3D Studio Max 2 : Effects Magic [Textbook Binding]

Greg Carbonaro (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1998

3D Studio MAX 2 Effects Reference is a comprehensive special effects resource for experienced users. The average busy animator doesn't have a lot of time to waste wading through detailed explanations of the software targeted at lower-level users-this book gets right to the point by providing the basic "recipes" for creating stunning effects. Each effect is presented in simple, numbered steps that are fully illustrated. Users will be able to create the effects, then place them in their own scenes and animations. Since 90% of the R& D is completed, the animator is free to spend time tweaking the effect to his or her taste rather than trying to invent it from scratch.

This approach is unique to the industry. The user base has progressed to a level where many users are above the hand-holding tutorials and instead need a collection of short how-tos and examples of real world techniques that they can plug into their work.

3D Studio MAX 2 Effects Reference contains over 100 effects which are categorized into logical sections for easy reference, such as:
-- Water Surfaces: crashing waves, moonlit ocean, violent rapids, drain vortex
-- Space Effects: asteroid fields, solar flares, super nova explosion
-- Cloud Dynamics: cumulus clouds, ominous clouds
-- Terrestrial Storms: tornado, thunderstorm, blizzard
-- Dramatic Fog: rolling swamp fog, morning mist
-- Mass Destruction: atomic bomb detonation, mushroom cloud, shockwave, volcanic eruption, earthquake
-- Pyrotechnics: fireworks, welding sparks, rocket engine glow, lasers
-- Underwater Ambiance: murky, flood lights, glowing beacons, dancing light rays,
-- Every Day Forces: smoke and steam, glass, fizz, drippingwax, footprints, jello matter, curtains blowing in the wind

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Using a slick, full-color format, this guide successfully arranges an impressive array of special effects for 3D Studio MAX 2. Part 1, "Water Effects," teaches you how to design water surfaces, underwater ambiance and kinetics, and gushing water. In part 2, "Space Effects," you learn how to create space ambiance, such as the sun and star fields, and you also create science fiction effects, such as a force field and an alien planetary sky. Part 3, "Atmospheric and Terrestrial Realism," teaches you how to create foggy and snowy weather conditions and natural disasters, such as lava flows. The fourth and last part, "Explosions and Pyrotechnics," shows you how to create, among other things, a mushroom cloud, a missile launch, fireworks, the glow of a rocket engine, black billowing smoke, and steam. Although the authors use helpful step-by-step instruction and plenty of screen shots, you'll want to know 3D Studio MAX fairly well to get the most out of this book. An included CD-ROM has four bonus effects--Brook, Stream, Wrinkles, and Flamethrower--as well as original MAX files that you use to create the book's effects. The CD-ROM also contains Map files and files showing the finished effects. --Kathleen Caster

Product Details

• Textbook Binding: 406 pages
• Publisher: New Riders Pub (June 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562058835
• ISBN-13: 978-1562058838
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,030,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful book, August 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 3D Studio Max 2 : Effects Magic (Textbook Binding)

I really find this book is a lot of fun. Not every effect is perfect, however, they don't need to be. I almost never use the effect the way they are defined in this book, but the great thing about this book is it gives you many starting ideas, from which you can tweak and change to come up with your own brilliant effects. If you have no imagination and just want to copy effects, then maybe this book isn't for you. If however you love to explore and experiment, seeking new and dazzling artistic effects, but would like a few clues how to get started, then this is a great place to begin. Let's face it, Max is huge and complex and there is a dizzying array of choices. I find it really useful to see how Carbonaro does it, then take his ideas and add my own. This book is for the artists, not the technicians.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on special effects, August 30, 2000

By 

Brandon Klassen (Delta, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 3D Studio Max 2 : Effects Magic (Textbook Binding)

This is an excellent book for learning special effects. Don't bother buying Max 3 Effects because this book has WAY more effects, better quality and better content-range of effects, it's way better value for your money, and it's entirely applicable to the new versions of Max, not too much has changed.

It tells you how to make cool water effects, build land geometry, do space effects, some cool weather effects, and more. If you just want to make terrain and water this book will be a great help. Or if you want to make a space scene this book has some great help in that area too to easily make starfields, planets, etc.

The quality here of what you can make (for the most part) is completely professional looking. It's full color all the way through as well which is a bonus for the price of the book. I've been into computer graphics since I was a kid, and although I'm just starting to properly learn Max now after using it for over a year, this book is a great help to get some cool effects easily.

You'll want to have a basic knowledge of the Max interface, because the book is very succinct. Also just by reading it and playing with Max you'll learn new things about the Material Editor and other areas that will help you overall doing 3d Animation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive but flawed, April 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 3D Studio Max 2 : Effects Magic (Textbook Binding)

Certainly this book will get you off to a flying start. With detailed step-by-step analysis, it should be possible for beginners to quickly complete the same special effects that the pros do. However, it's worth bearing in mind what other reviewers have said - a lot of the effects need a powerful machine, some of the effects look dreadful and, inevitably, the book assumes prior knowledge of Max. (On a side note I agree with the reviewer from England who complained about the price, scandalously high on this side of the world!) Overall you'll be glad to have bought this book if, like me, you know what you want to do but just aren't sure how to do it...