Problems with GMAX Background Images

[Bullethead]

I'm trying to learn how to make airplanes in Gmax, but can't get past the 1st step of getting the background images and dimensions box set up.

 

The 1st question I have is, why do you want the nose of the plane pointing to the right in the Left view? That would make you look at the right side of the plane, not the left.

 

2nd Question:

I was trying to follow the proceedure in that tutorial Stumpy recommended. I made my images 1024x1024 and positioned the airplane drawing within this so that the intended CG was in the center, marked by a red cross at the 511th and 512th rows and columns. You can see the results attached. However, when I load these images into Gmax, the red crosses are not in the center of the grid 0,0,0, but off somewhat to a greater or lesser extent in each view.

 

How do you nudge the image around so that the red crosses fall on 0,0,0? The methods for doing this discussed in the various tutorials I've read don't work, or at least I can't make them work.

 

I have some experience with Blender. That has commands where you can directly scale and nudge the background image itself. IOW, you 1st draw the dimensions box, then load the image, then scale and nudge the image to fit the dimensions box by typing values into a popup for the background image. Is there something similar in Gmax? If so, I can't find it.

 

Instead, the tutorials say that if you use "Lock Pan/Zoom" in the background image menu, this makes the viewport pan and zoom commands apply to the background image. This I find to be untrue. Instead, it locks the image to the 3D objects so all move together and nothing changes.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty confused here, and until I can get the background image issues sorted out, I can't go further, so please tell me how this works.

 

Thanks.

[Bullethead]

Never mind, I figured it out. It's actually a lot simpler than the tutorials made it sound. It goes like this:

 

1. Load your PREPARED background images (made so they have a 2-pixel wide cross at the desired CG of the airplane, and this cross is in the exact center of the background image.

 

2. Make your dimensions box.

 

3. Zoom and pan the top view until the dimensions box matches the wingtips of the background image. Then lock zoom/pan in that view.

 

4. Zoom and pan the side view until the dimensions box matched the length of the background image, and lock zoom/pan in that view.

 

5. Zoom and pan the end view as above, and lock zoom/pan.

 

6. Seemingly unnecessary. Move the box around until it outlines your background image in all views.

 

7. Freeze and hide the dimensions box. Only look at it again if you think things have gotten out of kilter. Delete it at the end.