1 Dec, 2006
Autodesk 3ds Max is a capable and powerful tool for 3D animation, rendering and modeling. Though targeted primarily at digital content creation for film and games, it remains popular for photorealistic rendering of architectural and product designs. An application with as much depth as 3ds Max is well beyond the scope of this review, but a few features in this new release stand out.
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By: Ron LaFon3D animation, rendering and modeling software.
Autodesk 3ds Max is a capable and powerful tool for 3D animation, rendering and modeling. Though targeted primarily at digital content creation for film and games, it remains popular for photorealistic rendering of architectural and product designs. An application with as much depth as 3ds Max is well beyond the scope of this review, but a few features in this new release stand out.
Autodesk 3ds Max 9 |
The new animation layer system in 3ds Max 9 allows animation information to be layered on top of the initial keyed track—like an extension of the old list controller but with more features and depth. This ability offers lots of potential to those who create animated sequences.
The hair subsystem now allows all combining and styling to be done within 3ds Max viewports, as opposed to using an outside module as in previous versions. Adding collision objects causes hair to fit to the body or clothing more realistically. The ability to see more information in the 3ds Max 9 viewport without having to render can save lots of time. You can also use all types of light on hair in 3ds Max 9, unlike previous releases that required specific hair lights.
New features in the cloth subsystem include a new way to tailor clothing within 3ds Max and new cling properties that fit clothing more realistically, as if it were wet or being held to the model via static electricity.
This release implements many new mental ray features (now at v.3.5, and easier and faster to use). Predefined quality-level presets help give a better idea of how the final rendered version will appear. Users receive feedback earlier in the rendering process so if they're not satisfied with the render, they can quickly cancel it and make the necessary changes before restarting the rendering process. Other enhancements in the new mental ray are targeted toward visualizing architectural spaces.
In 3ds Max 9, I found core-level performance improvements in several areas that provide better overall performance and a cleaner workflow. For larger and/or more complex models, the 64-bit version speeds through tasks much faster because of better use of and access to more system memory. The Autodesk 3ds Max 9 interface displays mental ray shaders. Image provided by Eyeball NYC. |
If you depend on any third-party plug-ins to accomplish your 3ds Max work, note that all plug-ins must be recompiled to work with this new release. As I write this, updated plug-ins are scarce, but they should begin to appear within the next couple of months. Scripts from previous releases work with 3ds Max 9, so that's a bit of good news. Autodesk 3ds Max 9 comes with no printed manuals whatsoever, nor does it include a specific customization guide. The installation DVD contains electronic versions of the manuals in PDF format, with printing enabled so you can print specific sections or pages that you need.
I tested Autodesk 3ds Max 9 with the MAXBench4 benchmark that Cadalyst uses for testing work-stations and found that it runs without any problems. NVIDIA has released a DirectX version of its MAXtreme accelerated driver, noting that the shaders in 3ds Max 9 are designed for DirectX. I'm currently evaluating our benchmark testing series in light of this information.
System requirements for 3ds Max 9 include Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 or higher (recommended) or Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4 installed. The 64-bit version requires Windows XP Professional x64. You'll also need Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher and DirectX 9.0c (required) and possibly OpenGL (optional).
Minimum hardware requirements for the 32-bit version are an Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon XP or higher processor, at least 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended) and 500MB of swap space (2GB recommended). 3ds Max supports both hardware-accelerated OpenGL and Direct3D. A Windows-compliant pointing device and a DVD-ROM drive are also required. 3ds Max 9 is optimized for the Microsoft IntelliMouse.
The 64-bit version of 3ds Max 9 needs at least an Intel EM64T, AMD Athlon 64 or higher or an AMD Opteron processor, along with at least 1GB of RAM (4GB recommended) and 500MB of swap space (2GB recommended).
Pricing for the stand-alone version of 3ds Max is unchanged at $3,495, with network pricing available at $3,995. International pricing may vary. You can download a free 30-day trial of the 32-bit version from www.autodesk.com/3dsMax-trial after completing an online form.
As with any release of 3ds Max, users will find features and capabilities that are really useful, and some that are more of an annoyance. Though this release of 3ds Max is significant, the depth of the changes leave some areas feeling as if Autodesk rushed the release a bit. I wouldn't be surprised to see a service pack release in the not-too-distant future.
View the discussion thread.
64-Bit Performance and Productivity, Plus New Tools and a Mental Ray Upgrade
With the recent additions of Maya and MotionBuilder to its lineup, Autodesk joins the pantheon of software giants leading the VFX and animation industry. However, with such a lofty perch come some high expectations from both large and small studios. If the recent release of 3ds Max 9 (and Maya 8) is indicative of the quality, innovation and performance Autodesk users can expect, then the future seems bright.
3ds Max 9 is now ready for the latest 64-bit technology, which means users can benefit from greater memory access. In ideal situations, this also means greatly accelerated performance. The advantages of 64-bit technology become most obvious when working with very large datasets or complex animation. In other words, those working with tens of millions of polygons are most likely to notice a difference.
Autodesk has addressed viewport display issues with significant optimizations to DirectX which, unlike the 64-bit update, are immediately apparent. The company has not only considerably improved vertex and edge display, bounding box and spline display and new hidden-line display debuts, but also promises faster interaction. If you prefer OpenGL, though, you’re out of luck- the speedy benefits work only with DirectX. Bitmap Proxy is another notable step up- it swaps high-res images for low-res proxies, increasing display speed and improving overall performance.
3ds Max has matured as a favorite animation solution, and version 9 reinforces that trend with layered animation and better character tools. Similar in concept to display layers, animation layers organize animation data so users can have quick access to different types of animation. You can create additional layers by allowing the organization of custom animation types. This is a real time-saver and, by far, one of the best new tools in this release.
![Autodesk 3ds Max 9 Autodesk 3ds Max 9](http://i0.wp.com/www.programasvirtualespc.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Autodesk.jpg?fit=1920%2C912)
Autodesk has tweaked Character Studio, which began shipping as part of 3ds Max in version 7, so it will deliver better biped control. New separate tracks for fingers and toes give animators additional controls that aid in the production of more natural animation. Biped’s new key flexibility allows keys to move past each other and create negative frames. Biped also features improved rig controls and an indispensable new history feature.
When it comes to modeling, 3ds Max is admittedly one of the best modelers available, though not necessarily one of the most intuitive. Thankfully, I noticed marked improvements with faster Soft Selection. Also, I noticed quicker sub-object editing when working with heavy models. Booleans are a hit and miss proposition at best, but ProBooleans improve the odds by predictably producing quality meshes. ProCutter is a cool addition for breaking up models- particularly in explosions, or, conversely, for animating pieces coming back together. The possibilities are endless.
The Hair module, which debuted in version 8, is now part of the 3ds Max interface, thus hair can be 'styled' with standard selection tools. Fortunately, Autodesk has improved the overall quality of the hair display and rendering time. Rounding out the modeling enhancements is improved cloth tailoring, which lets users edit without resorting to modeling, and paint deformation, which is now actually worthwhile.
Though Autodesk has generously improved 3ds Max’s modeling toolset, it still lacks some sophisticated tools, such as advanced edge modeling found in other applications. Criticism aside, with 3ds Max it is possible to model anything you can imagine.
Rendering in 3ds Max 9 is also better, thanks to an update to mental ray 3.5. Now, you can choose from a slew of new shaders. Some of these include a new car paint shader and a set labeled 'Architectural and Design Shaders' aimed at architectural visualization (they can actually be used for any purpose). The mental ray shaders feature some great time savers, such as Ambient Occlusion, which simulates GI, and simulated rounded or beveled corners.
In addition to new shaders, the mental ray interface has been significantly simplified. Specifically, you can now monitor the Final Gather dialog box during rendering so you can more quickly respond to problems. I was really impressed with the new mental ray support for 3ds Max’s Sun and Sky system- it produced fantastic results with less effort. Also, the normally time-consuming GI options have been consolidated into one indirect lighting model, permitting faster production.
Overall, the focal improvements in 3ds Max 9 are performance enhancements and 64-bit compatibility. And these alone are worth the upgrade price. But if you also throw in better animation and modeling, an update to Mental Ray 3.5 and improvements to the pipeline, asset management and file compatibility, you can’t go wrong with 3ds Max 9.
Software: 32-bit operating system requirements: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2 or higher recommended) or Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (Service Pack 4)
64-bit operating system requirements: Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64
Web browser requirements: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher
Supplemental software requirements: DirectX 9.0c (required), OpenGL (optional)
64-bit operating system requirements: Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64
Web browser requirements: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher
Supplemental software requirements: DirectX 9.0c (required), OpenGL (optional)
Hardware: 32-bit version minimum requirements: Intel Pentium IV or AMD Athlon XP or higher processor, 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended), 500 MB swap space (2 GB recommended), hardware-accelerated OpenGL and Direct3D support, Microsoft Windows-compliant pointing device (optimized for Microsoft IntelliMouse), DVD-ROM drive
![Autodesk Autodesk](http://s41.radikal.ru/i091/1103/26/b84bb08c25ae.jpg)
64-bit version minimum requirements: Intel EM64T, AMD Athlon 64 or higher, AMD Opteron processor; 1 GB RAM (4 GB recommended); 500 MB swap space (2 GB recommended); hardware-accelerated OpenGL and Direct3D support; Microsoft Windows-compliant pointing device (optimized for Microsoft IntelliMouse); DVD-ROM drive