3D Studio MAX 3 Fundamentals

About

Features

• Designed to be the perfect starting point for those with little or no experience using MAX.

• Step-by-step exercises get you using MAX 3 in a practical, professional way.

• Designed to take even those unfamiliar with the MAX interface over the learning threshold and have them modeling, texturing, and rendering within days.

• Learn from hands-on practice with the major modeling tools of MAX 3 including NURBS, NURMS, patches, IK, and bones.

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Description

• Copyright 1999
• Edition: 1st

• Book
• ISBN-10: 0-7357-0049-4
• ISBN-13: 978-0-7357-0049-9

Whether you are new to 3D Studio MAX, upgrading from a previous release, or moving from 2D to 3D design, 3D Studio MAX X Fundamentals has everything you need to get up to speed quickly and easily. With fully illustrated examples, easy-to-follow exercises, time saving tips, and helpful notes, you'll learn how to build fundamental objects, create realistic textures, light a scene, place cameras, render basic animation, and more. This hands-on guide also explains complex 3D design concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand language to give you a solid foundation in the basics.

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Sample Content

Table of Contents

I. OVERVIEW OF 3D GRAPHICS AND 3D STUDIO MAX.

1. D Graphics and Animation Fundamentals.

Defining 3D Graphics. Moving from 2D to 3D Graphics. Principles of 3D Computer Graphics in 3D Studio MAX. Understanding 3D Space. Coordinates. Axes. Lines, Polylines, and Polygons. 3D Objects. Understanding Viewpoints and Viewports. Understanding Display Modes. Coordinate Systems. Coordinate Systems and Rotation. Lights. Cameras. Rendering. Animation. Conclusion.

2. Touring the 3D Studio MAX 3 Interface.

The MAX 3 Interface. Working with Files. File Properties. Merging Files. Replacing Files. Importing Files. Working with XRefs. XRef Objects. XRef Scenes. Working with Viewports. Configuring Viewports. Working with the Viewport Controls. Selecting Commands. Command Panels. Keyboard Shortcuts. Floating Command Palettes. Customizing the MAX Interface. Working with Floating Toolbars. Using the Tab Panel. Loading and Saving Custom UIs. Working with Units, Snaps, and Other Drawing Aids. Controlling the Display of Objects. Hiding Objects. Freezing Objects. Object Naming. Working with Groups. Working with Object Selection. Selecting by Object. Selecting by Region. Selecting by Name. Selecting by Color. Selection Sets. Bringing It All Together. Modeling the Letters. Using the Asset Manager. Conclusion.

II. MODELING FUNDAMENTALS.

3. Understanding Modeling Concepts.

Choosing a Modeling Approach. Spline Modeling. Vertex Controls. Segments and Steps. Shapes. Mesh, or Polygonal, Modeling. Mesh Sub-Objects. Elements. Segments. Parametric Modeling. Patch Modeling. Patch Sub-Objects. Segments. NURBS Modeling. NURBS Curves. Independent and Dependent NURBS Objects. NURBS Surfaces. Working with Object Properties. Object Information. Rendering Control. Motion Blur. Display Properties. Conclusion.

4. Working with Objects.

Moving, Scaling, and Rotating Objects. Using the Transform Gizmo. Working with Coordinate Systems. Controlling the Transform Center. Working with the Transform Type-In Dialog Box. Copying (Cloning) Objects. Working with Align, Array, and Mirror. Working with Align. Working with Array. Working with Mirror. Working with the Spacing Tool. Conclusion.

5. Mesh Modeling Fundamentals.

Spline Modeling. Creating Splines. Editing Splines. Editing Splines at the Object Level. Editing Splines at the Vertex Level. Editing Splines at the Segment Level. Editing Splines at the Spline Level. Creating Primitives. Using AutoGrid to Create Primitives. Working with Editable Mesh. Working with Vertices. Working with Edges. Working with Faces and Polygons. Working with Elements. Conclusion.

6. Mesh Modeling Tools.

Working with Modifiers. Applying Modifiers to Objects and Sub- Objects. Using a Modifier Gizmo. Using the Stack. Understanding the MAX 3 Geometry Pipeline. Working with the Stack. Creating 3D Objects from Splines. Extruding Splines. Lathing Splines. Advanced Mesh Modeling. Applying MeshSmooth Modeling. Working with Compound Objects. Conclusion.

7. Patch Modeling Methods.

Understanding Patch Modeling. Converting Objects to Patches. Patch Output from Lofts. Working with Editable Patch. Object-Level Patch Editing. Working with Vertices. Working with Edges. Working with Patch Sub- Objects. Working with Surface Tools. Generating Patches by Using Surface. Conclusion.

8. Exploring NURBS.

Overview of the NURBS System in MAX. Creating NURBS Curves. Point Curves Versus CV Curves. Creating Basic NURBS Surfaces. Editing NURBS Objects. NURBS Point Commands. NURBS Curve Commands. NURBS Surface Commands. Editing NURBS Sub-Objects. Editing Points. Trimming NURBS Surfaces. Render Time Considerations. Using Surface Approximation Controls. Conclusion.

9. Working with Particle Systems.

Uses for Particles. Types of Particle Systems. Working with Particle Systems. Adjusting the Parameters. Particle Systems in Depth. Controlling Particles. Using Space Warps. Other Particle Features. Conclusion.

III. SCENE COMPOSITION FUNDAMENTALS.

10. Understanding Composition Concepts.

Understanding Cameras. Lens Length and Field of Vision (FOV). Focus and Aperture. Camera Movement. Clipping Planes and Targets. Understanding Light. Types of Lights. Lighting Controls and Effects. Understanding Materials. Working with Color s. Material Colors. Shading Models. Material Properties. Using Mapped Materials. Conclusion.

11. Working with Lights and Cameras.

Creating a Camera. Creating a Camera View. Working with Camera Parameters. Working with Lights. Controlling Ambient Lighting. Creating Lights. Setting the Light Color. Light Includes and Excludes. Light Attenuation. Hotspot and Falloff Controls. Working with Shadows. Special- Purpose Lighting. Atmospheric Options. Working with Lighting Utilities. Light Lister. Light Include/Exclude. Conclusion.

12. Fundamentals of Materials.

Working with the Material Editor. Manipulating the Previews. Loading Materials. Assigning Materials to Objects. Working with Material Libraries. Understanding Material Types. Creating a Standard Material. Working with Basic Material Parameters. Conclusion.

13. More on Materials.

Working with Maps in the Material Editor. Creating a Mapped Material. Understanding Mapping Controls. Mapping Coordinate Types. Applying the UVW Map Modifier. Working with Mapping Coordinates at a Material Level. Using Procedural Maps. Using Raytraced Materials. Tips on Building Convincing Materials. Conclusion.

14. Rendering.

Rendering a Scene. Rendering Controls. Image Size. Rendering Options. Render Output. MAX Rendering Engine Options. Dealing with Anti- Aliasing. Working with the Virtual Frame Buffer. Virtual Frame Buffer Tools. Zooming and Panning the Virtual Frame Buffer. Rendering for Animations. Motion Blur. Field Rendering. Working with Environments. Volumetric Fog. Fog. Combustion. Environment Maps. Perspective Matching. Conclusion.

IV. ANIMATION FUNDAMENTALS.

15. Understanding Animation Concepts.

What Can Be Animated in MAX. Animation Fundamentals. Understanding Controllers. Understanding Time in Computer Animation. Advanced Animation Topics. Trajectories. Ghosting. Pivot Points. Links and Chains. Forward Kinematics. Inverse Kinematics. Skeletal Deformation. Morphing. Space Warps. Character Animation. Motion Blur. Soft and Hard Body Dynamics. Conclusion.

16. Exploring Basic Animation Methods.

Configuring Time in MAX. Setting the Frame Rate. Setting the Time Display. Changing the Playback Options. Changing and Rescaling Animation Time. Changing the Key Steps Options. Using the Time Controls. Previewing Animations. Creating a Keyframed Animation. Understanding Trajectories. Introduction to Track View. Opening Track View. The Hierarchy Tree and Edit Windows. Making Basic Adjustments to Keys. Working with Function Curves. Working with Controllers. Assigning Controllers. Key-Bas ed Controllers. Procedural Controllers. Compound Controllers. Using Advanced Track View Controls. Filters. Adding Visibility Tracks. Out-of-Range Types. Copying and Pasting Time. Copying and Pasting in the Hierarchy Tree Window. Pulling It All Together. Conclusion.

17. Exploring Other Animation Methods.

Creating Object Hierarchies. Adjusting Object Pivot Points. Controlling Child Inheritance. Using Inverse Kinematics. Using the Bones System. Creating Skeletal Deformations. Using the Skin Modifier. Using Flex. Using Space Warps. Geometric/Deformable and Modifier-Based Space Warps. Animating with Morphs. Animating with Rigid-Body Dynamics. Specifying Objects in a Dynamic Simulation. Specifying Dynamics Properties for Objects. Assigning Object Effects and Object Collisions. Solving the Dynamic Simulation. Conclusion.

18. Exploring Post Processing Techniques.

Post Processing. What Is the Video Post? Working with Video Post. The Video Post Queue. The Video Post Timeline. Working with Image Filters. Working with Compositors. Working with Lens Effects (Video Post). Lens Flares. Glows. Working with Render Effects. Conclusion.

19. A Brief Introduction to MAXScript.

What is a MAXScript? Loading and Running Scripts. The MAXScript Listener. Using the MAXScript MacroRecorder.

Conclusion.
Glossary.

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