Complex sweep shape assistance

[Andycain829]

Good evening everyone. I am fairly new to 3DS max and 3D modelling general but I think I've got the gist of the basic tools and controls.

I have a question about how to approach modelling the end cap of a half round sweep shape.  As shown in the image below, I have the poly to the left which is a uniform half round shape swept along a line with a 90 degree bend. I then need to create the capsule type shape on the end of this section, as indicated by the poly on the right. At the moment, I am trying to merge the topologies but I am really struggling. I'd love some advice on the best way to tackle this problem. I should say I am trying to avoid ngons at all costs.

[RobH2 · Accepted solution]

It's kind of hard to tell you exactly what to do because there are multiple ways to achieve the same thing. Often just rebuilding the object a different way can get you what you need without wrestling with a misbehaving part, like a sweep that's causing issues. Also, part of the expertise with using Max is getting to the point where you know how to use alternate methods. 

I realize this doesn't help you, you being new to Max. 

Without more details about your two parts and  how they came to be, if I were going to cap the left part I might think about extruding the top plane up to the height required and then putting a chamfer around the curved face. 

[Andycain829]

Rob,

That is in fact a really helpful response.

Rather than treat it like two parts and trying to join them, I've just thought of a way I can do it as a single part from the outset.

Thanks for your help!

[RobH2]

I'm glad it helped Andy. One of the hardest things still is trying to decide how to approach making some parts. You think, should I start with a spline, should I use geometry and booleans or some other way. The more you model the more you start to find good workflows. And often, I'll model the same thing two completely different ways and then use the one that looks the best. 

Glad I was able to help. 

[Andycain829]

Rob,

Yes I am begining to see that. This is why it's an art, there's probably 3 or 4 different ways to do it.

For reference, I am trying to make the bottom arms of this object. Can you see how the profile of the arm is semi-circular but the profile changes at the ends into a more tombstone type shape? I am struggling to work out how to extrude the ends of the half round section into a square rectangle that I can the curve the ends of. This is because the cap of the semi-circle is difficult to model in quads / tris.

[RobH2 · Accepted solution]

You have the right attitude. It is truly, like you said, an art on some level. Many new users come here and get frustrated very quickly that there isn't a button to do exactly what they need done. If it were that easy, a lot of us would be out of a job. It's kind of good that Max is difficult to master as it keeps us working. 

So it takes time and you have to be willing to put the time in if you really want to get good with Max. It's difficult for a while than then all of a sudden it starts to click and you notice you are doing some really cool things without even realizing it. That's when it starts to get fun. 

I've done 1000s of tutorials in nearly 3 decades to teach myself Max. Anyone can learn it. What's good is that Max is mature and has been around long enough that there are litereally 100s of 1000s of posts and tutorials. You can teach yourself Max if you have the passion to do so. It's been 29 years since I rotated my first cube in what was the grandfather of Max, 3d Studio. And still today, I can make a part and just rotate around it and mezmorize myself and think about how how cool it is to be able to do that. 

You'll find your way, you sound like you posess that passion. 

I will add one more hint here. Sometimes it's easier to model something that has a flat side as a whole object and then split it in half, like cutting  carrot perfectly in half the long way. Then put a 'Bend' modifier on it to curve it. 

Edit: I forgot to post this. I played with the shape a bit to see how I'd approach it. I posted a photo. You'll get a few hints from this but it won't be too helpful I'm afraid. I should have recorded it and sent the video but didn't think about it till it was too late. 

Basically I make a long cylinder and put a perfectly matching Geosphere on one end. Using 'Boolean' that gave me a round end. Then I made a separate box the same diameter around the other end and snapped the vertices on the other end to it so they formed a square. I used the 'Conform' tool (you'll have to look it up as I'm probably mentioning a tool that you've never used). Anyway, after that, I 'Relaxed' the verts between the round end and the square end and then split the whole thing in half. Then finished with a 'Bend' modifier. I left out a lot of little steps inbetween but that's the gist of the thought process. 

You could probably loft a circle to a square and then cap things. But I'm not as good with lofting. Max's lofting tools are OK but not as good as I'd like so I don't use them much. 

[Andycain829]

Rob,

What a fantastic and detailed reply!

This is so helpful and I'm so grateful for you helping me with this. It is highly frustrating sometimes but when I achieve what I want to do, it's incredibly rewarding.

I am now on attempt 6 but I will get there, a lot more quickly now that you have helped me!

Thanks so much.