Overview
Video game and feature-film artists have used 3ds Max to create Halo 2, King Kong, Myst V, and more. Now you can harness this popular animation software with the clear, step-by-step instructions in this easy-to-follow guide. This book breaks down the complexities of 3D modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. Clear-cut explanations, tutorials, and hands-on projects help build your skills and a special color insert includes real-world examples from talented 3ds Max beginners.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Synopsis
Let Your Imagination Run Wild
Video game and feature-film artists have used 3ds Max to create Halo 2, King Kong, Myst V, and more. Now you can harness this popular animation software with the clear, step-by-step instruction in this easy-to-follow guide.
Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners breaks down the complexities of 3D modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. You'll jump right into the pipeline—from preproduction to production to postproduction—with clear-cut explanations, tutorials, and hands-on projects to build your skills. A special color insert includes real-world examples from talented 3ds Max beginners. From immediately creating your first animation to tackling poly modeling, rendering, and particles, you'll get a solid grounding in 3ds Max 9.
- Build the knowledge you need for game, film, and TV production
- Master modeling—from simple and complex polygon mechanical models to organic character modeling
- Assign textures effects and UV texture mapping
- Create walk cycles and simple character animations with Character Studio
- Explore lighting, rendering, and raytracing concepts
- Render through mental ray and raytracing
- Discover simple rigid body dynamics and Max's particle systems
Valuable companion CD
The CD includes all the image files, scenes, and support materials needed to create the tutorials in the book, as well as a demo version of 3ds Max.
Create a low-poly model tank
Learn to apply different surfaces to objects
Put cameras to workAbout the Authors
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review3ds Max 9 has never been this simple. With that said, what more is there to tell you about Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners? Plenty.
Dariush and Randi Derakshani help you bootstrap your knowledge in every area that matters most: modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. They don't just cover 3ds Max's broad, deep feature set: They place features in the context of real-world CG production workflows. And, given 3ds Max's inherent complexity, this book's voice is just so welcome: friendly, relaxed, knowing, occasionally even funny.
Once the Derakshanis have briefed you on a few basic concepts and a little jargon, you'll get a taste of production workflow by animating a simple mobile. Next, after you've got some sense of where you're headed, they walk you through 3ds Max's far-from-trivial interface. Chances are, you'll return to that interface chapter for reference years after you've grown comfortable with 3ds Max.
You'll jump into modeling quickly, with projects ranging from human hands to bedroom dressers; then move into increasingly complex projects, including organic poly modeling with subdivision surfaces (great for creating your own aliens).
After a practical introduction to materials and UVW mapping, the authors turn to animation, from keyframes onward. Again, you'll build your skills incrementally, from the classic "bouncing ball" through walk cycles, and beyond. There's a full chapter on lighting: standard three-point lighting, as well as custom illumination, shadows, and special effects. Then, once your scene's right, you'll learn how to render it, diving into everything from cameras to raytracing, atmospheric effects, and motion blur.
Last but most assuredly not least: a hands-on introduction to 3ds Max particle systems, space warps, and reactor physics. If you didn't expect this from a beginner's book, prepare to be very pleasantly surprised. Bill Camarda, from the May 2007 Read Only