Product Description

∗ Shows beginning users how to create an exciting animation their very first day with 3ds max, the world′s most popular animation modeling and rendering software for film, television, games, and design visualization
∗ 3ds max is used to create high–profile animations for feature films such as X–Men 2, Minority Report, and Tomb Raider, and in the creation of popular games such as Dungeon Siege, Spiderman, Command and Conquer: Renegade, and Grand Theft Auto
∗ More than 150 tutorials give readers valuable hands–on experience under the expert guidance of 3ds max master Kelly Murdock
∗ A valuable CD–ROM will include a demo version of the new 3ds max release, tutorial files, 3D models, bonus plug–ins, and more
∗ A sixteen–page, full–color insert shows how contributing artists are taking max to the next level

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #528049 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1294 pages

From the Back Cover
"Kelly’s new book indeed deserves to be called a Bible. Its comprehensiveness and level of detail are quite remarkable."
–Chris Ford, Director of Product Management, 3D Animation, Discreet/Autodesk

If 3ds max^TM 6 can do it, you can do it too...

Whether this is your first introduction to "Max" or you’ve been eagerly awaiting the newest version, you’ll find everything you need in these pages. If your fingers are tingling to actually create something now, the Quick Start project in Part 1 is made for you. If you can’t wait to check out the new features, start exploring detailed coverage of the Particle Flow interface, architectural objects and materials, Shockwave 3D Export, improved VertexPaint features, and more. All the details are here.

Inside, you’ll find complete coverage of 3ds max^TM 6

• Examine BlobMesh and other new modeling features, and work with compound objects like Lofts and Morphs
• Learn to use the Particle Flow interface to control complex interactions between particles
• Delve into character creation, including bone systems, skin, rigging, and character modeling
• Discover how the new reactor 2 works to create realistic physics–based animation sequences
• Assign the new mental ray rendering engine to render scenes using custom shaders, caustic photons, and other new features
• Explore focused chapters on using 3ds max 6 in game development, architectural visualization, and special effects
• Study the work of top 3ds max professionals in the 16–page color sample section
• Set up network rendering to help you render scenes in a fraction of the time
• Learn to access Mapping Channels in the Channel Info editor

TWO BONUS CD–ROMS

• Demo version of 3ds max 6
• 3D models from Zygote Media and Viewpoint Datalabs
• Over 500 MB of tutorial files and a searchable color PDF of the book

About the Author
Kelly Murdock has been authoring computer books for many years now and still gets immense enjoyment from the completed work. His book credits include various Web, graphics, and multimedia titles, including three previous editions of this book, 3ds max 6 Bible. Other major accomplishments include Master VISUALLY HTML and XHTML, JavaScript Visual Blueprint, gmax Bible, Adobe Atmosphere Bible, and co–authoring duties on two editions of the Illustrator Bible (for versions 9 and 10).
With a background in engineering and computer graphics, Kelly has been all over the 3D industry and still finds it fascinating. He’s used high–level CAD workstations for product design and analysis, completed several large–scale visualization projects, created 3D models for feature films, worked as a freelance 3D artist, and even done some 3D programming. Kelly’s been using 3D Studio since version 3 for DOS.
In his spare time, Kelly enjoys the outdoors while rock climbing, mountain biking, or skiing. He has recently formed a design company with his brother, Chris, called Logical Paradox Design.

Customer Reviews

Reference Material
From a novice point of view when you first boot up 3DS Max you are faced with what seems to be an impossibly complex
interface. But I suppose it's about learning where to start. The Bible begins with a tour of the interface giving you basic indications of what a particular button does. It covers a huge amount from all the options with working with the viewports to customising the interface. Once you have a grasp of that you are ready to do stuff. As you maybe aware this volume is huge running to around 1300 pages, so it's obvious that it covers quite a bit of ground. It has 52 chapters which are broken down into 8 sections: Learning the Max Interface, Working with Objects, Modelling, Materials and Maps, Cameras, Lighting, Animation, Character Animation, Dynamics, Rendering, Compositing and Post-Production, Max Script and Plug-ins, Max and Games. In terms of how the material is presented I would say that it acts more like a comprehensive reference book. Although there are tutorials present they are selective. For those that like to have there hands held this book may prove frustrating. Indeed there are 2 CDs with the book, one is for the tutorial files and the other a demo version of the program. The models in the tutorials are not pretty but I suppose they get the job done. The tutorials are really a QUICK demonstration of a particular feature. The Max tutorials are far more useful if you want to learn in project style where you actually create something from start to finish. You may also want to check out Harnessing 3DS Max 5. The Bible however, is a better reference book than the volumes supplied by Discreet which are generally F1 help in style. The Bible is also very text heavy as it tries to explain features witin features but it lacks the clean simplicity of the Visual Quick Start Guides. But I suppose when you're trying to fit so much in one book there are some compromises. I think that no one book can be completely satisfactory and much of Max seems to be about experimentation. It might be an idea to also get a cookbook of some kind which will tell you how to create certain textures and so on. Like Photoshop you're likely to need a few books for this program and I suppose this is a good volume to start off with.

The best book I have seen on 3dsmax 6
I recently purchased 3dsmax6 and have looked around for a book that couldtake me ( a complete beginner) from knowing nothing about this popularproduct to feeling very comfortable with using it and getting the most outof it.
This book does exactly what it says it will do, and I have foundit extrememly comprehensive yet written in a very easy to read andunderstand way, which helps the beginner or more experienced person towant to delve into its covers for more information .
I would reccomend it to anyone wanting to feel comfortable using thisproduct.