Help with "Flip Normals"

[Anonymous]

I am in the middle of working through a Tutorial on Modeling an Airplane and when I "Shift-Dragged" the Cockpit to the other side and select to clone to object...all is fine. However, when I tried to "Flip Normals" the red polygon selections change to a lighter red, but the Geometry doesn't conform to the flip? I have been trying for hours to figure this out with no success. I am using 2009. I'm sure there's something real simple that I am missing. Sure would appreciate any help very much.

Thank you,
Pat

[Steve_Curley]

That's because Flip Normals doesn't alter geometry.

Create a Box. Convert it to Editable Mesh. At the moment you are looking at the outside of a box. In the Slection Rollout check "Show Normals". Right-click the object > Object Properties and turn on Backface Cull. Go to Polygon SO mode, Select all (Crl-A). Note the tittle lines protruding from each face - those are the Normals. Scroll down to the Surface Properties rollout and click "Flip". You are now looking at the INSIDE of a box - note that all that has happened is the Normals are pointing the other way. No geometry changes at all.

Without seeing the tutorial I can't be sure, but it sounds to me like you needed a Mirror - nothing to do with Normals.
If I were you I would do the tutorials which ship with max before doing any you find on the net. Some of those are good, many are terrible.

[Anonymous]

That is some excellent advice. I guess I assumed that flipping the normals would alter the Geometry to conform with the opposite side of the Model.

I was experimenting with mirror, but not for long before giving up. I will take your advice and go through the Max Tutorials. I know all about the terrible ones. 3dbuzz has excellent ones though. Not sure where I got this one from, but I don't want to develop someone elses' "bad habbits".

Thanks again for the help.
Really appreciate it

[Steve_Curley]

That's one of the major problems with tutorials - bad habits. they can be hard to break, so starting off with good ones is a must. The max ones are good (they should be!). The 3dbuzz ones are good too (I have them).

Mirror is easy. Select the object you want to mirror and select the mirror tool from the main toolbar. Select the "Copy" radio-button. Pick the correct axis to mirror on, alter the Offset value so the mirrored half lines up with the original.

If the the object has been "half modeled" - like you made the left side of the cockpit and now you want the right side as well, I would suggest the Symmetry modifier rather than the Mirror tool. Try it - if you get stuck, post back.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for the input Steve. I am very familiar with mideling with symmetry, thats how I model characters (TRY) and such... I also use the mirror tool often, the problem was that I had been following this guys "work flow" and had trouble mirroring because of the geometry between where the cockpit was to be mirrored. It seemed offly premature to be mirroring this geometry half way through the modeling process. I was able to do the mirror, but then I stopped so that I could go do the 3DS Tutorials instead (even if they are BORING) LOL

I really want to learn/master this program. I think I need to spend more time playing with it and trying stuff that I don't think I can do. As opposed to searching for Tutorials and hoping to find that 1 "Magical" lesson that will teach me everything! I'm glad I found this site.

I appreciate your time and genuine concern very much. I don't know anyone that is into 3d Modeling and generally have nowhere to turn, therefore I become discouraged and give up.

Thank you Sir,
Patrick aka. Mudslung

[Steve_Curley]

Ahh - the search for the Holy Grail - one button which creates <insert model of choice here> in one click. Belongs in the same category as Perpetual Motion 😄

Tutorials boring? One the one hand I kind of agree - if you look on them as a chore - as something which "must be done". On the other hand if you look at them as an an introduction to a particular tool or workflow they will give you the basics - the "low-level" bare minimum you need to know in order to use the tool. The idea is then, armed with that knowledge, to experiment with the tool and it's associated options to make something else. Use the help - extensively. Look up the particular too a see what options are available and what they do. Ask yourself "how can this tool/option/parameter/effect make my life easier" or " how can this option help me make a better model". Practice, play around with the options and see what happens.
The tutorials which ship with Max perform their intended task admirably - far better than most 'net tutorials it has to be said, but don't expect them to teach you everything in one hit. They wont - that's not their purpose.