Normal Map Lighting Rig

Maya?

3dsMax version:

Ben Cloward's Tutorial

DDO Gradient Map -- Breakdown

Blender3D Node Operations

• Shift + S (snap options, also 3D cursor ops)
• Ctrl + Alt + Shift  + C (Origin options)
• Shift + D (Duplicate)

Blender3D General Modeling

• Slice = Ctrl + r
• Slide Verts = gg

Blender3D Edit Mode

Edit Mode is how verts, edges and faces are edited in Blender3D

• Tab to toggle Edit Mode on or off
• Ctrl + Tab to choose between Verts, Edges or Faces

Rosetta Stone

Translation of Terminology between programs.

Blender3D	3DSMax	Blender Shortcut
3D Cursor	Working Pivot
Apply Rotation & Scale	Reset XForm	Ctrl + a
Bevel	Chamfer	Ctrl + b
Create Edge	Connect	J (with 2 verts selected)
Duplicate	Duplicate	Shift + D (copy) -- Alt + D (Instance)
Edit Mode	Sub Object Mode	Tab
Empty	Helper
F-Curves	Animation Curves
Join	Attach	Ctrl + J
Knife Tool	Cut Tool
Link Selection	Select Element	Ctrl + L
Local View	Isolate	Numpad /
Merge	Collapse	Alt + M
Origin	Pivot	Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C
Proportional Edit	Soft Selection	O
Remove Doubles	Weld Selected	w
Select Similar	Select by Material ID	Shift + G
Shade Smooth	Smooth
Shrink and Flatten	Bevel (the scaling after Extruding)	Alt + S (on verts)
Simple Deform	Bend, Twist, etc
Smooth	Relax
Solidify	Shell
Split	Detach	P
Subdivision Surface	Turbosmooth
Texture Paint Mode	Viewport Canvas

Blender3D Viewport Navigation

• Orbit = MMB (+ Alt Snap to Predetermined Angles)
• Pan = MMB + Shift
• Zoom = MMB + Ctrl (or Mouse Wheel)

• Numpad period = Zoom Extends/Focus Selected/ORBIT AROUND SELECTED
• Numpad 2,4,6,8 are camera ROTATIONS (predetermined  increments)
• Numpad +/- Incremental Zoom
• Numpad 3 = Right View (+ Ctrl Left View)
• Numpad 1 = Front View (+ Ctrl Back View)
• Numpad 7 = Top View ( +Ctrl Bottom View)

• Numpad 5 = Perspective/Iso Toggle
• z = see thru / opaque toggle
  
• Shift + Space = Maximize view
• Alt + f10 = (Expert Mode) Fullscreen, no UI

3DSMax to Blender3d

Hello, I am a 3D artist with over 14 years of experience using 3D Studio Max. I am by trade a technical artist, and to be blunt I am not very happy with the latest few 3DSMax releases. In my personal opinion 3DSMax 2010 was awesome and everything since has just been more complicated and not very good.

Looking for an alternative to perhaps switch to, I've eyed Blender3D for many years. But to be quite honest, the dauntingly different interface plus a very toxic, hobbyist, immature community has kept me at bay.

But as life would have it, at my current job, I am seating between (literally) 2 really good 3D artists who know 3DSMax, Maya and Blender3D. So I am taking this opportunity to learn Blender and see, once I get good with it, if this is a program that I would like to pursue or keep suffering Autodesk's blunders.

This blog's primary purpose is to write down notes and "translations" so anyone in the future, trying to migrate into Blender3D from 3DSMax can hopefully find the journey an easier one.

Off I go.

--M

P.S. -- I will be using the DEFAULT settings in Blender3D, everyone says to do this, including these 2 awesome dudes that are helping me out, Valar Dohaeris.