How to make a pyramid-like shape

[cogeo]

This may sound basic, but I have trouble making a simple pyramidal shape!

I attempted making a box with 2x2 segments and moving the middle vertex upwards, but this doesn't work well because the middle vertex connects to 6 other vertices, ie two of the four corners and the four vertices in the middle of each side. I would prefer it connecting to the four corners. Or there is some special technique?

Any help would be highly appreciated.

[Diggis]

Are you using GMAX?  Max9 has a pyrimad option. 

However, another option is to rotate your box 45 degrees and move the corners in so the centre of each edge become the corner and the corner of each edge becomes the centre. Thats how I did it, before I realised there was a pyramid tool.

[cogeo]

Thanks for the quick relpy Diggis!
However this creates a triangular pyramid, I want a pyramid with a sqaure (or rectangular) base, ie four sides. Or I didn't understand well?

I'm using gmax. I had an evaluation version of 3DSMax but it's now expired.

Another way please?

[Diggis]

Yes, create your 4 sided box.  Rotate 45 degrees.

convert to poly and edit verticies:


Move the 4 corners so they sit in between what were the 4 centre pieces:




Drag the centre piece up:


Make sure to select all faces and clear all the smoothing groups otherwise you will get some weird shading issues.

[cogeo]

Thanks again Diggis! Now I see what you meant!

OK, played a little with gmax and found two other ways:

1. GeoSphere shape:
- Uncheck the Smooth option
- Select the Octa and Hemisphere options

2. Cylinder shape:
- Uncheck the Smooth option
- Set sides to 4
- Select all vertices at the top cap, and shrink the (selected) vertices many times until they converge (or type-in 0% scale). Then weld.

In both cases you then need to move the vertices individually, to get the precise dimensions.

But is there some "standard" way?

[Diggis]

OK, make a cone with 4 sides making sure the smooth option is unchecked. 

Sorry, I had to get Freedo to check that the option was available in GMAX.  Actually, it was his idea, but I'll take the credit. 

[SimFox]

Probably the quickest and easiest way to make a pyramid (also most flexible) in any package is to:
1. make a box of desired proportions,
2. convert it to editable Poly,
3. select Top (or any other) set of vertecies and collapse them.

[Diggis]

8 ways to do the same thing. 

[SimFox]

that's a 3D for you! It is like language.
limited number of sounds combined into enormous number of words many of which has multiple meanings...