Hi all! I’m new to 3ds Max & have just installed the trial version of max 2009. I just imported a model into the program [one of those free models available on the net] just to get a handle on things.

Upon loading the file, the model shows up in all of the view ports. However, when I move the model in either of the view ports, it simply disappears! The grid in the background remains intact, and I can also see any lights I might have placed in the scene, but the model itself does the vanishing act - with the exception of the Perspective view port.

To move the model, I’ve simply clicked on the box within the view port/s which says Front/Back/East/West etc. I’m running on pretty low specs viz. P4 3.06ghz, 512mb ram, ati radeon xpress 200 integrated graphics card.

Pls help. I’m a total noob & I apologize if I’ve erred in any way. Thanks!

It’s hard to tell without looking at the scene. I am only guessing, but it may be a scale issue - the object may be either too big or too small for the scene scale. Have you tried pressing the “z” key while the object is still selected. This will center all of the views on the model.

E. K. Anna Hennequet [FA]

Thanks a lot ekah! Feeling kinda stupid about starting a new thread about such a basic thing. The object was too small for the scene scale in this particular case. But how do I change the scale so it matches that of the model? thanks!

Debendra 10 February 2009 03:20 PM

Thanks a lot ekah! Feeling kinda stupid about starting a new thread about such a basic thing. The object was too small for the scene scale in this particular case. But how do I change the scale so it matches that of the model? thanks!

Not a problem.

There are few ways that you can scale the object:

-You can apply an XForm modifier to the object and scale the Gizmo by entering the value in percentage.
Note: Never scale the object at an Object level. This will cause inaccuracy in object’s dimension in Object Property. If you do happen to do this by accident, you can always apply the XForm modifier to correct it.

-You can also use the “Rescale World Units” found in Command Panel -> Utilities tab -> More. Choose the “Selection” option from “Affect”. The value by default is 1.0 which is equal to 100%. So, if you want your object enlarged by twice the size, then enter 2.0.

Hope this helps.

E. K. Anna Hennequet [FA]

You’ve been so kind. Thanks ekah.

Another quick question though. How can I know the poly count of a particular model?

The reason I ask is I’ve an integrated graphics card & members of the community seem divided over whether or not it is enough for a beginner. Those in favor of a discrete graphics card state that a complex scene i.e. a scene with a high poly count [ as I understand it ] will lag while working in the view ports i.e. while rotating the model etc. What is your take on this?

Regarding working out the poly count of a particular scene/model, my idea is to bring in different models [ sourced from the net ] into max & try working with them on my integrated graphics, so I can actually test out what sort of models will or will not lead to lag. I’d be very grateful for any guidance on this front - such as which source is best for free models, which models/scenes I should look for… etc.

I intend to buy a laptop pretty soon. So I need to find out what I can get away with. Had it been my desktop I would not have worried too much because I can always upgrade it should the need arise. Alas! That is not the case with a laptop.

Thanks for all your help.

Debendra 10 February 2009 05:24 PM

You’ve been so kind. Thanks ekah.

Another quick question though. How can I know the poly count of a particular model?

The reason I ask is I’ve an integrated graphics card & members of the community seem divided over whether or not it is enough for a beginner. Those in favor of a discrete graphics card state that a complex scene i.e. a scene with a high poly count [ as I understand it ] will lag while working in the view ports i.e. while rotating the model etc. What is your take on this?

Regarding working out the poly count of a particular scene/model, my idea is to bring in different models [ sourced from the net ] into max & try working with them on my integrated graphics, so I can actually test out what sort of models will or will not lead to lag. I’d be very grateful for any guidance on this front - such as which source is best for free models, which models/scenes I should look for… etc.

I intend to buy a laptop pretty soon. So I need to find out what I can get away with. Had it been my desktop I would not have worried too much because I can always upgrade it should the need arise. Alas! That is not the case with a laptop.

Thanks for all your help.

Hi Debendra. You’re welcome.

The default shortcut is “7” for poly count display. You can change the settings for this by Right-click Viewport Name -> Configure -> Statistics.

You can also select the object and right-click -> Object Properties.

Please note that Editable Poly/Edit Poly objects will return different Poly counts from other objects. I recommend turning on the Face count for actual poly count. The reason for this is because in Max the term “Poly” can mean having any number of edges/sides. To me, the real poly count is the Face count or Tri’s.

There have been numerous topics discussed in the past about optimizing viewport displays or playback on heavy scenes. I don’t have a definitive answer for this. I believe people use a combination of various methods. Some use Layers to manage selection and visibility. Adaptive Degradation (Right-click Viewport Name -> Configure) is another thing you can tweak to optimize viewport playback. Others use XRef objects with proxies although some have reported slow-loading and/or scene update.

I’ve never used Max on a laptop, so I have no experience with this. You can post a link to the laptop you’re thinking of purchasing in Hardware & OS forum. http://area.autodesk.com/forum/index.php/forums/viewforum/31/

E. K. Anna Hennequet [FA]

Thanks so much ekah. Sorry for the delayed reply - I was out of town.

Your answers are so helpful - They read like a manual. Thanks!

Will definitely look into trying to optimize viewports & seek help in the hardware forums regarding my laptop.

Thanks yet again. Your help is so appreciated.