Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Tip: Using Alt+Middle Mouse button
Use Alt+Middle Mouse (pressing the mouse wheel down)
to rotate around your viewport. Using this in conjunction
with the mouse wheel to zoom and pan around your
scene lets you maneuver between viewports with just two
buttons. Nifty, isn't it? It was designed this way to give you
complete and quick access to maneuver around your
scene. This alone will increase your workflow an amazing
amount.
After you are comfortable with rotating around in your view,
try using combinations of moves. Rotate around for a second
and then pan to the right. Then zoom in and out. Then rotate
your view again. Being able to quickly navigate your scene is
something that will come with time. You do have to make an
effort, however. Try to use the mouse wheel as often as possi-
ble instead of manually going to the viewport navigation tools
every time you want to change functions. You will also find in
time that you may want to create hotkeys for some of these
functions in order to improve your workflow.
Tip: Adjusting your viewport quickly
A perfect exercise to practice moving your viewport
around is rotating the viewport and then panning it off of
the center of the grid so you're no longer looking at the
center of the grid. Rotate the viewport up so you're
looking nearly straight down on the grid. Now pan over
and center the middle of the grid in your viewport. Then
rotate down 90 degrees so you are looking at the grid
system from the side (it should look like a line). Pan the
camera so that the grid is centered in your viewport
again. Now rotate around. You should be fully rotating
around the center of the grid. You can do this with any
object in your scene. If you rotate the camera to the top,
center the object, rotate to the side, and center the object
again, you'll be rotating around that object. With practice,
you will become very quick at moving around the scene
this way. A video can be found at http://www.word-
ware.com/files/3dsmax2008/.
