A Handbook for Easy Digital Urban Modelling

with 3ds MAX 2010

By Cherie Voon
[307491]
2010
 Create

Creating Objects: Box, Sphere, Cylinder...

 Select 2nd object
(Sphere)

Union: Combines 2 operands as 1

Intersection
BOOLEAN: Intersecting Objects
- Select an object
- Select Compound Objects Subtraction
- Boolean
- Select Operands
- Select Operation: Union | Intersection | Subtraction (A-B, B-A) | Cut
 3
1

4 2

ProBoolean

Performs same functions as the boolean tool, but for multiple objects.
Boolean
Operand A & B | material attach options
(only when both objects have existing assigned materials)
 Bezier: to create
curved lines

SPLINES : Creating a curved line

Modify
 LIGHTBULB: switch
modifier on and off

EXTRUDE (M): Gives height to the object.

SEGMENTS
- increasing the segments allows for more flexibility when applying other modifiers
- to view the segments, select Edged Faces (short cut to make segment lines visible : F4)
TWIST (M)
Parameters: Angle
Twist Axis: X | Y | Z

x axis y axis
 Both objects ‘sharing’
the control point
ie. ‘twists’ with same Modifier Box
parameters.

Pasting Modifiers / Applying Modifiers to a new object

- Select modifier in the modifier box on the right. Select new object and right click in the empty modifier box
- Parameters: Paste Instanced VS Paste
- Paste instanced: All objects “twist” / modified together with the same control point.
- Paste: copies the modifier, but parameters work independently
 CLONE:
CLONE: CLONE: CLONE: Reference CLONE:
Copy Instance Copy Instance CLONE:
Original Original
Copy
Original

Original
CLONE:
CLONE: CLONE:
Reference
Copy CLONE: CLONE: Instance CLONE:
Instance Copy Original Copy
Original

Change of the height of the original Exact copy + shares control points for all modifiers CLONE:

box has no effect on the clone (copy) applied to it Reference CLONE:

Instance CLONE:
GREY LINE
Copy
Original

CLONE: Copying Objects Modifiers applied and placed above the grey line
- 3 types of clones: COPY | Instance | Reference makes changes independent to the referenced
- Copy: Same object, same spot clone
- Instance- Cloned + takes on modifiers of original
- Reference: Modifiers independent BUT still is affected from modifying original
1. From an autocad drawing, save layers as individual files. This can be done by isolating the required layer. 2. Isolated layer. All other layers turned off.
Command: layiso

Preparing DWG files in autocad for Importing into 3ds Max

Important tips for easy modeling:
1. Drawings should always be in closed polylines
2. Drawings drawn within a good layers system. (ie. walls, plot lines, residential building footprint....)
3. DWG files filed systematically with dates and titles.
4. Layers saved as individual DWG files for ease of importing for modeling purposes.
3. Saving the selected layer as an individual file: Write Block
- Command: Wblock
- Click Select Objects and then highlight all lines OR click ctrl + A.
- Save and name file.
1. Locate Raster Image Reference file
2. Check ‘Specify on Screen’ for Insertion Point
3. Check ‘Specify on-screen’ for scale.
4. Select Insertion Point

5. Aligning position
- This is done so that the image would be placed according to the same
origin and scale as the rest of the drawing layers. This helps with
accuracy when importing into 3ds max.
Command: ALign

6. Isolate image layer and save as individual acad file (.dwg)

Importing and aligning Raster Image Files in autocad

Eg: Aligning and rescaling a google map with an autocad file.
Importing contour lines (.dwg into 3dsmax)
 Graded Surface

Importing DWG’s + Creating TERRAINS

- Import contour dwg as a layer. Import as ENTITY
if drawings are to be selected independently
- 3 types of terrain forms
> Graded Surface- terrain as a plane
> Graded Solid - terrain as a solid
> Layered Solid- Pieces of card Graded Solid Layered Solid
 Setting Up a Gradient Material:
- Apply Map to the diffuse colour
- Select Gradient Ramp

Using a Gradient Ramp Material for Height Analysis

1. Create a gradient ramp material

2. Apply to surface.
3. Apply UVW Map (M)
4. Adjust the planar UVW Map gizmo, and change its alignment to
the Y axis.
5. Change Height of box
There is no limit to how many Gradient Ramp colours
you can have. Clicking along the edge of the colour
window creates new tabs.
Modeling a Beam:
- Create a rectangle
- Modify > Sweep (M)
- Select ‘Built-In Section’
- Adjust Parameters
 Control Points :
yellow squares
indicate selection
MOVE

Free Form Deformation- FFD (M)

- useful effect for computer animations. Also useful for modeling rounded shapes.
- 3 types of FFD modifiers: 2x2, 3x3, 4x4. These are the resolution/ number of control points across each of its edges (x, y, z axis)
1 2 3

4 5 6

Creating an “Impression” - can be used to build city blocks etc...

Edit Poly (M) | Noise (M) | Displace (M)

1. Create plane > Increase Segments

2. Add Edit Poly (M) > Select Polygon
3. Edit Polygons > Inset (By Polygon) > Enter Value / move slider
- inset is the equivalent to an offset. can be applied to one or all polygons.
4. Edit Polygons > Extrude (Extrude Polygons) > Enter Value / Move slider
5. Add Noise (M) > Adjust strength in the Z axis.
- noise creates waves / warp surface
6. Add Displace (M) > Add an image as bitmap. (editing the image allows for updates
of the impression) > Adjust Displacement Strength.
1. Create path by drawing a line and applying extrude (M). Turn off a cap (either start or end) 2. Apply Sub Divide (M). This creates more segments/ more triangulation and therefore allows the polygon to
bend/ conform better.

Making a path, CONFORM(M)

This tool can be used to make roads on terrains amongst other things.

3. Apply Conform (M)

 BEVEL (m)
an offset tool that
can be extruded

SLAB

BULK HEAD

Bevel (m)- Making a Floor Slab

A multi- material

Multi/ Sub object Materials

Faking a Glazing Material with Mullions
Opacity | Maps | Tiles
Adjusting number of tiles
- Horizontal & Vertical Count

Faking a Glazing Material with Mullions

Opacity | Maps | Tiles
Making a Tower- Array tool
Changing the shape of the tower- Edit Spline (m)
on the original floor plate
Distribution of Objects: Compound Objects | Scatter
Used for trees or people or columns
 Select ‘Pick Distribution Object’
as plane.

Adjust Parameters

Distribution of Trees: Compound Objects | Scatter

Aligning Objects along a Path
- Tools > Align > Spacing Tool
- With the object selected, click ‘Pick Paths’ and then select the path/line.
- Insert parameters of the alignment.
 Array: With options to array (clone, duplicate) either 1, 2 or 3 dimensions.

Can be used for distributing objects at even distances (or) with incremental
changes.

1 Dimensional Array Scale Increment in Z Axis

2 Dimensional Array
 What this means:
49 cloned objects
each spaced at
77.5m with a
rotation of X and Y

Clone (M) : Another way to Array objects with more editing flexibility.
Apply Clone (M) from the Modifier drop down menu to the object.

*The clone modifier can be downloaded from http://www.itoosoft.com OR http://maxplugins.de)

 25 Clones
Objects selected to array/ clone / 25 rows

Clone (M) : Another way to Array objects with more editing flexibility.
Apply Clone (M) from the Modifier drop down menu to the object. This can also be applied to multiple objects to array in additional axes.
Setting Up downloaded Plugins / Scripts Running a Script

1. Save the downloaded plugins /scripts within the program folder 1. Save the downloaded plugins /scripts within the program folder

2. Within the Customise menu, select Configure System Paths... 2. Within the MAXScript menu, select Run Script...

3. Within the 3rd Party Plug-Ins tab, add the path where the downloaded plugins/scripts were saved. 3. Select Script

4. Restart the program. Plugins will now appear within the Modifier drop down menu.
Running a Script
eg: Scripted Glue: This script ‘pastes’ objects to surfaces.

- Click >Pick Base Object< and then select the terrain.

- Hit Glue!

Important Tips:
When ‘pasting’ multiple objects onto an uneven surface/base object, be sure
to import the DWG as Entities and not Layers.
Greeble (M)
greeble is a small piece of detailing added to break up the surface of
an object to add visual interest to a surface or object. It can be used
as a quick modeling tool that builds urban massing on
surfaces/polygons.
 select vertex as
Falloff selection
controls

Check
‘Use Soft Selection’
Falloff:
Controls the size of
the edge distance/
boundary affected
Pinch:
Strength
Select Vertex

Select an Editing Tool.

ie. move

Edit Poly (M) : Editing Planes by Soft Selection

Soft Selection allows to partially select sub-objects in the vicinity of an explicit
selection. Soft Selection is drawn along smoothly as you transform the
sub-object selection; the effect diminishes with distance or the “strength” of the
partial selection.
Paint Deform: provides tools for deforming mesh geometry interactively and in
real time by ‘painting’ over an object surface.

Edit Poly (M) : Editing Planes by Soft Selection

Different types of Freeform Deformation: Paint Deform | Soft Selection
(found in the ribbon tool bar)
Self - Illuminating Material / Assigning a light to a material

1. Render Setup: Open Assign Renderer drop

down menu and change the production
renderer to Mental Ray Renderer.

3. Setting up the Self Illuminating Material

- Open the Self Illumination (glow) drop menu and check the Self illumination on.

2. Material Editor
Mental Ray materials are required as the Material Editor Icons
renderer was set to Mental Ray.
- Keyboard shortcut for Material Editor: M
OR
- Click the Material Editor icon.
- Click Standard to open the Material /
Map Browser and select Arch & Design 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
under Mental Ray. 1. Get Material
2. Put Material To scene
3. Assign Material to Selection
4. Reset Map
5. Make Material Copy
6. Make Unique
7. Put to Library
8. Channel ID
9. Show standard map in view port - makes materials visible in the view port.
10. Show end result
11. Got to parent (main menu)
12. Go to sibling (sub menu)
 Render Result WITHOUT setting the Exposure Control to MR

4. Setting up the Exposure Control

- As Mental Ray was selected as the Renderer, the Exposure control has to be switched to mr Photographic Exposure Control.
- Open Environment and Effects within the Render menu and within the Exposure control drop menu, select the control.
- Open the mr Photographic Exposure Control drop menu and choose a preset OR adjust shutter speed / apeture / film speed (ISO)

5. Adjusting the Materials Self Illumination Settings

- Glow Options: Check ‘Illuminates the scene (when using FG)’

6. Render Setup: Using Final Gather

- Within the ’Indirect Illumination’ tab, Check ‘Enable Final Gather’

* Final Gather : improves the quality of the global illumination solution.

7. Luminance Settings: the physical units are in cd/ m2 and should be adjusted to match the size of the scene. The higher the value, the brighter the illumination.

8. Final Gather Settings:

Initial FG Point Density: 2.0

Rays per FG Point: 2000
Interpolate over Num FG Points: 150
Diffuse Bounces: 2 [this is the count of bounces the light has. For an indoor render, set bounce to 4. ie. 4 walls]

9. TEST RENDER!
 View of the standard Rendered
Scene where building facades
have light and shadows casted
on them.

Objects to Bake / Render to Texture

- renders each face of the object with a specific texture element as though the object was ‘unfolded’.
Light - View Relationship
1. Open Render to Texture window via Render menu OR press shortcut key “0”
2. Under Output, Add texture element to choose amongst the available map elements. Light casted from the river, and onto the building facades were equated
3. Within the Selected Element Common Settings, name and locate ‘File Name’ and ‘File Type’. with the amount of views available from a building arrangement/ form- or
simply to test the building view efficiency.

4
2
4

3 1 2
5 6
3
6 5
The Result: Rendered surfaces of the object with the lighting
as a texture element.
Measuring Area of Colour Zones
Using Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Adobe Illustrator CS4

1. Converting the Render to Texture image into CAD

- Apply Cutout Filter in Adobe Photoshop to make lighting boundaries sharper.

3. Setting outline colour to black to create poly lines.

2. Perform Live Trace tool in Adobe Illustrator to create polylines of the lighting boundaries.

Change outline to Black

4. Export illustrator file as AutoCAD Drawing (.DWG)