Gmax help

[Guest]

Hey!, I am a new gmax designer. I want to know how to make holes in the fuselage for windows. I making a DeHavilland Dash 8 series 300. I plan to do the 100 in time. I notice the project airbus planes have a transparent cabin with seats inside. Please help me. Also, how do you animate the plane? Please help me. Thanks in advance,Moses

[Guest Milton]

In GMAX, this is my process to use Boolean to cut windows and add textures. PREPARATION: 1. Make a template (Create Box) simplified box the shape of the window. I use 3 horizontal and vertical segments on the face so I can make diagonal window corners. Make the template as deep as necessary to protrude through a curved fuselage. 2. Once the shape and size are perfected, copy the template for each window to be punched or cut. 3. Position the template boxes precisely where you want along and partly inside the fuselage. (See picture below) 4. When you have them exactly right, group them and give any name. 5. Now copy that group (hold shift and click the group) and move the copy to the other side of the aircraft. You now have all the window templates in place to start your cutting. 6. Ungroup both sets of window templates to set up for the next step. 7. Save your work now. (Good idea to use version numbers or names)CUTTING PREPARATION: 1. To keep the smoothing process from creating many new poly faces, contain your window cuts to the local area by doing a series of vertical cuts between all the windows and on the outside of end windows. (or whatever cuts are necessary in your circumstance) It is a good idea before doing the cuts to select and hide the poly's on the other side of the aircraft.2. Save your work now. (Good idea to use version numbers or names)CUTTING: 1. Select the fuselage 2. Go to Create, Compound Objects, select Boolean 3. In the rollout, select Move, A-B, then down further, select Cut and Refine. 4. Select Pick Operand B 5. Select the window template. Your window is now cut. 6. Select Boolean at the top to start the next window. 7. Repeat steps 4-6 for each window. 8. Now right click the fuselage and Convert to Editable Mesh, Polygon ADDING 3D EFFECT and WINDOW TRANSPARENCY MATERIALS (textures): 1. Right click the viewport name and turn on Show Edged Faces 2. Select all windows so the window poly's are highlited in red. 3. In the rollout, select extrude and enter a depth you want to show window and frame thickness. e.g. enter -2" hit enter, then +2" hit enter. Your windows now have thickness or 3D effect. 4. With all window poly's still selected, open the Material Editor. 5. Select a glass texture, or copy one, and Apply to the windows. Choose Opacity, color etc settings you like. (You may have to do this 1 window at a time, I do not recall.) This is the procedure I used to cut 32 windows with excellent results. Hope it works for you. :-) Milton

[Guest]

Thanks Milton!I really appriaciate you trying to help!!I cant find the "Boolean" shape. Please help me. Thanks.Also, one thing, how do you put seats inside??Regards,Moses

[Guest]

For the Boolean object, where it has all the possible shapes to use as a base, where it has Standard Object, click on it, then go to Compund Objects. http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/edenw/fs_banner_je3.jpg Think highly of yourself, for the world takes you at your estimate -Anon

[Guest]

Moses, I suspect you have not worked thru the tutorials. Your question about boolean objects is answered in them. I would suggest you spend the time to study the teachings that you already have, many answers are there.Bob B

[Guest]

Nope...I have not looked through all the tutorials. I will have to spend some time with it now. Thanks for your help though.Regards,Moses