A Journey creating a Beretta 9MM

The purpose of this project was to use 3DS Max to create a Low-Poly and High-Poly version of an object. I am going to be honest here, this was my second attempt at this course. My first attempt started off with a tank. At the time I had absolutely zero experience with 3DS Max and ultimately had to re-take the course later. Originally I was going to re-attempt the tank but I stumbled across this image in a creative commons search for camouflage. Immediately the tank was out. I have, since my last attempt at this course, had some practice with Max and new that this was something I would enjoy more.

This was the only camouflaged image of this weapon I was able to find. I had already learned that in order to be successful at creating the 3D model many reference images were needed. I determined that for modeling purposes the appearance did not matter, only the shape. so I set about finding a slew of reference images (creative commons only) of the Beretta 9MM.

With all my references I proceeded to 3DS Max to create my model. Here is my first mistake. I started the entire weapon as one model, it looked good. (Would have been a great platform for the low poly model.) I wanted to do more then a simple turntable animation. I wanted the parts to move. I then started breaking the model apart. Much later I realized, I should have duplicated the model as a solid before breaking it apart. I also should have saved the lower poly versions of each peace as I broke it apart and added more details. At this time I did not have any idea what was I was doing (What was low poly? What was high poly?, Why does it mater.) I was simply making a beautiful model of a 9MM pistol.

With the model "finished" It was time to work on the texturing. I was getting good with Photoshop and I wanted to replicate the camo pattern of the original image as closely as possible. I painstakingly extrapolated as much of the different patterns and colors I could collect off of the original photo. Tweaked, clone stamped, tweaked again and so on until I got the texture below. I am proud of this. This may actually be the only thing I did correctly in this whole project.

Now the challenge really begins. I had never before this unwrapped a UVW map of anything more complicated than a dresser. Days, many tutorials, half a dozen or so 3DS Max crashes, I finally figured out how to unwrap the pistol.

Every part had to be unwrapped separately. I then packed them all into one texture. This is what I came up with.

I then pulled as much texture data I could off of the reference photos I could. Tweaked them in Photoshop and came up with this texture map.

With this map the model and a little bit of animation the movie at the beginning of this story was created. I was proud of myself.

Then came this capstone. It pushed me to look back at these old projects and make improvements. I know now I did this all the hard way. I have since learned what a "material" is in 3DS Max. I have also learned how to break down sections into sub objects and apply different materials to portions of a complete model. I understand the difference between a low poly model and a high poly model. I know now that the high poly model can be completely detailed. Have materials applied for stunning reflectivity, texture, color etc. And then these materials can be "baked" or rendered into the UVW diffuse, bump, specular etc... maps automatically. Mind blown. Due to the novice rendition of this first attempt, I new it was going to take some time to re-do it correctly. It took 8 weeks just to get it this far. However, I have now learned how to do it correctly and am in the process of revamping the project. Below is the high poly model with a new material created for the metal pieces of the model. The difference is already apparent.