3d Modelling Tutorial by Nsienski

Here's some more info from Nsiensky which helps with the modding:

I just did a test.
I re-shaped Hollywood hogan (less shoulders and less pecs) and it worked just perfect.

Just a quick note, you don't have to use any modifiers at the begining. Just select editable mesh in the modifier stack and use whatever you want for editing the mesh (vertex, faces...)



When you edit a model in 3DS max, it is made of many different objects. It can be a problem when you want to retopologize a mesh without editing vertex per vertex (overkill) and you want to use MAX soft selection.
It is the case for the head/face of the models for exemple.

Now, there's a way around that.
Here is an example with Hogan chest :

1- select the left pec using elements in the menu :




2- down the menu, select Attach :



3- click on the right pec :



4- now the pecs are attached, you can deform the whole easily and fast without making holes in the models :



5 - when you're done editing the mesh,  select the right pec (still using element in the menu) :



6- then select Detach in the right menu and give it a name (I prefer to give it back the right name) :



7 - Now the right pec you edited is detached but he has lost is skin modifier which means it won't follow the bones animation. That's not what we want.
Select any part of the model, (they should all have the Skin modifier)



- right click on the Skin modifier to copy it :



8 - select the right pec you have modified :



Go in the stack, right click on Editable mesh to paste the Skin modifier :




The part you modified has his Skin modifier back at the right place in the modifier stack. You can export the mesh, it will works in game:



CAUTION : When you select the element to detach, be sur to have all the Triangles. Sometimes there are a few of them isolated on the model. It's easy to check with the number of vertices or faces.

That's what I did to tweak Hollywood Hogan, I attached the shoulders, the pecs, the neck, the back and the belly together for editing.
Then I detached every part and exported them. Hogan looks way better now, less buff