How to Model With Milkshape

Milkshape 3D can model such complex objects as hands.

Milkshape 3D is a 3-D modeling program that can model objects for user-created game “mods” or ”indie” games. Milkshape 3D lacks the rendering capabilities of traditional 3-D modeling programs and has a relatively simple interface that is geared toward creating game models. This makes it a good choice for users who strictly model and require no advanced capabilities. Use Milkshape 3D to make your own custom 3-D characters, weapons and creations.

Instructions

Basic Transformations

1. Click and drag in the blue perspective viewport to view a model from any angle. View your model from fixed directions, such as left or right, in the gray orthogonal viewports.

2. Click and hold down the mouse wheel or the "Ctrl" key and drag in a viewport to pan around the viewport.

3. Click “Select” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and choose “Vertex,” “Face” or “Group” under “Select Options.” Click on or click, drag and release a selection box over objects or sub-objects in an orthogonal viewport to select them. Selecting objects or sub-objects allows you to modify them.

4. Click “Move” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and choose any combination of “X,” “Y” or “Z” under “Move Options” to move selected objects or sub-objects. You may click and drag in an orthogonal viewport to move an object along the plane of that viewport.

5. Click “Rotate” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and click and drag in an orthogonal viewport to rotate selected objects or sub-objects perpendicular to the plane of that viewport.

6. Click “Scale” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and click and drag in an orthogonal viewport to scale selected objects or sub-objects along the plane of that viewport.

7. Click on any combination of “X,” “Y” or “Z” under “Scale Options” and click and drag in an orthogonal viewport to scale selected objects or sub-objects on specific axes.

8. Click “U” under “Scale Options” and click and drag in an orthogonal viewport to scale selected objects or sub-objects at a uniform rate on all selected axes.

Creating Simple Objects

1. Click “Vertex” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and click in an orthogonal viewport to create vertices along the plane of the viewport.

2. Click “Face” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and in an orthogonal viewport click on three vertices in a clockwise order to create faces along the plane of the viewport.

3. Click “Sphere” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and under “Sphere Options” enter in the "Stacks" and "Slices" for the sphere. "Stacks" are the sphere’s vertical divisions and "Slices" are its horizontal divisions; higher values will create a more complex sphere. Click, drag and release in an orthogonal viewport to create a sphere.

4. Click “GeoSphere” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and under “GeoSphere Options” select the "Depth" for the geosphere. A higher "Depth" value will create a more complex sphere. Click, drag and release in an orthogonal viewport to create a geosphere with your settings.

5. Click “Box” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and click, drag and release in an orthogonal viewport to create a box.

6. Click “Cylinder” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab to begin creating a cylinder.

7. Set the cylinder's "Stacks" and "Slices" under “Cylinder Options” to specify the cylinder's complexity. "Stacks" are the cylinder’s vertical divisions and "Slices" are its horizontal divisions, higher values will create a more complex cylinder.

8. Set the cylinder's closing options under “Cylinder Options” or select “Don’t close” to leave its ends open. “Close with extra vertex” will create ends with polygons around a central vertex. “Close with triangle fan” will create ends with polygons hinged to one vertex on the cylinder while “Close with triangle strip” will create ends with polygons hinged to multiple vertices.

9. Click, drag and release in an orthogonal viewport to create a cylinder with your settings.

10. Click “Plane” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and under “Plane Options” enter in the "HDivs" and "VDivs" for the plane. "HDivs" are the sphere’s horizontal divisions and "VDivs" are its vertical divisions; higher values will create a more complex plane. Click, drag and release in an orthogonal viewport to create a plane along its axis of orientation.

Complex Modeling

1. Create simple objects as a base for your complex model and arrange these objects around each other with the “Select,” “Move” and “Rotate” tools in preparation to combine them into a single model.

2. Refine the simple objects with the “Scale” tool into a better approximation of their final shape.

3. Refine the vertices in each of the simple objects with the “Select” and “Move” tools into a final shape.

4. Select vertices at the points where you would like to make a connection. Press “Delete” on your keyboard. Connect the holes left in the simple objects by creating faces between the vertices on each simple object.

5. Click “Select” from the “Tools” panel of the “Model” tab and choose “Group.” Click “Edit” from the top menu and click “Select All” from the sub-menu. All wireframes in orthogonal viewports will turn red.

6. Click on the “Groups” tab. Click “Regroup” from the “Group” panel. All objects in the model are now joined as a single object.

7. Click “File” from the top menu and click “Save As” from the sub-menu. Select a location and name for your model then click the “Save” button.

Tips & Warnings

• Click the “Help” menu and select “Index” to keep the "Help" window open as a reference while working.

References

• Swissquake: Welcome to MilkShape 3D
• Web Design Library: MilkShape Basics