Space scene Tutorial 3ds Max ~ Multimedia Tutorial

This tutorial will teach you how to make Space scene (a view to the Earth). It’s a very simple, step by step tutorial for beginners and intermediate 3ds Max users.
There are three chapters :
-1. Modeling
-2. Lighting
-3. Materials

Let’s begin

- Modeling:
First of all, setup units. Go to *customize*units setup* and select *generic*like on pic. 01.

pic 01

1. Create GeoSphere with 200 radius and 10 segment like on picture pic. 02.

pic 02

2. Create Plane with parameters like on pic. 03.

pic 03

3. Then go to *Modify* panel and from the dropdown menu select *Noise* modifer pic. 04.

pic 04

4. Set *Noise* parameters like on pic. 05.

pic 05

5. Now move Plane and GeoSphere like on pic. 06.

pic 6

- We are finished with the modeling. -

- Lighting:
1. In *Create* panel select *Light* then select *Omni* pic. 07.

pic 07

2. First we will create the Sun. Put a omni light in the scene and change the name into “Sun”. Pic. 08.

pic 08

3. Ok, now set the basic parameters. Pic. 09.

pic 09

4. Go to *Atmospheres & Effects* pic. 10. Click *Add* pic. 11 and select *Lens Effects* pic. 12.

pic 10

pic 11

pic 12

5. Select *Lens Effects*, then click *Setup* button. Pic.13

pic 13

6. Click on *Add* pic. 14 and insert *Color Balance* and *Brightness and Contrast* pic. 15.

pic 14

pic 15

7. Now change everything to match the image below pic. 16.

pic 16

8. Select *Glow* and change parameters like on pic. 17.

pic 17

9. Click on "Scene" and change everything like on pic. 18.

pic 18

10. Now go to *Glow Element* in the lens effects parameters and change the settings like on pic. 19.

pic 19

11. Click on options and change them all like on pic. 20.

pic 20

12. Select *Ray* pic. 21.

pic 21

11. The options should match the glow element options, only the check box next to "Lights" should be checked. Next click on the Ray element and change the settings to match pic. 22.

pic 22

12. Next, select a *Color balance* effect pic. 23.

pic 23

13. Change the settings to these pic. 24.

pic 24

14. Now select a *Brightness and contrast* effect pic. 25.

pic 25

15. Change the settings to the following pic. 26.

pic 26

- We now created the Sun. You can experiment with these settings. -

16. Now, we will create second omni light. Put a omni light in the scene like on pic. 27 and change name to “SunLight1”

pic 27

17. Set the basic parameters. We are just changing one parameter. In *Intensity/Color/Attenuation* menu change *Multiplier* to 1. Pic. 28

pic 28

18. And now, we will create the last omni light. Again put a omni light in the scene like on pic. 29 and name it “SunLight2”.

pic 29

19. Parameters of this omni are the same like “SunLight1”. Only set *Multiplier* to 1. Pic. 30

pic 30

- Materials:
1. Open Material Editor by pressing *M* on you keyboard. Select the first material and call it “Space_Earth”. Set the parameters like on pic. 31. An important thing is that the Diffuse, Ambient and Specular don’t have any effects, because we will create a material with texture.

pic 31

2. Now scroll down to the *Maps* and in the diffuse slot add *Mix* map. In the first slot of *Mix* map insert “EarthMap.jpg”, and in second slot insert “CloudMap.jpg”.If you don’t have these map you can download them from:
EarthMap: http://www.3d-resources.com/tutorials/41/EarthMap.jpg
CloudMap: http://www.3d-resources.com/tutorials/41/CloudMap.jpg
See pic. 32.

pic 32

3. Go back to the *Maps* menu. In the *Self – Illumination* slot add *mask* pic. 33. In the first slot (Map) add *Falloff* map with settings like on pic. 34, in the second slot add

a *Falloff* map with setting like on pic. 35.

pic 33

pic 34

pic 35

- Now you can drag these material to GeoSphere. -

4. Select the second material and call it “DesertSand”. Set parameters like on pic. 36. Again, an important thing is that the Diffuse, Ambient and Specular don’t have any effect, because we will create a material with texture.

pic 36

5. Scroll down to the *Maps* and in the diffuse slot add *Dent* map pic. 37. In the first slot add a *Noise* map with settings like on pic. 38. In the second slot add a *Noise* map with different settings. Pic. 39.

pic 37

pic 38

pic 39

6. Go back to the *Maps* menu. In the *Bump* slot add *Noise* map with parameters like on pic. 40. In the first and second Color slot add a *Noise* map with same settings pic. 41.

pic 40

pic 41

Now drag material to the plane.

7. Ok, we created the Earth, Sun and materials, but we didn’t create stars. It’s very simple. Select the third material and call it “Stars”. Click on *Get Material* pic. 42 and select *Stucco* map. Set parameters like on pic. 43.

pic 42

pic 43

8. Open the environment dialog box by going to "Rendering" the environment. Click on your star material and drag it to the environment tab, set *Ambient* color to black. Pic. 44.