Page 42 - Kitab3DsMax

Preface

Other personality traits are gained by stretching in new directions. Max and its developers have accom-
plished this feat as well. Many of the new features are completely new, not only to Max, but also to the
industry. As Max grows up, it will continue to mature by adopting new features and inventing others. I
just hope Max doesn’t experience a midlife crisis in the next version.
Along with adopted features and new developments, the development teams at Autodesk have sought
feedback from Max users. This feedback has resulted in many small tweaks to the package that enable
scenes to be created more quickly and easily.
Some additional factors have appeared in Max’s house that certainly affect Max’s development. First is
the appearance of Max’s adopted brother, Maya. There are other siblings in the Autodesk household
(including MotionBuilder and AutoCAD), but Maya is closest in age to Max, and its personality likely
will rub off in different ways.
The second big factor is that Max has developed an alter ego that imagines it is a superhero. The 3ds Max
installation discs ship with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version overcomes the 2GB hard-
ware restriction and lets users work with huge datasets. This represents a huge leap forward in the scale
of models that you can work with. In time, I see Max assuming this superhero persona permanently.
Max also has a split personality with two different versions. The standard 3ds Max 2011 is intended for
the entertainment markets, and the new 3ds Max 2011 Design package is intended for visualization and
architecture users. The differences between these two versions are subtle, but I’m glad to report that
both versions are covered.

About This Book
Let me paint a picture of the writing process. It starts with years of experience, which are followed by
months of painstaking research. There were system crashes and personal catastrophes and the always-
present, ever-looming deadlines. I wrote into the early hours of the morning and during the late hours
of the night — burning the candle at both ends and in the middle all at the same time. It was grueling
and difficult, and spending all this time staring at the Max interface made me feel like . . . well . . . like
an animator.
Sound familiar? This process actually isn’t much different from what 3D artists, modelers, and animators
do on a daily basis, and, like you, I find satisfaction in the finished product.

Tutorials aplenty
I’ve always been a very visual learner — the easiest way for me to gain knowledge is by doing things for
myself while exploring at the same time. Other people learn by reading and comprehending ideas. In
this book, I’ve tried to present information in a number of ways to make the information usable for all
types of learners. That is why you see detailed discussions of the various features along with tutorials
that show these concepts in action.
The tutorials appear throughout the book and are clearly marked with the “Tutorial” label in front of the
title. They always include a series of logical steps, typically ending with a figure for you to study and
compare. These tutorial examples are provided on the book’s DVD to give you a firsthand look and a
chance to get some hands-on experience.

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