3Ds Max Modifiers

Modifiers can be used in a number of different ways to reshape objects, apply

material mappings, deform an object’s surface, and perform many other actions.

Many different types of modifiers exist

Applying modifiers

An object can have several modifiers applied to it. Modifiers can be applied using the Modifiers menu or by selecting the modifier from the Modifier List drop-down list located at the top of the Modify panel directly under the object name. Selecting a modifier in the Modifiers menu or from the Modifier List applies the modifier to the current selected object. Modifiers can be applied to multiple objects if several objects are selected.

Affect Region

The Affect Region modifier is a 3D Studio Max surface modelling tool, primarily used with vertex sub-object selections while surface modeling. With Affect Region, transforming a selection of vertices can also transform vertices in the region that surrounds the selection. This can help you form a bubble or indentation in the surface of an object

Bend

The Bend modifier lets you bend the current selection up to 360 degrees about a single axis, producing a uniform bend in an object's geometry. You can control the angle and direction of the bend on any of three axes. You can also limit the bend to a section of the geometry

Bevel

The Bevel modifier extrudes shapes into 3D objects and applies a flat or round bevel to the edges. A common use for this modifier is to create 3D text and logos, but you can apply it to any shape. Bevel takes a shape as the base of a 3D object. You then extrude the shape up to four levels and assign an outline amount for each level

Chamfer

The Fillet/Chamfer modifier lets you fillet or chamfer the corners between linear segments of Shape objects. Fillet rounds corners where segments meet, adding new control vertices

Extrude

The Extrude modifier adds depth to a shape and makes it a parametric object.

FFD Box

Free-form deformations (FFDs) provide a method of deforming an object by adjusting the control points of a lattice. The offset position of the control points to the original lattice source volume causes the distortion of the affected object. The FFD(Box) space warp is a box-shaped lattice FFD object similar to the original FFD modifiers. This FFD is available as both an object modifier and a space warp.

Lattice

The Lattice modifier converts the segments or edges of a shape or object into cylindrical struts with optional joint polyhedra at the vertices. Use this either to create renderable structural geometry based on the mesh topology, or as an alternate method to achieve a rendered wireframe effect

Hair And Fur

In Max, hair doesn’t exist as geometry, but is applied to scene objects as a separate modifier. This level of separation keeps the hair solution independent of the geometry and makes removing or turning off the hair solution as needed easy. It also keeps the viewport display from bogging down. The Hair and Fur modifier is a World-Space Modifier (WSM), meaning that it is applied using the World Space coordinates instead of local ones

Melt

The Melt modifier lets you apply a realistic melting effect to all types of objects, including editable patches and NURBS objects, as well as to sub-object selections passed up the stack. Options include sagging of edges, spreading while melting, and a customizable set of substances ranging from a firm plastic surface to a jelly type that collapses in on itself

Mirror

The Mirror modifier provides a parametric method of mirroring an object or a sub-object selection. You can apply the Mirror modifier to any type of geometry, and you can animate the mirror effect by animating the modifier's gizmo

Noise

The Noise modifier modulates the position of an object's vertices along any combination of three axes. This important animation tool simulates random variations in an object's shape

Path deformers

The PathDeform modifier deforms an object using a spline or NURBS curve as a path. You can move and stretch the object along the path, and rotate and twist it about the path. There's also a world-space modifier version

Edit poly

A modifier that changes a mesh into a raw polygon object that can be edited at a vertex, face or edge (sub-object) level using tools contained within the edit poly menus.Useful for editing sub-object levels while preserving the modifier stack

Relax

The Relax modifier changes the apparent surface tension in a mesh by moving vertices closer to, or away from, their neighbors. The typical result is that the object gets smoother and a little smaller as the vertices move toward an averaged center point. You can see the most pronounced effects on objects with sharp corners and edges

Ripple

The Ripple modifier produces a concentric rippling effect in an object's geometry. You can use either of two different ripple effects or a combination of both. Ripple uses a standard gizmo and center, which you can transform to increase the number of ripple variations

Shell

The Shell modifier “solidifies” or gives thickness to an object by adding an extra set of faces facing the opposite direction of existing faces, plus edges connecting the inner and outer surfaces wherever faces are missing in the original object. You can specify offset distances for the inner and outer surfaces, characteristics for edges, material IDs, and mapping types for the edges

Skew

The Skew modifier lets you produce a uniform offset in an object's geometry. You can control the amount and direction of the skew on any of three axes. You can also limit the skew to a section of the geometry

Slice

The Slice modifier lets you create a cutting plane that slices through a mesh, creating new vertices, edges and faces based on the location of the slice plane gizmo. The vertices can either refine or split the mesh according to the selected options.

Spherify

The Spherify modifier distorts an object into a spherical shape. This modifier has only one parameter

Squeeze

The Squeeze modifier lets you apply a squeezing effect to objects, in which the vertices closest to the object's pivot pointmove inward. The squeeze is applied around the Squeeze gizmo's local Z axis. You can also use Squeeze to create a bulge on the vertical axis, to accentuate the squeeze effect

Stretch

The Stretch modifier simulates the traditional animation effect of "squash-and-stretch." Stretch applies a scale effect along a specified stretch axis and an opposite scale along the two remaining minor axes

Symmetry

The Symmetry modifier is unique in that it allows you to perform three common modeling tasks:

Mirror a mesh about an X, Y, or Z plane. Slice a mesh, removing parts if necessary.

Automatically weld vertices along a common seam

Taper

The Taper modifier produces a tapered contour by scaling both ends of an object's geometry; one end is scaled up, and the other is scaled down. You can control the amount and curve of the taper on two sets of axes. You can also limit the taper to a section of the geometry

TurboSmooth

TurboSmooth Pro is a modifier plugin for 3ds Max which produces nice smooth semi-sharp creases on your models, unlike the ugly creases that the standard TurboSmooth produces. It also give you the ability to have linear UVs which in some cases can help in the texturing pipeline

Twist

The Twist modifier produces a twirling effect (like wringing out a wet rag) in an object's geometry. You can control the angle of the twist on any of three axes, and set a bias that compresses the twist effect relative to the pivot point. You can also limit the twist to a section of the geometry

Wave

The Wave modifier produces a wave effect in an object's geometry. You can use either of two waves, or combine them. Wave uses a standard gizmo and center, which you can transform to increase the possible wave effects