Good way to model a house...

# 1 20-11-2008 , 02:44 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 30

Ok, so this is an embarrassing question. As you might understand, I'm new with Maya, but I thought I had a better grip of it than I seem to have, because I find it difficult to know how to model a house.

I've of course tried to make it as a cube, as it would seem quite logical, but the problem is that when doing so, the walls are flat planes. I have then tried to extrude the faces of the walls to make them wider, but since extrude only moves the face, I'm not getting the desired effect of making the walls "thicker". I've also tried to extrude and then use "fill hole" but with no luck.

Thanks for your help user added image

Quote

# 2 20-11-2008 , 08:19 AM

Subscriber
Join Date: Dec 2007

Location: NZ

Posts: 3,125

uuh, extrude duplicates the face and you move the face and it creates new polygons from the old one to the new one

so i'm not sure what you mean when you say you aren't getting the desired effect...

i too would start with a cube, rescale it, and extrude the sides to make the walls of the house, i don't really see the point of doing it any other way...

that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

Computer skills I should have:
Objective C, C#, Java, MEL. Python, C++, XML, JavaScript, XSLT, HTML, SQL, CSS, FXScript, Clips, SOAR, ActionScript, OpenGL, DirectX
Maya, XSI, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Motion, Illustrator, Flash, Swift3D

Quote

# 3 20-11-2008 , 10:58 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Peligroso

Okay start with a cube, its gonna be your easiest option. Then in the chanel box change the X Y Option s for subdivisions, this will help you in extruding say windows. You can select each face separately if the want or altogether.

For the extrude tool options if selecting all the 'window polys' together, go to edit poly menu (might be just poly menu) and turn off 'keep faces together', this will help to extrude windows apart from each other, by using the scale part of the extrude tool you can then resize the windows for example. Just keep using the tool in this manner to create window frames etc. Also dont forget to turn back on 'keep faces together' as there may be a point when you need to use this option.

I hope this helps for now.

Simply Maya is undergoing some changes atm so we'll be able to bring new members like yourself more basic tutes for using maya very soon...hang in there for now. Dont forget mayas help docs too user added image

Jay

Quote

# 4 20-11-2008 , 11:54 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 30

Originally posted by Chirone
[B]uuh, extrude duplicates the face and you move the face and it creates new polygons from the old one to the new one

Originally Posted by

Well, that's what I thought too and that's why I'm confused. For me, it doesn't do this anymore, instead it kind of inserts a new edge loop, but it only moves the middle face outwards or inwards, not duplicating it. I've tried resetting the tool settings for extrude, but that didn't do the trick, and I've also tried to uncheck "keep faces together", but that didn't help either. Any ideas?

Last edited by Peligroso; 20-11-2008 at 12:04 PM.

Quote

# 5 20-11-2008 , 06:57 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: IL

Posts: 1,052

Start from a ploy cube, dont think, just do it and go on from there, you'll try again and again intill u got the right way for u

A great mod for Jedi academy www.moviebattles.com

Computer Rig-

64-bit vista
23.5 inch LCD + a 19 inch
Q6600 intell qaud
4 gigs of ddr2 ram
8800GTS 512 video card @700mhz

Quote

# 6 20-11-2008 , 07:00 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 30

I really just want the extrude to work, because shouldn't it work the way I described? I thought it should be possible to make it duplicate the main face instead of just pulling the same face outwards or inwards, but am I wrong?

Quote

# 7 20-11-2008 , 08:25 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: IL

Posts: 738

One thing you need to know about modeling is that there are dozens of ways to achieve the same goal.
for instance, instead of extruding the whole cube delete the face of the floor and extrude the border edges, then fill the hole for the interior ceiling.
Another option is duplicate the cube, scale it down, reverse normals, delete floor faces for both cubes, combine them and append some polys at the bottom.
...
I think you get the point even if you didn't understand the methods. Experiment with different tools and always try different methods for the way to achieve the end result which works best for you.
Benny

When in doubt, delete history and freeze transformations.

My latest snake game
(Requires DirectX9 SDK and Framework)

Quote

# 8 20-11-2008 , 10:50 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 30

Thanks for your help. Even with these methods though, the walls are still just planes (ok, there are two layers of planes, so it's better), but how can I make them solid so that it's not just a hole between these two planes? I've tried to select the faces and fill hole, but that doesn't seem to do anything either. Sorry for the stupid/newbie questions, but I guess that's what the newbie forums are for user added image

Quote

# 9 21-11-2008 , 04:57 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: IL

Posts: 738

You're not supposed to fill these holes. if you model it right everything you're going to see will be the planes facing the camera.
Benny

When in doubt, delete history and freeze transformations.

My latest snake game
(Requires DirectX9 SDK and Framework)

Quote

# 10 21-11-2008 , 08:14 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 30

Originally posted by BennyK
You're not supposed to fill these holes. if you model it right everything you're going to see will be the planes facing the camera.
Benny

Originally Posted by

Hmm, well, I'm going to animate it and have a character enter the building. So while hollow walls might be okay, I need to have outwards-facing faces around the door or window to make it look like they aren't hollow, but that's what I haven't managed to do yet user added image

Quote