Numbnuts Guide to GMax?

[Travis]

I have been trying of rthe past three months, ever since I got FS2002, to use GMax to create an aircraft.  And after trying to follow the P-38 tutorial (couldn't figure out where the hell the line drawings were) and checking out The Stupid Idiot's Guide (had me up to about the fifth page) I can't help wondering if I am just a numbnuts, or if there is something out there that can just show me step-by-friggin-step EXACTLY what to do in GMax.

I've always been really good with design programs (I can TurboCAD you're butt back to the stone-age) but this genius program seems to have snapped my resolve like a twig.  Can anyone help me, please ?

[Alan]

Do any of your cad programs export to .3ds or .dxf, gmax 1.2 can import these so all you'd have to do is the finishing touches in gmax.

Alan

[Travis]

Okay, TurboCAD exported its drawings to both of those formats, but GMax wouldn't read the .3ds and the .dxf file just brought me a flat image.  I understand how to make a simple object in gmax (not difficult), but I am at a loss as to how I insert the graphics for tracing into the the background, and then get them scaled correctly. ??? :-/

[pete]

Ender Baron,
Just my opinion - but it seems a consistent stream - & I can speak from one who has tried GMax - that GMax clicks with some brains - not with others. A bit like Physics & Picasso.

I  say this at the risk of doing something I don't like to do - that is - to avert attention  from a task in hand.

But.... this has come up so many times that I'm doing it more & more ....

Have you tried FSDS?

FSDS has had far more success in terms of finished results in FS - simply because it is more user friendly & FS specific. It lacks one or 2 GMax options - but not many.

At a last resort - rather than give up the ghost like many have done with GMax - it may be worth a shot.

[Katahu]

Hey Ender, goto www.onnovanbraam.com and there you will find a useful load of tutorials that can help you. They refer to 3Dmax (this program is the same as GMAX). So, the features and tools are basicly the same.

In that web site, you will also find a huge load of 3-view images for you to choose from (not just about planes, but also about cars, military tanks, motorcycles, weapons, etc.). Good luck, man.

[Oz]

Whoa im amazed; that site has got lots of 3 view pics, even of humans. Im gonna try it again with gmax, and see if i can get somewhere.

[Alan Devins]

How do you mean it just shows a flat image, are you using gmax 1.2 as this has the importers already built in.

[quote]Okay, TurboCAD exported its drawings to both of those formats, but GMax wouldn't read the .3ds and the .dxf file just brought me a flat image.

[Felix/FFDS]

If Ender_Baron exported a "drawing" vs a "model" then he gets a flat - dxf "drawing" vs a 3D model.

Example - Paint Shop Pro can import a dxf file, but you have to shoose what "view" to see - you'll get a "flat" rendering.

Maybe I'm reading more into Ender's statement, but in my mind a "drawing" is flat - vs a "model" is 3-D.

How do you mean it just shows a flat image, are you using gmax 1.2 as this has the importers already built in.

[Travis]

Felix nailed it: my TurboCAD stuff is all 'drawings' and not 'models'.

[Oz]

Hey ender, is TurboCAD a user-friendly program? (or does it take a dozen tutorials to get the hang of it) If so, can you tell me where to download it

[Felix/FFDS]

TurboCAD is published by IMSI.. It's a commercial software.  Check out TurboCAD.com for more information.  To my knowledge, it's not downloadable.

Hey ender, is TurboCAD a user-friendly program? (or does it take a dozen tutorials to get the hang of it) If so, can you tell me where to download it

[Travis]

NOT downloadable at all, except for maybe a very limited trial version which will probably only function for a few days/weeks before it dies.

My version cost my folks a pretty penny, but I swear it is worth all that and more.  I'm not sure of the price, but if you buy it, take some time to sit and futz with all the little tools and stuff.  You can end up doing some pretty amazing drawings, as well as 3d design!

Deffinitely check out the IMSI site.  There is also AutoCAD, a more expensive and intricate program.