3DS Max 4 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide) [Paperback]

Michele Matossian (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 020173429X | ISBN-13: 978-0201734294 | Publication Date: June 18, 2001 | Edition: 1st

The market for skilled 3D artists is booming, and one of the most in-demand tools of the trade is 3D Studio MAX. This powerful rendering program is the tool of choice for PC-using animators and digital artists creating 3D images for print and screen, as well as animations for television, movies, and the Web. 3D Studio MAX 4 for Windows: Visual QuickStart Guide leads new users through the basics of MAX, from basic modeling and rendering techniques to advanced 3D animation tips. Visual, task-based lessons and plenty of screen shots provide an ideal way to learn this in-depth animation tool, even for readers with no previous knowledge of the software. In addition, even experienced animators will find this book a handy reference.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For some artists, learning to use a 3-D application is like a vertical climb up the face of an ice cliff: painful, difficult, and slow. 3ds max 4 is like that ice cliff, but Peachpit Press's 3ds max 4 Visual QuickStart Guide is like the climbing guide that everyone hopes to hire. Concise, experienced, and never overwhelming, this handbook is designed to lead an artist new to 3ds max 4 up the face of the cliff and help him or her plant a flag on the summit.

Fifteen chapters build a solid foundation for almost every aspect of 3ds max, starting with installation, interface navigation, and the basics of creating, selecting, and moving objects. Subsequent chapters include advanced modeling of objects, animation, working with lights and cameras, and using materials and maps. The final chapter, "Rendering," covers final output and how to add effects that are only visible in the final rendered frame, such as depth of field, motion blur, lens flares, glows, and so on.

The most remarkable thing about the book is how thorough each section is, even though such a wide range of deep topics are covered in under 500 pages. It is impossible to find a favorite chapter--they are all important, and all equally well written and illustrated. Some topics are simply not covered, which is a fine approach; there is more than enough material here to keep the new Max artist busy for some time.

This book is for beginners. There is virtually no information on the deeper tools like MAXScript or bones, or using inverse or forward kinematics, although a short section discusses using morph targets. However, it is ideal for someone brand-new to the program who needs to learn the basics as quickly as possible. Getting a handle on the basics of any application is often the most important step to learning to use it well, and this book--like others in the Visual QuickStart series--focuses on the basics. There is no companion CD-ROM, but a section containing color images offers inspiration.

3ds max 4 is a rich and mature application relied on by professionals all over the world, but understanding how it works and learning to use it can be daunting. 3ds max 4 Visual QuickStart Guide is designed to help any user new to Max climb the curve and conquer the application. --Mike Caputo

From the Back Cover

The popular Visual QuickStart Guide format offers clear, step-by-step instructions, hundreds of screen shots, and easy-to-use visual tabs for quick referencing. 3ds max 4: Visual QuickStart Guide leads readers through the basics of MAX. Readers will start out by learning max's interface, navigation and display tools, and will then move on to modeling and transforming objects; surface mapping; rendering; and creating full-fledged animations. This new edition offers all-new coverage of Max's updated features, including its new interface design, additional chapters, and a four-color signature showcasing 3ds max 4 creations.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1st edition (June 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020173429X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201734294
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,120,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great reference material!, June 27, 2001

By 

M. Lebel "Sci Fi/Fantasy Fan" (FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3DS Max 4 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

The visual quickstart guide series of books has always been my favorite for referencing the programs I work with. If you just want to jump right in to using 3D Studio Max and already are fairly familiar with the program but just can't remember how to do a particular operation, you can easily find the steps without having to dig through a large manual.

Screenshots of the buttons you'll press, the menus you'll see, and even examples of the operation as it progresses accompany each step. Quick and to the point, the 3DS Max 4 Visual Quickstart Guide is a must have reference.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another great way to start 3ds max..., July 6, 2001

By 

Mark A. Drake - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3DS Max 4 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

This is a great book, and it was really easy to follow. Though I prefered the 3ds max fundamentals as a learning process... I picked up this book and it's just as good..

I give it four out of five stars because it's a better reference then a teacher. I reccomend that you use fundamentals for learning 3ds max, and if you need a good reference this book is the one to pick up!

(I leave it on top of my computer monitor, I use it so much!)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Solid book for Beginners or the curious!!!!, September 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: 3DS Max 4 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

Here is my review folks.

Pros:

Tons of pictures...lots of details...you can jump from place to place so when you get bored with on thing you can easily go practice on another aspect of the program without being confused. The book is like mini excerises after mini exercises. graphics are clean , crisp ,sharp. The writing style is not boring and concise and to the point. A good book to learn what max is and what it can do for you. If you wanna have info on max to see how it works and don't know where to go, this is the book and it does not cost a fortune to boot.

Cons:

Missing a lot of details. The chapters are skimpy and leaves to a lot of guessing afterwords.You have the feeling" ok now i know how to do this but where do i go from that point!" Nothing on basic modeling or nurbs...you just learn to move vertex and other parts od 3d meshes but nothing on modeling here...

There should follow ups to this book with exploration more in depth. Michelle is great but she should sit there and make sequels of the book and explains the other features she did not put in the first book and modelling....modelling..modelling... please!!!!!!!!!!!.

You are left on empty after a while with this book.. you wanna learn more but you are stuck..so you have to buy other books.

Nevertheless the book wich seems not so impressive is really the opposite...its just too short as most visual quickstart guides are and i don't think that only one book would do 3ds max justice because its too complex of a program to cover in 1 quickstart guide.

Please Michelle do other books that follow this one...

A very satisfied dude! But could learn more from your wisdom.