That's a great explanation, but the only thing i can't figure out is with the last screenie. I can kinda wing the bottom center extrusions, but the vent rows confuse me. How did you get them all straight like that? The only thing i can think of is to have the original box with alot of edge loops. Maybe it's different with 3DS Max but the way i figure, you'd have just a few edges on the object, do your initial stuff, then go back to the base object's properties and just throw in more edge loops to create the filter sheets. Sounds about right?

Sounds simple enough... i'll have to check it out for myself once i get home. Just FYI: If you guys want to emulate shattered glass without it breaking, just add vertices onto a poly face a few times and it looks like someone took a bat to a windsheild poly face.

Oh, would it also be simple enough to just use inset a bunch of times, connect all the edges across and delete the vertical ones? Or will that glitch up? Oarg The struggle of noobies. 

cool then. i'll do some detail work on my grendel model tomorrow and we'll see if i get some nice results or not. :] the force is in a recession these days >_>

All of us here started somewhere and I guarantee that all of us had a mentor here and there to help us along.

Anytime you guys have questions about tech modeling or anything I'm sure we can give you some answers here and if we don't have them i'm sure we can get the answers for you.

That's not to say post questions like..."how do i make a box?" or "help me be l33t at modelz!" but real question we will do our best to help out.

I could ask a question to those who habitually use 3DS Max? I noticed that all models mech that you made based on a plan colorless (where you can see the shadows produced by the models) with no horizon, I wondered how it was possible to set it in 3DS Max ... I tried in some option rendering but have not found anything.

As Whiplash said its a built in basic light source in 3DsMax, no "real" shadow or light bounces can be accomplished by that alone.

... a few basic text on the subject of setting up light sources, etc. ...
http://www.3dxtra.cygad.net/search/1.htm?sort=score&term=light&ext=lk_tut
http://www.expertrating.com/courseware/3DCourse/3D-Lights-1.asp
http://www.cgtutorials.com/c14/Lighting/newest/
http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/tutorials/tutorials.html
http://www.3dmax-pack.com/category/Lighting/

But above all, play with 3Ds and its diferent ways of creating both lights and atmospherics is the best way to obtain a solid understanding for the ware and it´s possibilities. And yes you might sometimes stare blank at the screen for several hours not understanding a thing, but it´ll come eventually.

NP mate!
Also try to play with setting a SkyLight and render in Atmospheric settings instead, but it tends to create artifacts if it is adjusted too low, and a longer rendering time during tests, but it gives a more appealing finish!

what do you mean by "fund the program" is it "run the program", then I´ll have to say that using any 3D ware, or other for that matter, takes time to master, and a tiny dedication from you must be appleid, else you´ll start from (nearly) the same spot each time you use the ware! And only slowly feel a progress! This is actually important for you, that its your own self-dicipline that determins how far you can get/reach with a given software, especially without a tutor supporting you.

[Edit: Look at the masters of MWLL´s own finds for resources on modeling tutorials too here for starting using 3Ds Max]

Here is a site that has been a massive help to me when I wanted to start modeling. Most of the tutorials are free and easy to follow.
http://www.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/sv_home.php