How do I get a smooth line or curve in Gmax? I usually convert a cylinder, for the fuselage, to an editable poly them strech and resize the vertices, it's never a perfect line. What's the best way?

Hey A32X (got a name? :-)),I believe you are asking for alternatives on how to shape a fuselage, correct?Well, the way you are doing, starting with a cylinder and manipulating vertices in the cross sections is, I'd say, the way 99% of the modellers do it, and seems to be the most efficient. I personally don't know of any other way of doing it. Maybe someone else will step in and share other ideas...

Try out SPLINEs - whole new world to discover here...Regards, Harald

SPLINEs ?

You make shapes as cross sections and then you create a mesh over these using a modifier.From work ive seen done with this method its far better than making a cylinder and scaling the vertices.I am definatley going to learn it during the summer when i have more time.its also supposed to take less polys to get the same result.Alan.

Hey Alan.That sounds interesting. But I am having trouble figuring out why this is better. If you make the shapes of the cross sections as SPLINEs, then make the mesh over them, what would be the difference from shaping the cross sections from vertices in a cylinder?

Well you can go more advanced than just say a fuselage, you could make your entire aircraft out of one spline. wings would look like there blending from the fuselage rather than just touching it.Have a look at the attached picture, the first is the spline made for the body and the second is with a surface modifier over it.http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/9457.jpg

Hey Alan.Great pics. I see what you mean, and have seen it done before, but that would mean many more polys, no? After all, the smoothnes just depends on hoy many polys are there, no?

theres only 2000 polys in that body part, obviously you would have to give the effects of a rib cage and chest on an aircraft so this count could be reduced, it all depends on how smooth you want to make it.Alan

Hey Alan.I don't know, a plane with ribs, yes, like on the wings, but a chest? Hmmm, that might not be so aerodynamic...Sorry man, couldn't let this one slip by :-).But I am interested on this and would like to talk some more about it. Is that your model?

oh no thats a model that comes with 3ds max, there really good for showing how things are done when you look through there models.Dont forget to look at the 3d modelling sites like 3dcafe.com for tuts on this type of modelling, I for one cant wait to learn it.Alan