by Brian Mennenoh | Publisher: Infinite Skills | Release Date: July 2014 | ISBN: 9781771372640

In this 3DS Max 2015 training course, expert author Brian Mennenoh introduces you to the tools and functions found in this 3D software from Autodesk. This course is designed for the absolute beginner, meaning no prior experience of 3DS Max is required.You will start by touring the user interface, then jump into learning how to model a cave using a reference image for the cave layout. Brian will teach you how to model a character, including forming the character body, adding hair, and adding symmetry and making adjustments. This video tutorial will cover topics such as adding materials for the walls, floor, and room, setting pivot points, and adding lighting and environmental effects. Finally, you will learn how to animate and render the scene.Once you have completed this computer based training course, you will be fully capable of using this 3DS software to create your own models and animations. Working files are included, allowing you to follow along with the author throughout the lessons.

1. 01. Introduction And Project Overview
   • About The Course 00:01:21
   • About The Author 00:02:57
   • Using The Project Files 00:01:37
2. 02. Introduction To The Interface
   • Getting Familiar 00:02:54
   • The Command Panel 00:03:48
   • Working Within The Viewports 00:04:17
   • Right-Click Menus 00:02:06
   • Navigating With The Mouse 00:02:00
   • Creating Primitives And Parametric Objects 00:04:08
   • Transforming Objects Using The Transform Tools 00:05:22
   • Considering Keyboard Shortcuts 00:02:23
   • Customizing The Interface 00:02:45
   • Customizing The Quad Menus 00:02:50
   • Using Modifiers And The Stack 00:04:50
3. 03. Creating The Cave
   • Setting Up Units And Working At A Real World Scale 00:05:53
   • Using A Reference Image For The Cave Layout 00:05:00
   • Starting With Primitives 00:06:54
   • Using A Sphere For The Main Chamber 00:04:52
   • Using An Edit Poly Modifier For Cutting 00:01:55
   • Naming Objects 00:02:16
   • Using A Chamfer Box And Edit Poly 00:06:52
   • Using Various Primitives 00:07:41
   • Using A Cylinder For The Wall Torch And A Sphere Gizmo To Hold The Flame 00:10:25
   • Using A Cylinder And An Edit Poly Modifier For The Wall Sconce 00:05:51
   • Cloning The Torches 00:02:38
   • Vines With Loft Compound Objects 00:11:13
   • Leaves On Vines With Scatter 00:07:06
   • Getting Creative With The Vines 00:05:23
   • Using Pro-Boolean To Cut A Hole 00:03:49
   • Extruding A Shape To Create The Tunnel 00:02:31
4. 04. Modelling The Lead Character
   • Setting Up Modelling Planes 00:05:29
   • Box Modelling The Torso 00:03:28
   • Extruding The Leg 00:06:38
   • Extruding The Arm 00:04:33
   • Adding Detail To The Shoe 00:08:43
   • Box Modelling The Hand 00:07:19
   • Extruding The Thumb 00:08:19
   • Adding Detail To The Hand 00:03:25
   • Starting The Face With A Plane 00:09:38
   • Extruding Edges And Bridging To Form The Nose 00:09:37
   • Creating The Jaw Line And Chin 00:07:25
   • Finishing The Cheek 00:05:06
   • Forming The Underside Of The Jaw 00:04:20
   • Extruding Edges For The Forehead 00:06:04
   • Creating The Ear 00:08:12
   • Using A Cylinder For The Neck 00:11:05
   • Creating The Eyeballs And Adjusting The Face 00:05:23
   • Finishing The Mouth 00:06:43
   • Starting The Hat With A Plane 00:11:58
   • Extruding Edges For The Upper Hat 00:06:27
   • Closing The Front Of The Hat 00:05:08
   • Closing The Back Of The Hat 00:05:12
   • Creating The Goggles From A Cylinder 00:11:18
   • Creating Hair From Modified Cylinders 00:07:53
   • Adding Hair Below The Hat 00:09:21
   • Finishing The Hair 00:07:44
   • Final Adjustments To The Hat 00:06:02
   • Adding Symmetry And Making Adjustments 00:08:37
   • Mirroring The Glove, Hair And Eye 00:06:33
5. 05. Hair, Fur And Cloth
   • Growing Hair On The Model 00:07:03
   • Growing Hair Using Guide Splines 00:08:34
   • Using Garment Maker For A Shirt 00:11:26
   • Creating Seams And Applying Cloth 00:11:35
   • Adjusting The Cloth 00:05:09
   • Creating The Bandana With Garment Maker 00:06:45
   • Adding Cloth To The Bandana And Adjusting 00:09:25
6. 06. Materials
   • Understanding UVWs 00:07:13
   • Unwrap UVW And Viewport Canvas 00:09:11
   • More Viewport Canvas Tools 00:08:34
   • Materials That Come With 3DS Max 00:09:24
   • Materials For The Walls And Floor 00:09:40
   • Final Materials For The Room 00:04:34
   • Unwrapping The Character - Placing Seams 00:07:16
   • Unwrapping The Character - Pelt And Quick Peel 00:12:03
   • Unwrapping The Shirt And Bandana 00:05:07
   • Unwrapping The Glove 00:07:41
   • Unwrapping The Hat 00:04:01
   • Unwrapping The Goggles 00:05:40
   • Starting The Materials For The Character 00:07:44
   • Creating The Materials For The Shirt With Viewport Canvas 00:06:24
   • Creating The Materials For The Eyes And Hat 00:07:17
   • Creating The Materials For The Character 00:06:44
   • Finishing The Materials For The Character 00:10:26
7. 07. Rigging, Hierarchies, IK And FK
   • Setting Pivot Points And Hierarchical Linking - FK 00:05:28
   • Creating Bones And Inverse Kinematics - IK 00:05:10
   • Creating Leg And Foot Bones 00:07:30
   • Pelvis And Spine Bones 00:08:33
   • Arm And Hand Bones 00:09:25
   • Finishing The Arm And Hand Bones And Linking 00:10:47
   • Mirroring Bones 00:08:34
   • Renaming Bones 00:06:05
   • Starting The Basic Control Rig 00:10:13
   • Finishing The Basic Control Rig 00:05:53
   • Parameter Wiring For Finger Control 00:06:52
   • Finishing Parameter Wiring 00:04:57
   • Starting The Skinning 00:10:20
   • More Skinning 00:08:33
   • Paint Weights 00:10:36
   • Using Mirror Mode In The Skin Modifier 00:02:52
   • Creating A Basic Eye Rig 00:06:00
8. 08. Lighting And Environmental Effects
   • Understanding The Scene - Logical Light Sources 00:08:26
   • Adding Photometric Torch Lights 00:06:08
   • Fine Tuning The Lighting And Materials 00:07:46
   • Adjusting The Tunnel And Adding A Camera 00:06:49
9. 09. Animating The Scene
   • Merging The Character And Storyboard - Review 00:04:04
   • Blocking In The Lead Characters Movements 00:09:57
   • Creating A Sneaky Walk 00:09:26
   • Adding Body And Hand Movements 00:09:00
   • Climbing The Stairs 00:08:54
   • Grabbing The Rock 00:11:04
   • Weighing The Rock 00:06:11
   • Swapping The Rock And Teapot - Part 1 00:06:55
   • Swapping The Rock And Teapot - Part 2 00:10:14
   • Fine Tuning 00:07:11
   • More Fine Tuning 00:08:24
   • Adding Cameras 00:07:57
   • Motion Blur And Depth Of Field 00:05:14
   • Cloth Simulation - Part 1 00:01:32
   • Cloth Simulation - Part 2 00:02:04
10. 10. Particle Systems
    • Introduction To Particle Systems 00:08:13
    • Using Gravity And Wind With Particle Systems 00:04:07
    • Particle Systems For Fire 00:06:01
    • Material For Particle Fire - Part 1 00:07:52
    • Material For Particle Fire - Part 2 00:02:16
    • Particle System For Smoke 00:08:18
11. 11. Rendering
    • Previewing Renders 00:02:30
    • Final Rendering 00:05:02
12. 12. Conclusion
    • Wrap-Up 00:01:39