Progress

Since my last post ive made some real great progress. I mentioned that I couldnt find any tutorials that I was really getting, but I found one that Ive managed to get along with really well. It involved modelling supercar Bugatti Veyron (my model features no badges or logos). The tutorial can be found here. I have just finished the modelling stage and the body of the car is completed. I now have to create the tires, apply material and render. The tutorial has been a really great guide and has taught me so much invaluable information about max. Files of the model are provided at each step of the guide but I have created my own to ensure ive learnt the techniques for my other cars and also to avoid plagerism.

In other news, I have been researching how I will implement the showroom. I made a post on some 3DS max forums and one user thinks that it should be done in flash, which each possible movement animated. This sounds like a good idea to me and I will investigate it some more. The forum can be found here. 

Here are 4 screenshots of my car in its current state. I hope to have it, and 2 others done in the next 2 weeks. 

Problems

Im having problems creating my cars. Whilst there are endless tutorials on the net I cant seem to make a breakthrough and all my projects seem to be ending up with a mess of mesh! Ive spent around 30 hours in the last week or 2 on the project but all i have to show is half a poorly modelled car! I am enjoying working with Max though, however I am worried that it is taking me too long to get to grips with it. I must have achieved the car models by the end of the holidays. Hopefully once one is made, the others will follow more easily.

Tutorial

I have decided that for the first car I will follow this tutorial that I found. The blueprints are ideal and there are no badges or logos on the car so I can use it in my final project.

Modelling the Cars

It is the start of the Christmas period, the time which I have set aside to model the cars that will feature in my showroom. After doing some more research and looking around, I have decided that I want my showroom to contain 3 different cars. These cars, for ease of design, will be based closely on real cars, but obviously not wearing any logos, badges and with slight differences to the real things.

Below is a useful video I found that will help me with my modelling. It is clear, that before I start I must create blueprints for my vehicle, as in the video. 

I have chosen 3 cars because creating a car to the standard i have envisioned is not going to be an easy process. I am not a experienced modeller having only taken out one project previously, so I do not want to bite off more than I can chew.

Research and Christmas plan

The last two weeks, scheduled for research and modelling research have been slow due to other deadlines and also the snow which has prevented me getting onto campus and using 3DS max. However, next week the 4 week christmas holiday begins and this period will be solely devoted to getting the modelling stage started and almot finised by the start of the spring term.  I have managed to get a bit of research done and I have made some sketches of what I want my cars to look like.

The web services course I have been working on has also given me more knowledge of internet languages such as HTML, XML, JavaScript, CSS and others which will be very useful when creating my website.