk)
-i have modeled on a program called 3dvia, is dat any good?

-and when i installed gmax (12 or something) i still ended up with da basic 3dvia thing
is dat meant 2 be there?

and lastly..

-do i need magic powers to model and/or texture for the omnipowerful dev team?

[turnpipe]

Any chimp can find the tutorials for blender, but just in case.
The link was dead when i tried it.

blender.org - Tutorials

[motherdear]

great video to understand texturing staticmeshes: YouTube - BF2 moding tutorial: Layers & texturing

[Drunkenup]

Is there a alternative to 3DS Max? I mean, it costs like, 3K, something I'm not willing to pay if I'm not getting back a few times of what I paid.

[motherdear]

for full next gen weapon creation use this tut
Tutorial: Full Weapon Creation - Game Artist Forums

includes modeling (High poly and Low poly), uvw mapping (i believe), baking, texturing, importing into a renderer engine etc etc.

[killonsight95]

Is there a alternative to 3DS Max? I mean, it costs like, 3K, something I'm not willing to pay if I'm not getting back a few times of what I paid.

exactly i mean this software must have a freeware somewhere i remember sometihng like this before where can i and this guy ^ get 3ds max 7 or sometihng for free?

[Lan]

Does anybody know where i can get part 1 of that beretta tutorial it seems to be not working.

[SketzoH]

exactly i mean this software must have a freeware somewhere i remember sometihng like this before where can i and this guy ^ get 3ds max 7 or sometihng for free?

get Gmax thats free

Gmax - Free Download

[Lan]

Does anybody know where i can get part 1 of that beretta tutorial it seems to be not working.

Nevermind i've got it.

[Lan]

Is there a alternative to 3DS Max? I mean, it costs like, 3K, something I'm not willing to pay if I'm not getting back a few times of what I paid.

3dsmax is free if you know where to look

[Shandy]

I create my first model but I don't know how to export it.Help please