In that first tutorial I will explain you howto setup your 3Dsmax correctly. That's an easy task, but really needed. After that step, you'll be able to start modeling the basic primitives, and even your own mesh, here a building. Install the demo version of 3Dsmax you downloaded. Also install the Kams Max scripts and Deniska's ones. Browse the folder where 3Dsmax was installed, and extract both archive's Script folder into it. If you had started 3Dsmax already, restart it so the changes can take effect.

Each time you add a plugin to 3Dsmax (*.dlu, *.dle), you need to restart it so the changes take effect. But for maxscripts, you can load them going into : "MAXScript > Run Script... " and then select the .ms or .mse file you just added. Sometimes the script wont prompt imediately, and you'll need to open the MAXScript listener rollout to start it. That part will be seen from chapter four.

1.0 Configure 3Dsmax Units and Viewports

Once done,close those windows, and get started for the primitives modeling.

Alright, go into "Customize > Preferences" Once the preferences window is displayed, go to the viewport tab, then click "Configure Driver". Then setup the parameters like the following image. The "Antialiasing into viewport" option will help you model with a clearer sight. Increase to the maximum the size of the textures used for viewport rendering. Do not check the "Match Bitmap as closely as Possible", in some case it can cause problems with non power of two and over 2048*2048 pixel textures. The texel lookup option will define how the textures are filtered through your viewports when showing object into Smooth And Highlight mode. The Mipmap lookup will define how your texture is rendered through distance. Linear will give the smoothest graphics possible.

1.1 Box primitive and Editable Poly modes

Ok, now that you're ready to some serious modeling, let's begin with one of the most used primitive : the BOX ! First that panel in the image on your right is the CREATE panel. On this one you will be able to create any kind of primitive listed, and also use other 3D objects and archetypes like helpers, lights, and physic objects. For the moment we will only care about the Standard Primitives tab. Click on the Box button, drag the box base into top viewport and drag a second time to elevate the box verticaly. Next, setup the box like the following image : The lengh, width, height parameters will setup the cube into the 3D space. The three other parameters are the number of segments the box will have on each side. I strongly recomend you follow my values, so that way you will get the same results.

The units used till now are the generic units used by 3Dsmax. Those units can be used for Grand Theft Auto games, but can also be converted into centimeters or meters units. To do so, go to "Customize > Unit Setup".

Well, now you should have that result into the perspective view. Some words about that view : That view is the final 3D space for us, since we're not going to finalize our work into the renderer. You can see all your modifications in it. Here are some hotkeys I highly recomend to use with the viewports : WHEELMOUSE Click + MOVE = view panner ALT + WHEELMOUSE Click + MOVE = Rotate CTRL + ALT + WHEELMOUSE Click = Zoom With those three movement hotkeys, you're able to work fast and precisely. If the the camera doesn't rotate correctly around the object, make sure the rotate method is that one :                                              Here are some other important hotkeys for viewports : F2 Toggle = will switch way selected surface are shaded F3 Toggle = will switch between wireframe and shaded modes F4 Toggle = will switch edged mode.

Now that our box is ready to be edited, right click it in any view, and do "Convert to > Editable Poly". Now the box has been converted into a vertex modifiable mesh. Exit the primitive, now keep in mind you cant step back to the primitive parameters. All you will have now in front of you is a piece of vertex connected each others by edges, which both do polygons. Go into the MODIFY panel now, in which we will continue with that legend : 1 Is the name of your object. Used here and into the object list panel (Key 'H'). That's extremely important to name every object you create, as the exporters will use that name to create GTA models. The colored box nexto the name is the object color when untextured. 2 Is the modifier list in which you will find every MODIFIER needed to edit our box like we want. There's a lot, but only a few of them are useful to us at that stage. 3 Is the current modifier, before everything, I just have to tell you what's the stack. 3DsMAX uses a stack system to combine multiple modifier together and be able to go back into it at every moment. You could have added a Edit Poly modifier on your primitive modifier instead of converting your object into it. Keep it in mind. 4 Is simply a way to pin your object's stack. 5 Is very useful when working at the bottom of the stack, to see the final result, toggle it when it consume too much power.

When your stack becomes too high or too complicated for you or your computer, you can right click any modifier and select 'Collapse All'

When working with mesh smoothing modifier, never collapse the stack, or you'll be in front of a supersmoothed non editable mesh !

Now that you know a bit on how to work with modifier, let's go a level deeper, with the editable poly sublevels. Each of them gives you a way to edit your mesh, and all of them are complementary. 1 That's VERTEX Edit mode, in that one you can move points. 2 That's EDGE Edit mode, in which you can edit Edges. 3 Is the BORDER mode. Borders are the groups of edges that are surrounding an empty area into the mesh, a hole, or its stroke. Very useful for box modeling. 4 That's the beloved POLYGON mode, in that one you can edit object's polygons. That mode is mostly used for the functions it gives to edit them, rarely to move them. We'll look at that later. 5 Is the ELEMENT mode, you cannot edit alot of things with that mode, but it can be handy for selection big pieces of polygons. An element is a part of the mesh which is unified, when the mesh is split into two parts, you have two elements. 6 The BY VERTEX (here greyed) is a way to select your Edges/Borders/Polygons/Elements. Instead of click anywhere to select ONE edge/border/polygon/element, it'll select what you need by its vertex. That means if you select a something that way into polygon mode, you'll get 3 faces selected minimum. 7 The checkbox IGNORE BACKFACING can be used to avoid selecting things that are behind the object's side you're viewing. It's recomended to use it in Perspective view, not into User view. 8 You can also select stuff BY ANGLE, that can be very powerful if working on rounded meshes. You can specify the angle wanted into the text box nexto it. The others button will be seen in the next steps, with images for proof. Okay, now you can get a five minutes break and look for a hot coffee before going into the next stage in which we will learn about the polygon functions.

Sometimes you will want to turn a polygon selection to vertex. To do so, hold 'CTRL' pressed and click on the VERTEX mode button. Your selection will be transformed into vertex which are concerned by those polygons. That simple tip can be used with all the modes to save alot of work and time.

Modeling Basics, building PART 2 : Editable Poly functions