MilkShape 3D Menus

Click on the menu items to bring you to the corresponding help entry.

File

New

Creates a blank workspace. If the workspace is not empty then the user will be prompted to save changes or continue without saving.

Open...

Open an existing MS3D format file.

Save

Save the current workspace as an MS3D format file.

Save As...

Allows the user to specify a new filename under which to save the workspace contents.

Merge...

Merges two MS3D documents together, the current workspace and another workspace selected from file.

Import

Reveals a sub-menu that contains a range of popular 3D file formats as well as custom file formats, present from the use of importer plug-ins. This is the same as opening a standard file except the user has to specify the file format to import from.

Export

Reveals a sub-menu containing a range of popular 3D file formats as well as custom file formats, present from the use of exported plug-ins. This is the same as saving a standard file except the user has to specify the file format to export to.

Preferences

Shows the Preferences window. Allows setting of user definable application attributes and/or behavior.

Exit

Exits MilkShape 3D. The user will be prompted to save any unsaved changes.

Edit

Undo

Reverts the scene back to the state it was in before the last action was performed.

Redo

Reverts the scene back to the state it was in before the Undo action was performed.

Duplicate Selection

Creates a duplicate of all selected objects at the same location and selects the new duplicate.

Delete Selection

Deletes only those objects which are currently selected.

Delete All

Deletes all objects in the workspace wither selected or not.

Select All

Selects all objects in the workspace.

Select None

Turns off the selection of all objects in the workspace.

Select Invert

All objects that were selected are unselected and all unselected are selected.

Hide Selection

The selected object is hidden. This action can also be performed on groups from the Group Tab in the Tool Box.

Unhide All

All objects in the scene are shown. Useful when several objects are hidden and the user wants to show them again.

Vertex

Snap Together

Snaps all the selected vertices together. The position the vertices will lie at after snapping is the middle point between all selected vertices.

Snap To Grid

Moves all selected vertices to be in line with the smallest grid x, y and z position (to see the smallest grid positions, zoom right in).

Weld Together

Creates one vertex at a point were several one lay. Only selected vertices are welded together. This is the correct action to use when joining seams (two faces or more).

Unweld After selecting one (or more) vertices and choosing this option a vertex will be split into multiple vertices. The number of vertices it splits into depends on the number of faces it is bound to. So for example a vertex with three faces attatched will be split into 3 vertices. Whereas welding vertices smooths several polygons, unwelding un-smooths them.
Unweld Radial This option will perform the same action as Unweld but it will also move the unwelded vertices away from each other in a circular pattern. The vertices will receed from the origin at which they were unwelded by half the distance from the origin to the nearest edge.

Divide Edge

Upon performing this action with only two vertices selected, the faces that both vertices have in common (faces both vertices are joined to) are divided into two faces. The procedure will only work with two vertices selected. Vertices with no faces in common will cancel the effect of the action.

Flatten

Brings up a sub-menu allowing the user to align all selected vertices to the same point on either the x, y or z plane. This is similar to Snap Together but it works on only one axis instead of all three.

Mirror Front <--> Back

Mirrors the object currently selected along the z axis.

Mirror Left <--> Right

Mirrors the object currently selected along the x axis.

Mirror Top <--> Bottom

Mirrors the object currently selected along the y axis.

Spherify... Every selected vertex is moved around the boundaries of an imaginary sphere. A separate edit box allows the user to change the degree to which this occurs. Using this on a biped model for example, has the effect of fattening it.

Edit...

Allows the exact placement of one selected vertex with floating point accuracy in the x, y and z planes.

Face

Reverse Vertex Order

Changes the order of the vertex winding. This will turn a face inside or outside depending on its current vertex order. Anti-Clockwise vertex winding creates an outwards facing face. You can find an example of this operation in action by going here.

Subdivide 3

Divides all selected faces by three, creating three faces where one used to be.

Subdivide 4

Divides all selected faces by four, creating four faces where one used to be.

Turn Edge

This operation requires only two faces to be selected. The line that separates the triangles through the middle is changed to the opposing two vertices. An example of this operation can be found here.

Face To Front

Used on selected faces to change all vertex orders to Anti-Clockwise, outward facing vertex winding.

Smooth All

Used to smooth all faces after construction of parts of a model.

Animate

Operate On Selected Joints Only

 

Set Keyframe

This will store the set up of the skeleton to the keyframe that is in the keyframe number box. See Keyframer.

Delete Keyframe

Removes the stored skeleton set up from the keyframe indicated in the keyframe number box. This will set the skeleton set up for the frame to the neutral position.

Copy Keyframe

This will copy the skeleton set up from the desired frame as indicated in the keyframe number box. In order for the copy action to perform correctly the user must first select the skeleton in the keyframe to be copied from. The Animation Tutorial will explain these concepts further.

Paste Keyframe

This will paste the copied skeleton set up to the current keyframe indicated in the keyframe number box. After the keyframe has been pasted remember to set the keyframe straight after if you mean to preserve the skeleton set up.

Remove All Keyframes

This will remove all stored skeleton set ups at all keyframes in the animation timeline. The animation is essentially deleted.

Tools

...Miscellaneous Tools...

These tools are explained in the MilkShape 3D Tools Topic.

Convert Old MS3D File Format...

This option is used to open files from MilkShape 3D version 1.4.0 and earlier.

Show Model Statistics

This option brings up a statistics window showing very useful statistics like the number of faces in the scene. Refer to this often to help tune your model. See The Model Statistics Window.

...Miscellaneous Tools...

These tools are explained in the MilkShape 3D Tools Topic.

Window

Viewports

This menu option brings up a sub-menu that allows you to pick an alternative viewport layout. The four pane, three 2D views and one perspective view is the default.

Control Panel

This option refers to the Toolbox and allows the user to set wither it appears on the left or right of the main window. The default is on the right.

Texture Coordinate Editor

This is the indispensable editor for adjusting where textures appear on the model. The use of this editor is explained in the Applying a Texture Example.

Show Message Window

This option shows a script output window that holds the results of compiling various types of model for specific games. Its use is explained in the Compiling Game Models Tutorial.

Show Viewport Caption

This is an extremely handy option to have enabled. It shows details about the viewport it appears above. See Windows and Panels: Viewport Caption.

Show Keyframer

The Keyframer is the Animation Box along the bottom of the main window. It is used to keyframe positions of bones and joints in a skeleton for animation. The Keyframer is discussed in greater detail in the Animation Tutorial.

Help

Contents...

Displays the contents section of this help file.

Index...

Displays the index section of this help file.

Search...

Displays the search section of this help file.

About...

This shows the about window. On it is displayed information about the computer it is running on and the credits relating to the development of the program. If is also from this window that registration is carried out.