First of all I want to start by saying, "THANK YOU!!!" for making this tutorial. I know it must taken a lot of hard work. I've been looking for something like this FOREVER. It seems that tutorials covering gothic/medieval architecture are all but non-existent anymore. So once again, thank you!
HOWEVER there are some issues I would like to address. First off is the low hum in your recording. I have been able to remove it use Audacity and a High Pass filter, but this is something you should deal with on your end. I HIGHLY RECOMMED you purchase and use a headset mic, plugged into your mic input. I can vouch for the quality of Logitech as this is what I use, but I'll bet thee are a few other high quality brands out there. Use any Noise Reduction and Amplification settings you have available, and try not to be sitting next to anything which is extremely loud when you are recording. If your computer sounds like a Boeing 747 then you should probably move it somewhere away from the range of your recording. But the combination of a good soundcard and headset will be the most help. I got my Logitech headset with UT 2004 Collector's Edition. It provides awesomely clear recordings with little or no background noise. If you're trying my tutorials you will hear that puppy in action! The main thing to remember is to listen to your work when you are finished. If there is excessive noise then you should scrap the recording, and do it over. If you can follow along with it and understand what the speaker is saying without trouble THEN your tutorial is ready for release.
Of next most importance is your instructions. There were some times I couldn't even follow your mouse cursor, and other times you were using shortcuts which you did not announce. You should always prepare for the n00b modeler. Take a few seconds to pause on each button and setting you use. If you use a shortcut, say the key combinations each time. Basically if someone brand new to Max can follow your tutorial and make what you're telling them to make then you have done your job. Your aim may be for a more advanced audience, but your instructions should always be crystal clear, easy to follow, and easy to understand irregardless.
Finally I have some modeling advice for when you did the crenellations on the tower. Hopefully I have attached a kind of storyboard picture that shows an easy way to meet things together - much easier than what you used for the top of your tower. It may not be the most ideal style for a medieval castle but I slopped it together just to illustrate my point, and I hope it's clear. Basically you just have to make some small mental calculations. In my example I have wall segments that are 32 units (I have the grid at 16 and 8 respectively) in depth. So I know that I need to pull the top, outmost vertices on each end out 32 units, and the ones in the middle 16. Delete unwanted faces, weld, and Walla! You're done!
That covers everything or now. I will be back with more feedback as I continue through the tutorials.
- Deathbliss