Hi, im a complete newbie to 3ds max. People at my office have kindly let me use their pc to train…
Im following the tutorials that come with 3ds max design, im on the modeling tutorial, the one where you make the twisting building, my problem is with the material assignment part.
According to the tutorial you have to clone the building using the reference option, so i have the building and 2 cloned references to it, now the tutorial says you have to apply a different material to each one, but when i assign the material to one of the objects, it affects the other 2, i know it must be something simple but its getting on my nerves. I double checked i followed the steps exactly as it says on the tutorial but i still get the same result. Any help?

Thanks guys, and have a very happy new year!

Material Editor > Options > Propagate Materials to Instances. Make sure this option is Off (no “tick” by it).

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

Oh thanks! I looked for an option everywhere but not in the material editor, I’ll try it when i get to the office again. I wonder why things like that aren’t included in the tutorial…

Anyway thanks again and happy new year mate.

It’s easy for people who work with things often and for a long time to forget details (take for granted)
that those learning need to understand.
Edit: Wow, Jose, you have quit the travel between locations.

Max 2012
Windows 7 64 SP1

I have to say that that is a clear omission in the tutorial (or if it is mentioned, I can’t see it).

That option (propagate to instances) is one of those which is different, by default, between Max and Max Design. If you go to Customise > Custom UI and Defaults Switcher, select the designviz.mentalray option (which is the default for 2009 Design) and scroll down to the Material Editor section it does tell you that the option is on.

Because the tutorial in question requires that you turn it off it really should be part of the sequence.

The option itself is actually discussed in the next tutorial section on Materials, but that’s not a lot of use if you do them in order.

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

I think that before releasing a book or tutorial the author should give it to a newbie and see if everything goes ok hehe; anyway as long as we have access to the internet and theres nice people willing to help we’ll be fine.

And yes its quite a travel, my dad said get yourself a mexican girlfriend, but no, I went and got myself a british one.

What are you going to do? (rhetorical question/joke)
:)

Max 2012
Windows 7 64 SP1

In case you haven’t noticed Jose, there’s a link at the bottom of every tutorial page - it allows you to send feedback on that page directly to the department which deals with them. The tutorial in question is new (in 2009 design) so hasn’t had the benefit of being “out there” for many years like some of the others.

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

Sorry, I’m using the pdf version of the tutorial and it has no link, but thanks for mentioning it, I would definitely give some feedback.

And YES the technical group does look at the feedback.

I need to keep updating my class notes because they keep incorporating my suggestions/corrections in the next versions of the tutorials.

Technical editing is not always an easy task. Not only do you need to read every line as if you know nothing, but when you find a flaw you need to determine what the intent was and how to correct it.

Tim Wilbers [FA]

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Visual Arts
University of Dayton
http://www.udayton.edu/
3ds Max: 7.5, 8, 9, 2008, 2009, 2010

Yes I totally agree it isn’t an easy task, i have written a few tutorials nd guides in the past for work and its really easy for me to assume people should know some things, so I took advice from a friend and when i wrote something I first gave it to a friend or relative who knew nothing of the subject to see if they could complete all the steps without problems and let me tell you it works great. It doesnt take much time, at least not more than me trying to think like a newbie. The best reviewers and critics are actual newbies, because they dont assume anything.