Product Description

This latest edition of Inside 3ds max is retooled to focus on the needs of the intermediate to professional user, based on continuing conversations with our target audience. This market is crying out for information that goes beyond the basic to provide guidance on how to make the most use of the program in real-world work situations. Inside 3ds Max 4 explores changes in the program as well as more advanced functionalities and how they can assist the professional user in enhancing efficiency or output. Inside 3ds max 4 is organized into units that mirror and actually step through the workflow of a 3D project. Moreover, where differences exist in the application of techniques between the broadcast/film and game/interactive applications, the authors present careful analysis to assist readers in making the right choices for their technical work. The CD-ROM includes all of the project files necessary to complete the projects as well as any plug-ins referred to in the text.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #992475 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-16
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 881 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
3ds max 4 has much to offer, and learning to use all of its features can be a daunting task. Inside 3ds max 4 describes in detail all of the new features as well as existing ones, making this book a powerful ally for the new and old Max user.

Out of nearly 900 pages, the first 150 are dedicated to describing what's new in the interface, modelling, materials, animation and rendering. These sections are designed to bring the experienced 3-D Studio Max v3.x user up to speed on what's new in version 4.

The remaining seven parts are project-oriented tutorials designed to teach new and old users how to make the most of 3ds max 4. Beginning with an introduction to project workflow and progressing through modelling, rigging, materials and texture mapping, animation, lighting and rendering, there is practically no feature of 3ds max 4 that isn't covered.

The author writes in a clear, confident style, and each chapter is well illustrated with screenshots and sidebars. Though it unfortunately doesn't come with a spiral binding, this is arguably one of the best books available for learning and using Max 4, and as such it is likely never to be relegated to the bookshelf. --Mike Caputo

From the Back Cover

Inside 3ds max 4 focuses on the information needs of intermediate to advanced professional users of the technology. It is NOT a book for beginners. As such, it does not cover basic functionalities. Rather, it explores changes in the program as well as more advanced functionalities and how they can assist the professional user in enhancing efficiency or output.

Inside 3ds max 4 is organized into units that mirror and actually step through the workflow of a 3D project. Moreover, where differences exist in the application of techniques between the broadcast/film and game/interactive applications, the authors present careful analysis to assist readers in making the right choices for their technical work.

About the Author

Kim Lee is a freelance animator/technical director based in New York City. A former senior animator at Curious Pictures, Kim has worked with many New York-based production houses, including Pitch Productions, Nick Digital, Spontaneous Combustion, and Shooting Gallery. He is also a freelance demo artist/trainer for Discreet, and is recognized as one of the top trainers for 3ds max and combustion. In his position as a leading Discreet Training Specialist, he has trained artists and instructors in both Europe and North America at companies as diverse as IBM, Electronic Arts, and MTV. He co-authored 3D Studio 2.5 Effects Magic (New Riders) and teaches part-time at the Pratt Institute's Continuing Education program. One of his passions is creating independent 3D shorts such as "Pool Tools," produced with Boris Ustaev, which was the demo reel signature piece for Discreet's booth at SIGGRAPH '99. He also owns Worlds Away Productions, a small boutique production company focused on broadcast and 3D Web content.

Brian Austin is co-founder, along with Boris Ustaev, of orisian, a production/funding studio based in New York City. Formerly an animator at Spontaneous Combustion, a New York-based digital studio specializing in creating visual effects and design for the advertising, broadcast, and film industries, Brian's animation talents have earned him a Grammy nomination, plus two Telly Awards. His icon/interface design can be found on Reuters risk management software. Before turning to the commercial world, Brian worked as a fine artist; he has been in many shows, including, most recently, PS1 Contemporary Arts Center (1999) and Exit Art (1997) in New York City. His artwork is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art and C.W. Post College. In 1996, he developed and organized a group installation and public symposium at the Nexus Contemporary Art Center in Atlanta. He has created Off-Broadway theatre sets and exhibition design. Brian holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the School of Visual Arts in New York, and studied architecture and animation at Pratt University, NYU, and Parsons School of Design.

Doug Barnard is presently employed at Illusion Inc. as an art director, designing the next generation of virtual-reality entertainment. In the evenings, he teaches 3ds max 4 at the DH Institute of Media Arts in Santa Monica, California. He has been a freelance digital artist/consultant for clients such as Sony Music, MCA, the Disney Channel, Krislin Entertainment, and Activision. At the bleeding edge of technology, he is an alpha/beta tester for Discreet's 3ds max, character studio, and combustion. His published writing credits include chapters in Inside 3D Studio MAX 2, 3, and 4 and chapters in Discreet's courseware for 3ds max 3 and 4 and character studio 2 and 3. He spends his off-hours scheming on ways to build a boat and cruise off to be a digital artist in paradise.

Neil Blevins has been an artist since approximately the age of three. However, he entered the 3D arena about six years ago using POVRRay, 3D Studio DOS, and finally max when it was first released. He is actively part of the 3D community, answering questions on the Discreet Web board (http://www.support.discreet.com), writing tutorials, and displaying art at his Web site (http://www.neilblevins.com). After graduating from Concordia University with a degree in Design Art, Neil started working at the all-powerful Blur Studio in Venice, California, making content for video games, film, and television (commercials and broadcast). He has recently expanded his areas of interest to include scripting. Visit http://www.blur.com/blurmaxscripts for close to 100 scripts available for free download.

Ian Christie is currently a senior technical director at Industrial Light & Magic, the largest and oldest

Customer Reviews

Don't bother getting 3ds max 4 if you don't get this book!
Just glancing through the book you might think that this is only for those folks using 3DS Max in production and not the hobbyist or small time game programmer. On the contrary, if you have a basic knowledge of 3DS Max (and I mean basic), this book will take you to the next level.

Most books will tell you what tools to use for a desired effect, this book tells you what tools and why those tools are chosen over others, believe me having this explained makes the world of difference! Learning how Max is used by teams and stuff just send shivers of excitement down me.

I was well impressed with this book and I consider myself a newbie to 3D modelling and animation, I think the biggest bonus was the project on 3D in game development.

This book is definately a must, and if you think you're not advanced enough and this book will be over your head then it's a definate reason to apply yourself a bit more, just to buy this book!

...it assumes that you don't need to learn from it...
I have been using 3ds Max for at work for quite a while and have learned a lot from other books, I thought this book was aimed at me, this book on the other hand is very hard going as it assumes that you don't need to learn from it, the tutorials are written along the lines of giving you practice with features that you already know intimately, while not actually wasting one line on why you are doing things one way as opposed to another, the way people really work with 3ds Max is down to personal preference because there are so many different ways to do almost anything, and being told to do something in a particular way especially when you are already conversant with the program, as the audience of this book have to be requires some explanation, not arrogantly to be told that this is the best way because this is my way. In short this book is written for the people who don't need it, if you need to learn you wont understand what it's banging on about.

Not for the faint hearted
I've been doing a 3ds course at college but found it very basic so I decided to consider myself as an intermediate user (running before walking), after working through the initial chapters of this book I noticed that the game production chapters are far easier than the broadcast film chapters so I decided to approach the book in an unorthodox way by jumping back and fourth between the game and film production chapters, this seems to work and now I'm progressing nicely. A very good book but some of the chapters can only be described as advanced, in the long run it's worth it but you wont get there too fast (which is proberbly best I think).