Getting Started With Gmax
Many people ask how to get started with modeling and making contributions to the community.
In addition to, and to front-end, some of the tutorials and advice listed in other threads here, I offer the following. Please feel free to add to the list in thread responses.
So, here is the start.
First, modeling aircraft is one discipline separate from doing panels, sounds, textures, flight models, beta testing or documentation. It starts with modeling.
There are several development tools available but if you want to start with a good modeling freeware tool until you decide this is what you want to do, Gmax is likely your best choice. It is free to download, or you may have in your FS9 distribution DVD for installation.
Gmax (Freeware) should be your tool of choice for FS9 development. If you have 3DSMax (expensive license) , then FSX is more suited for that tool. You can use Gmax for FS9 development free of charge. It is a simpler, easier development process.
If you have Gmax on your computer or FS9 CD, it needs to be installed along with the Help and Tutorial components.
If you are not familiar with Gmax, you need to go through the Gmax Tutorials to become familiar with the tools in gmax.
The Help is comprehensive.
Here are my newest video tutorials posted on YouTube. Video Tutorials
Here are some basic graphic tutorials I have done. They may be useful after you have installed gmax and have done the tutorials.
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/tut/fs9/c162/
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A Basic GMax Video Introduction:
Download this zip of the .avi file to play for a basic Gmax introduction:
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/download...basicintro.zip
Once you have Gmax installed and the tutorials are done, you must decide what aircraft to model. Once you do, you need to do research for technical info, 3-views, reference pictures, and anything that will help the development process. Here is the Data Collection writeup:
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/downloads/SOHTeam/data.zip
I created a set of basic graphic tutorials to walk your through an approach to modeling. Check Takealot Specials and Woolworths Specials.
Those Gmax tutorials are here:
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/tut/fs9/c162/
This may help as well:
Creating a Calibration Box for your 3-views:
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/download...eam/CalBox.zip
If you prefer a video approach to learning, my YouTube based tutorials are HERE.
As always, Google and Bing are your friends. There is a lot of help out there for gmax questions. Same with YouTube.
The website, FSDeveloper, is an excellent resource with lots of knowledgeable help, tutorials, and advice. Use it.
There are books for 3DSMax but none for gmax to my knowledge. Concepts are the same.
I hope this helps to get you thinking about a structured process to get started.
Good luck, and have patience.
Milton Shupe
EDIT: Links updated to reflect new server locations
The dreaded MIRROR Button
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dev One
The other thing that is not well explained (at least when I first started in Gmax) was the mirror function...
Thank you Keith, that reminds me of the Universal Warning.
https://i.imgur.com/LPUuVO2.jpg
Use the Mirror modifier instead (or there'll be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth...).
https://i.imgur.com/BkA9sIc.jpg
If you use the Mirror button you'll get the same result in Gmax (or 3ds Max as here), but when the model is exported to the sim you'll see something like this:-
https://i.imgur.com/7DzWgrt.jpg
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Clear 3-views in Gmax (and 3ds Max)
This one comes up often - my plans are all blurry in Gmax, I can't read them!!
https://i.imgur.com/M42aAXU.jpg
Set these options in Customize/Preferences:-
https://i.imgur.com/0HeW8WT.jpg
Once set you can forget about this, so most of us forget all about it!! :icon_lol:
Incremental saves and backups
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Matt Wynn
...another thing i cannot stress enough is to make incremental saves...
Excellent point Matt, and a tidy model btw!
Gmax provides two methods of incrementing file names, so your work is saved in a progression of numbered files
ReallyCoolModel01.gmax
ReallyCoolModel02.gmax
ReallyCoolModel03.gmax ... etc.
The first is in the Save As menu option:-
https://i.imgur.com/Q3hFeyz.jpg
Click on the '+' button and your file is immediately saved with the number at the end incremented. I find if the number is 200, the counter will wrap back to 01; manual intervention is needed to take it past 200.
Then there is the fully automatic option. Go to Customize/Preferences:-
https://i.imgur.com/uO1z748.jpg
With Increment on Save ticked, just save your file and it will have the number incremented automatically. If there is no number Gmax will append "01" and go from there.
Which method you use is up to you, or you can do it manually if you wish..... :isadizzy:
You will also see the Auto Backup options in the above pic. I use the maximum number of 9 and Gmax backs up my work every 3 minutes so I have up to 27 minutes recovery time available if I crash Gmax - and I have, I have! :pop4:
To recover a backup, use File/Open, navigate to gmax\autoback and select All Files and you'll see the .gx files - these are your automatic backups (if you enabled them...). Use the time and date to select your most recent one.
https://i.imgur.com/MnWy64h.jpg
Your eyes have not deceived you, there are more than 260 files in my Tempest VC project - so far! Many of these files are megabytes in size, but gmax files compress really well. Compress your older files (I use WinZip) and space consumed drops by around 90%!
Many projects go on quite a while and lots of people get hit by hardware failure, especially dead hard drives, and lose their work. Use a backup strategy! CD or DVD writers are useful, as are additional hard drives.
Hope this helps.