3DSMAX - Create a clean section of mesh for Terrain, Road or Other

This is a video tutorial of how you can create a clean section of mesh which can be used as Terrain, Road or anything which suits this shape. I use the term "clean section" as the final results are all quads with each face almost identical in size making manipulation from a height map or manually a very easy process.

This was recorded on a machine without a microphone so I have included the steps as shown in the video here:

[Steps:]
- Create a Spline, can be either Corner or Smooth
- Create a Plane with basic parameters to begin with
- The second Plane created is a guide only for the Width
- Add Path Deform Binding (WSM) and Pick the Spline as the Path
- Adjust the Plane parameters to obtain the desired result
- I added a Turbosmooth modifier to create smaller faces
- Collapse the stack using "Collapse To"
- Convert to an Editable Poly
- Add the Relax modifier and set Value = 1.0 and Iterations = 500
- Again Collapse the stack
- Trim the Excess from the Sides and Ends

[Notes:]
I always aim to make each face as close as a square as possible. I added a Turbosmooth modifier to increase the faces as a Plane is limited to 1000 segments only. I specifically made the Width/Length larger than required as when adding the Relax modifier it will shrink the mesh. Regarding texturing I would do as much as possible at the beginning whilst the plane is in its original state. You can always maniple this afterwards by using the Soft Selection to give subtle changes.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Autodesk
• 3D
• Studio
• Max
• Terrain
• Road
• Path
• Deform
• Spline
• Relax
• Manipulate
• Turbosmooth
• Tutorial
• Demonstration
• Guide