1. Getting Started with gMax

In this Section:
gMax: First Impressions
Links for Help
The Tutorial Aircraft: Me334

I started modeling in old FAO Flight Shop, then upgraded to AF99 when it was released, and later converted to Louis Sinclair's FSDS. I'll tell you what. I've had the worse time trying to get started with gMax that I've had yet! I spent month fighting with this program, trying to do the simplest things. Then one day it all started to come together. I still have a lot to learn, but I've written this tutorial to give those of you who are fighting as I once did a "jump start".

This tutorial has been "written on the fly" as I've worked to learn how to use gMax. I could go back and clean it up and do some more word-smithing, but that'd take time I could be spending on aircraft construction, so please forgive all the typos, grammar mistakes, and rough wording!

I'm going to assume you have some familiarity with designing, but have never used gMax, 3d Studio, or 3D Max before (this is my situation, you see).

gMax: First Impressions:

Expert Notes! From "TedZ" on the gMax Support Forum: I must admit though, that beginnings in gMax are harsh and require plenty of patience, sacrifice and pure stamina to go forward despite prevailing teeth grinding, pulling hair in despair, screams of frustration and similar and otherwise abnormal behaviour..."

Expert Notes! From Graham on switching from FSDS to gMax: i do one nite is fine but then next day i forgotten everything which is a pain in the butt. Gmax is way more powerfull but it takes twice the time to figure it out too, prolly not that complicated if ya used to that type of proggy but we all been using FSDS so long its second nature an now we gotta almost thro everything we've learned out the window and start again (BUGGA)..."

The hardest part with using gMax is finding where stuff is (i.e., cutting thru all the "Bravo Sierra" to find the tools that'll do what you want them to do!). It's a very powerful program, but at first nothing is easy to find. Unlike FSDS (which has a very user-friendly interface) gMax will about the most frustrating thing you've ever played with (if you've never any of the 3d studio family before). Even the simplest things seem very hard. However, I'll try and show you the way I've done it, and you can learn as you go. This isn't necessarily the "Easiest" way, so can let me know when you find an easier way to work it!

Links for Help

Forums: I'm not trying to replace the gMax help files, so before you write me asking for help (and I'm probably the wrong guy to ask: Really!) please look in the help files. If you can't find your answer there, then I suggest posting your question on one of the following Forums. You'll get a better answer and get it quicker than you will by emailing me. All the experts hang out at these forums!

Forums
gMax Discussion Forum	Discussion Forum/Launch the Forum/Gamepak: Flight Sim 2002 (or CFS3)
Free Flight Design Shop	Flight Sim Forum & Tutorials
Netwings	Forums/3D design and development
Sim-Outhouse	Forum/Aircraft Design & Animation with Graham
AvSim	Forums/MSFS Aircraft and Panel Design Forum
Simviation	Forums/Aircraft Design

Tutorials
Free Flight Design Shop	A constantly-updated list of gMax tutorials (over 20!) and gMax source files
gMax Domination	Finn Newick's excellent video-tutorials. A must!
airexotica/tutorials	Gerard van der Harst's method of wing construction

The Tutorial Aircraft: Me334

If you're wondering, the aircraft I'm using thru the rest of this tutorial is an Me334. This aircraft is interesting because it's one of the few (or only) rocket/jet powered aircraft redesigned to piston power. The design was done in early 1943 by Alexander Lippisch, who's Me163B had been waiting for an engine for nearly a year. The Me163's airframe was complete and had been tested extensively (by tow/gliding), and this was an attempt to mate a proven airframe to an existing engine (the DB 605A-C). Another design, the P.20, was intended to use a jet power plant. However, the Me163B made it's first rocket-powered flight in June 1943, and work on this project was halted.

I chose this aircraft mainly because it looked fun. However, it has some interesting curves that also work well in this tutorial. The drawings for this came from Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 by Walter Schick and Ingolf Meyer; 176 pages; Published by: Specialty Pr; ISBN: 1857800524. Good book!

I found more information on this aircraft available, including:
Luft '46
What If: Speculative Modeling (WWII)

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