WANTED: Suggestions for starting residential project

[TexasAg98]

Over this break I want to start a project modeling a home in Maya. I know it imports dwg files, but it's messy. I'm thinking of importing the house I want to model and then making it a template and start from there.

 

Who recommends NURBS? Who recommends Polys? Any tips or tricks on making walls, roofs, etc?

 

Thanks.

[LunaCyborg]

If you have macromedia freehand mx you can open the dxf file in it and then convert it to an illustrator file possible vers. 7-8 and then you import it into maya. I have done it several times and you can define if they come as a group or as a whole

[e3di]

I model in Maya. I tend to use polygons. I trace around the acad files, which import miles better in Maya 6.5! using CV curve tool, then convert them to a surface using planar standard fit(if you are doing curved windows/doors drop the Chord height ratio), then extrude using face extrude(tip, remove your history for the object before you extrude or the rear faces will go wierd!!)

 

I do roofs, windows etc using the same method.

 

Hope this helps.

[IllustratorMD]

I model in Maya. I tend to use polygons. I trace around the acad files, which import miles better in Maya 6.5! using CV curve tool, then convert them to a surface using planar standard fit(if you are doing curved windows/doors drop the Chord height ratio), then extrude using face extrude(tip, remove your history for the object before you extrude or the rear faces will go wierd!!)

 

I do roofs, windows etc using the same method.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Some things I would add to this, just trying this out using Maya 2008:

 

Draw the CV curve

select the curve, then in the surfaces menu options, go to edit curves>open/close curve

 

with the curve selected still, go to Survaces> Planar you now have a nurb plane

 

with the plane selected, now to go Modify>Convert>Nurbs to polygons> (box thingy)

 

This will open the convert nurbs to polys options. I think it is best to use "quads" as the type, then hit apply

 

now that it is a poly, you can extrude away!

Edited March 4, 2010 by IllustratorMD