Lynda.COM 3ds Max 2011 Essential Training

Aaron F. Ross

Software works on:

Windows only

Topics include:

• Getting familiar with the 3ds Max interface
• Creating shapes and splines
• Modeling Loft objects
• Creating motion graphics
• Modeling with polygons and subdivisions
• Modeling with NURBS
• Shading objects with materials and maps
• Setting up camera and scene layout
• Lighting basic scenes
• Animating objects with keyframes
• Editing keyframes in the Curve Editor
• Constructing and animating hierarchies
• Using animation Constraints
• Animating particle systems
• Rendering animations to disk

Introduction
Welcome           00:57
Prerequisites           01:18
Using the exercise files           01:04
07:33 1. Getting Started
Using the Custom UI and Defaults Switcher           01:35
Setting local file paths to relative           01:27
Using project folders           04:31
36:35 2. The 3ds Max Interface
Getting familiar with the interface           04:05
Touring the command panels           01:44
Creating primitives           03:05
Navigating the viewports           03:57
Using hotkeys           03:18
Choosing shading modes           03:06
Configuring the viewports           03:29
Transforming objects           04:32
Using the toolbars           03:33
Using the Modify panel           05:46
36:11 3. Modeling Basics
Surveying different modeling methods           05:18
Setting units           05:08
Setting home grid dimensions           03:37
Understanding the Level of Detail utility           03:34
Working with the Modifier Stack           03:51
Understanding dependencies           05:09
Collapsing the Modifier Stack           04:53
Working with sub-objects           04:41
18:32 4. Modeling with Splines
Creating shapes           05:17
Creating lines           02:56
Converting a shape to an editable spline           02:20
Transforming editable spline sub-objects           04:20
Using different types of vertices           03:39
35:30 5. Lofting
Lofting a vase           03:59
Setting loft parameters           03:49
Editing the path and shapes           05:18
Manipulating loft sub-objects           03:55
Adding a scale deformation           05:47
Adding a shell modifier           03:50
Smoothing polygon edges           08:52
26:20 6. Modeling for Motion Graphics
Setting up the project and scene layout           02:34
Creating a backdrop profile line           01:19
Using Editable Spline Fillet           01:24
Extruding shapes           02:36
Creating text           01:21
Applying a bevel modifier           03:57
Choosing bevel parameters           02:33
Using Display All Triangle Edges           01:56
Adjusting spline interpolation           02:22
Deforming beveled objects           01:17
Exporting paths from Adobe Illustrator           02:39
Importing Illustrator paths to 3ds Max           02:22
55:55 7. Polygon Modeling
Setting up the scene           02:08
Creating chamfer boxes           04:44
Smoothing edges           01:16
Using the Array tool           05:31
Grouping objects           10:18
Modeling lines           11:17
Using the Sweep Modifier           03:00
Soft-selecting sub-objects with Volume Select           05:40
Removing polygons with Delete Mesh           02:37
Clearing a sub-object selection with Mesh Select           03:37
Adding randomness with the Noise Modifier           05:47
33:02 8. Subdivision Surface Modeling
Understanding subdivision surfaces           02:46
Creating a box and converting to editable poly format           03:54
Using the Symmetry Modifier           01:44
Working with TurboSmooth           03:03
Extruding polygons           01:54
Editing edge loops           08:15
Shaping the model           04:57
Baking subdivisions           03:45
Optimizing polygon Level of Detail           02:44
38:45 9. Polygon Modeling with Graphite
Understanding the graphite tools within Editable Poly           02:40
Using the Graphite Ribbon interface           03:26
Using traditional editable poly tools within Graphite           11:30
Adjusting detail with Remove and Cut           04:44
Using SwitfLoop           02:46
Constraining sub-object transforms           02:23
Attaching polygon meshes to a single object           05:33
Bridging parts of a mesh           05:43
25:24 10. NURBS Modeling
Understanding NURBS           02:35
Creating NURBS curves           07:27
Creating a U-loft surface           05:52
Editing curves and surfaces           03:09
Setting surface approximation           06:21
01:00:17 11. Materials Basics
Using the Material Editor           07:08
Choosing a material type           03:03
Choosing a shader type           02:12
Adjusting specular parameters           03:06
Setting opacity           03:05
Understanding procedural Maps and bitmaps           04:11
Using bitmaps           05:21
Navigating shader trees           02:27
Tracking scene assets           04:40
Creating simple UVW mapping           07:52
Adding reflections with a Raytrace map           04:32
Creating an environment           05:27
Mapping a bump channel           07:13
27:04 12. Camera Basics
Creating cameras           04:01
Understanding target and free cameras           04:39
Using Camera Pan, Truck, and Dolly           04:08
Adjusting the field of view           04:59
Understanding aspect ratio           02:06
Showing safe frames           03:12
Choosing render output size           03:59
43:36 13. Lighting Basics
Understanding CG lighting           05:56
Understanding standard and photometric lights           01:48
Creating a target spotlight           02:03
Enabling viewport hardware shading           02:10
Previewing renderings with ActiveShade           03:06
Adjusting intensity and color           02:27
Controlling contrast and highlights           02:52
Setting spotlight hotspot and falloff radius           04:59
Choosing a shadow type           03:56
Optimizing shadow maps           05:46
Using area shadows           03:57
Creating omni lights           04:36
43:33 14. Keyframe Animation
Understanding keyframes           01:41
Setting time configuration           03:48
Choosing set key filters           01:27
Using Set Key mode           02:39
Editing keyframes in the Timeline           02:43
Using Auto Key mode           05:44
Creating animation in passes           02:40
Animating modifier parameters           03:53
Working in the dope sheet           07:47
Editing function curves           05:28
Looping animation           05:43
43:54 15. Hierarchies
Understanding hierarchies           03:16
Understanding reference coordinate systems           05:51
Editing pivot points           04:40
Linking objects           03:20
Using the Schematic view           01:59
Preventing problems with scale           07:50
Animating a hierarchy           10:11
Fine-tuning the animation           06:47
20:53 16. Controllers and Constraints
Understanding controllers           03:55
Applying path constraints           04:55
Assigning a link constraint           02:27
Using the Motion panel           02:48
Animating constrained objects           06:48
28:29 17. Special Effects
Understanding particle systems           02:24
Emitting particles from an object with PArray           02:18
Adjusting particle parameters           05:33
Binding particles to a gravitational force           02:51
Colliding particles with a POmniFlector           06:04
Creating a particle material           03:23
Mapping opacity with a gradient           02:01
Assigning a material ID G-Buffer channel           00:46
Creating a lens effect glow           03:09
18:50 18. Scanline Rendering
Understanding image sequences           05:40
Setting render options           07:53
Compressing an image sequence to a movie           05:17
00:27 Conclusion
Goodbye           00:27