Katana feedback? Thread

Hi all built a simple katana in 3ds Max, wondering how to improve the lighting.

But it just feels like I did it wrong so anyone got any ideas? also not textured it yet because trying to get shape right but plus even tried using the raytracing but it just seem to be showing something similar to the picture above. Oh, tried switching between 2010, 2011 but 2011 is glitchy so be using 2010 more.

Looks like a Bokken (Wooden sword).

You need to skin/normal map it and then it will look fine.

it doesnt look sharp at all... try adding different smoothing group on the blade rather than smoothing everything in the same group

Some hard edges / smoothing groups should go quite a ways towards giving the blade the groove and making it look more like it has an edge. Some wrapping on the handle would also make it look less like a bokken.

Edit: Too slow, curse you cas

Edited by: Cryrid

Can we see the wireframe? Might give some of us a better idea on what to critique.

^ like he said, use hard edges for the blade, also lighting would help alot, iirc the default camera and lighting isn't the greatest, been 6 years since i've last used 3ds max for modeling, try placing it in the box(make sure the face normals are facing inward) toss in a light, add a simple texture to your box and maybe better texture to show off katana. Even good models can look bad if not set up right for rendering.

Also in the future is you are gonna show work to other modelers please show your mesh as well. Letting us see the cage allows for us to see topology

You should provide us with larger images for starters - that one is quite small.
Also, wireframe pics and a pic of the UV-layout
And if you have no plan to make a normal map for it then at least you need to add hard edges here and there. And if you don't have a specular map then you should probably do one as well. Metal without specularity often look like plastic - or rock.