Basics of modeling?

[Canderis]

What are the basics to modeling? Like how do all of you modelers make stuff that looks like pictures and stuff? Can anyone explain the basics of modeling?

[TriggerGod]

Well, what I do (I'm still a basic modeler) for lightsabers is to go to RandomSabers.com, go through the gallery (I linked you to the first page of it. Some of the thumbnails may not show up; just click the link given) and pick out a saber you can model. Now, in [G]Max, using T7's modeling tutorial, I model it as best as I can.

 

Pick one out thats simple to do.

[DarthParametric]

If you've never done any 3D modelling before then I'd suggest starting with some basic tutorials - ones that have nothing to do with KOTOR but that simply teach you the fundamentals. There are a gaziliion websites out there that have tutorials that you should be able to turn up with a Google search. If you are using GMax to learn then I suspect that tutorials for the older versions of 3DS Max should be fairly compatible.

 

Basically the method you want to employ is called box modelling. How it works is slightly different from program to program, but essentially it's pretty much what the name suggests. You take primitives (AKA parametric objects) like cubes, spheres, cylinders, etc. and then start shaping them by manipulating their polygons (AKA faces) through moving, scaling, extruding, subdivision, etc. For example with saber hilts you usually start with a cylinder and then slice and dice as needs be to get it to look like your reference image. There's an added level when modelling for games in that you have to use as few polygons as possible. Too many polys and the game will choke on it. For saber hilts in KOTOR the upper limit is suggested to be 1000 polys.