How create M16 - part 1
If you want to create an exact model, the best way is to place a picture in the background. You can fit it at any modeling window. Just press key "A", left click and drag in one of modeling window, then right click in selection. From menu select "Load Texture" and pick texture m16_FM.gif. If the texture placed in background isn`t in correct aspect, it can be adjusted. To correct this just right click at texture and select "Correct Aspect".
Because textures are mostly dark and with contrasts, its very hard to see the vertexes. Another function in same menu as before will help with it. Again right click at texture and from appeared menu select "Gray".
Now you can start modeling your weapon. Insert first point with "Insert" key. I would recommend that you copy the next points from this first. Press "V" key for vertex selecting mode, select first vertex and now press and hold "Shift" and drag point with right mouse button. Doing this will make copy of it. Copy vertexes at margins of grip.
Vertexes must be connected with polygons. Polygon can be made from 3 or 4 vertexes. When you have selected vertexes, you will create polygons by pressing "F6". Connect all polygons.
Always create contiguous polygons, if not they will be most probably facing at differ sides. Okay Now you have created one side of your weapon. But it is bit thin, so you need give it some depth. Now select the X axis button that will lock your movement into X axis only. Or in other words LOCK the X axis button. Select all of the vertices and hold down the left SHIFT key. As you are holding down the left SHIFT key slide your mouse to the RIGHT or LEFT. This will make a copy of the vertexes that you currently had selected. Now you have side two. You will need to create FACES for each set of vertexes. You can see at selected side some blue strokes - normals. The normals or blue lines need to be pointed outside the model and not into it. If it is pointed into it you will not see the face. If it points outside then you will see the face when they are created.
Now you have almost created a part of the weapon, but just from one side. The other side is a hole. You must close it. Select vertexes at opened side.
Press "Ctrl+I" - it will invert selection.
And now "Ctrl+H" - it will hide selected polygons.
Close opened side by creating polygons the same way you creating the first side.
You need to create FACES for the vertexes. To do this select the Vertixes that you want to work with and hit F6. This will create a FACE between the vertixes. This can only be done with 3 - 4 vertixes at a time. If a face is not create double check and make sure that you have not selected a vertex on the otyher face by accident. This is why it is so important to HIDE the other side while working on just one side, so that you don't accidently select the vertixes from the other side. Because newly created faces have smooth edges and weapons are mostly sharp, you need to make them sharp. Select all (Ctrl+A), and unhide hidden parts by pressing "Ctrl+Shift+H". Press again Ctrl+A and you will see something like this:
Select one side of model and press "U". This is function for sharp edges. (You will get Smooth edges by pressing "I" key)
Now model looks like this:
Make sharp edges at other side too.
Great. Almost completed M16 top grip.
Because the M16 is under-grip is more wide, we will make the bottom of our model more wide.
Select the bottom of grip and from top menu select "Points", then "Transform 3D" and their "Scale".
We need to make the selection twice as wide in the Z axis, so type into Z number 2 and press OK.
Select from side two enlarged vertexes and with help from the Shift and the right mouse button copy them at margins of rest of middle part of weapon.
Close vertexes by polygons and carefully watch their facing. You can easily change normals direction by pressing "W" - it will switch normals at selected polygons. The "W" is very important because you will be using it a lot to switch the poly's to the correct position..
Again make sharp this edges what should be sharp. (U)
If you switch into viewer, you`ll see this:
It's starting to look like an M16! :)) But there is still a lot of work needed.
Finish the hand grip and we can continue with magazine.
M16_tutorial1.p3d - p3d file with this stage of modeling |
Select two points from the bottom of model, press and hold "Shift+Ctrl+RMB" and drag down. It will make a smaller space between points. Make it as wide as you think magazine should be.
Copy vertexes at margins of magazine.
And finish it same way as rest of model.
M16_tutorial2.p3d - p3d file with this stage of modeling |