Trying to get the hang of Nvil, need help.

Hello, first post and looking forward to meeting you all!

I have been 3D modelling since i was 13 (15 years now), started using Milkshape way back when and
then upgraded to 3D Studio Max (which does not work on Windows 8 now, hence why i'm trying to move
to Nvil).

I'm having some troubles learning this program, mainly:
-The interface and getting around it/where to go to use certain tools.
-Can't select backfaces when i want to (IE: drag select polygons/verts and its only selecting the
front ones)

I'm not a huge hotkey guy (unless manipulating the camera around a model) and i'm used to clicking
buttons in Max.

I've tried downloading user settings but they don't seem to be changing much of the menu (if at all).

Anyone here able to throw me a bone?

Hi Redmond and welcome to the world of NVil.
You'll find a good compilation of useful links in this thread: http://voidworld.cmcproductions.co.uk/index.php/topic,2178.0.html
There's also the manual, which I read when I was beginning my adventure with NVil. It doesn't contain everything and might not be up to date, but it's a good place to start.

About selecting backfaces, try dragging with a middle mouse button. It's a raycast selection. I'm not sure if it's MMB in factory settings though.

The interface and getting around it/where to go to use certain tools.

NVil is very customisable UI-wise. You can work with standard toolbars (3DS-like), hot-windows (that temporarily appear on key-stroke), radial menus (Maya-like), standard tools (called by hotkeys), streamline tools (Swiss army-knife - very powerful, I love it! Basically you can have multiple tools under one hotkey; depending on which component mode you are at, and what mouse button you press or not, or for how long you keep the hotkey pressed, etc., a different tool can be invoked), composite tools (sequences of customizable tools).
That said, I think it would be easier if you asked some more specific questions about UI and its customization as you dive deeper and deeper into NVil.

I came here as a Silo and Maya user, and at first I found NVil's UI to be very confusing and not quite to my liking. But because the program is so customizable, letting you change pretty much everything UI-wise, and is loaded with cool modelling features, it eventually became the main modelling software in my pipeline, at least for work that is not insanely complex.

For me, the best way of learning NVil, was doing a sequence of simple projects. I removed all tool hotkeys (from Customize->Tools), User-Streamline Tools and Radial Menus and re-added/recreated all of them as I was moving forward with my work. It took several weeks to customize the UI, but it was well worth it.

I just want to be able to model like i could in 3DS Max, the tools/interface is pretty confusing for me (makes me feel like i'm too old to learn new software LOL).

I basically would like to do/have access to the following (easily):

-Extrude, Bevel, weld, connect, inset, bridge, chamfer, etc
-Ring/Loop select (grow and reduce), Edge/Polygon/Vertice/Element select, etc

Hi redmond,

I basically would like to do/have access to the following (easily):

-Extrude, Bevel, weld, connect, inset, bridge, chamfer, etc
-Ring/Loop select (grow and reduce), Edge/Polygon/Vertice/Element select, etc

On default layout, all those tools (apart from connect) are in the "Visual Tools" window (right hand side of layout). If you have closed that window at some time, go to "View > Windows > and enable "Visual Tool Window".
There are icons on the top of that window for changing selection mode(by default those icons are also at the bottom of the view-ports). The list of tools in the "Visual tools" are context sensitive, so will change when you change the selection mode.

Hi redmond,

I'm not a huge hotkey guy (unless manipulating the camera around a model) and i'm used to clicking buttons in Max.

I prefer buttons. It is possible to create "user windows" with groups of "user buttons".

I've tried downloading user settings but they don't seem to be changing much of the menu (if at all).

The user settings you downloaded may be user windows, with user buttons. If you have placed the downloaded files in the correct place, those user windows can be found and enabled in "View > Windows > User Tools Window >"

I'll have to take a look at making my own user windows then i guess!

Thanks for all the help

*edit*

Looked through the user window customization, pretty damn cool, but my god, i'll be at this for a while!
I was hoping someone already went through this