Using MAX as a Precision Design Tool?

[nisus]

Hi garethace,

 

Your story reminds me of my very first 3d-design way back in 1995. I had to use a computer as design-aid because the design was so complex I could not make physical models to design anymore.

(I eventually made a model of the final design though... that was my first time I didn't sleep for two nights in a row... I was so wrong thinking this would never happen to me again...)

 

But the usual prints back than were not that awesome... so for the final presentation and exhibition I had a professional photographer take dia's/positives from the screen, sent those slides straight to a laser copier and had the most remarkable copies. A mix of blur, contrast, noise, light emission gave the prints their special look. It was so very impressive that I had my titles printed out that way too... in

a kind of television, blob-clustering...

pfew that was some time ago!

 

rgds

 

nisus

[garethace]

that was my first time I didn't sleep for two nights in a row... I was so wrong thinking this would never happen to me again...)

I was able to go three nights back in those days, but not anymore though - i would crack up. In fact, i used to crack up pretty bad back in those days too, except i used to drink a few beers and forget about it after it was over.

 

You are correct about the photographing the screen bit too - yeah, i remember my friend used to do that alot back then. In fact, some of that photos of screens stuff, did well in a few competitions i remember - for tall landmarks etc, etc.

 

I see even the Epson 4-colour photo jet ink system now, has come a long way from back then. I remember back in 1995, getting a graphics card was considered an unusual thing!!! Now kiddies all have them. An hard drives the size of a cigarette box, can hold 120GB of info! What is the world coming to. :angerazz:

[Sawyer]

Ok enough you old farts. In 95 i could stay up plural nights too and wipe it off after a long night of sleep. Did it often I lived in NYC. Now the child keeps me up when I get too rested. That and work.

 

Nisus I really would like to see that screen shot if you have it. Sounds nifty. :winkgrin:

[nisus]

Hi Sawyer,

 

Those are only positives and prints I have. The prints were mounted on a large display (hardboard) box so I can't scan it without damaging the scanner... ;-(

 

I used the trick to have photo's instead of prints, but now we can send our files to any photographer to have hard copy photo's...

 

Maybe I can take some digital photo's of that box that is still somewhere at my mums place...

 

rgds

 

nisus

[garethace]

I used the trick to have photo's instead of prints, but now we can send our files to any photographer to have hard copy photo's...

 

I have not got around to doing this yet. Cannot wait as soon as a do some serious high resolutions stills some time soon. Gee i am out of practice, i used to pump out visuals, and am now only getting back into it.

 

I thought i would actually do alot more visual stuff and modelling having got into computers. But rather i have found i have done less and less. The way i am going to redress this imbalance in future is to get out all of my old pantones, 6Bs, tissue paper, superglue and cardboard etc, etc and especially setting up the old drafting table again.

 

I like the shots of your workspace, where you seem to 'start off a project' initially by using 'roughs', possibly showing these to your client/colleagues and gradually making out the storyboard for the presentation work.

 

Maybe I can take some digital photo's of that box that is still somewhere at my mums place...

Yeah, tell me about it. I am afraid to go near my attic space back home. I don't know what kind of old project skeletons will fall out of the attic!!!

[3dwannab]

if you want to draw basic splines or arcs with precision there's a tool called Poyspline v.3

 

On the Scriptspot website I've left a comment on how to use it, and its so easy to use e.g right click undoes your last command & escape to close spline "BRILLIANT"

 

I've also emailed the creator to have an option to allow the maxscript listener to to hidden, and cant wait for THAT

 

http://www.scriptspot.com/forums/3ds-max/scripts-wanted/desing-lines-with-values-typed-in-the-keyboard

 

it really the ideal tool for drawing EXACT lines which to be honest is the only thing truly different from autoCAD in max. After all one program is for 2D and the other is a 3D one.

 

You will NEVER from my experience start a project in max, as from my point of view the interior is just as important than the outside. And the layout of a building needs to be fine-tuned before you even think of making it look real!!

 

Once this is FINALISED by the client you can then take it to max and extrude the basic outline you done in AutoCAD.

 

It hasn't the infinite precision of A/C but then again who's gona notice .01 of a mm!!

Edited July 8, 2009 by 3dwannab