Customer Reviews

Mastering 3D Studio MAX R3

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has a lot of information about 3D Studio Max R3 which would be fairly useful for beginners and intermediate users, but not so much for the advanced users. There were some examples in here which were new to me, but I really didn't get as much out of this book as I was hoping. Regardless, if you are just getting into 3DSMax this is still a good book to checkout.

As the author of this book, I understand and share the frustration of missing files. Those that purchase the book can contact me directly and I will immeadiately forward a CD with any missing files to them, at no extra charge. (My contact info is in the book.)

But the great thing about the book is that the wealth of information in the book not reliant on the files on the CD. As an experienced 3D Studio Max Trainer for Discreet, I am exposed to hundreds of new users a year. They all have common threads of knowledge they are seeking. I have tried to summarize all those bits of knowledge in this book.

Of course no book is perfect, and experience on this program is never found in a book. But I believe this book serves its purpose of raising the level of knowledge about 3D Studio in a different way from other Max books. And those that read it are looking to learn something new, not be told how to do something different. Those people will benefit and be better Max artists because of it. Of course, I am biased because its my book. If you do purchase my book, I encourage constructive comments and feed back. - Good Reading.. CM

The author writes:

As the author of this book, I understand and share the frustration of missing files. Those that purchase the book can contact me directly and I will immeadiately forward a CD with any missing files to them, at no extra charge. (My contact info is in the book.)

I followed his instructions and contacted him with my mailing address and got this reply:

Darren,

Thanks for purchasing the book. If you send me your snail mail address I will have a new CD forwarded to you.

Regards,

Chris Murray

Well two weeks had gone by and there was no sign of the missing files. I sent a follow up message, and another one and another one and another one. Five in fact. Each time the author told me how busy he was and that he would get to it soon. That was six months ago and he never did send the files. I like the book a lot but even after pleading with him repeatedly for months on end, he wouldn't live up to the promise of providing the files. Many of the projects in the book can't be completed without the files so put that into consideration when purchasing. Good luck friends...

d

I have 8 Max books in my reference library, and this title ranks in a class by itself as the best (correction: the ONLY) and most clearly written text for beginners. Other reviewers find fault with files missing from the CD; there's not enough room here to list the TEXT errors rampant in virtually all of the so-called "advanced" books. Use this book as an essential springboard for a thorough understanding of how Max works ... the transition to more advanced texts will be that much easier. The authors deserve 6 stars for their efforts.

I pretty much learn every feature of software that I set out to learn. I chose this book because it seemed like it would get me closest to learning it all for a first book, knowing that it wouldn't take me all the way. It's a great book by all means. Sure there are some missing files on the CD but things like that are easy to fix with the internet at our disposal. I've read almost the whole thing now and it hasn't disappointed me at all. I'll probably be a bit more disappointed with other books that I buy because I'll be trying to find out things that this book didn't cover. I'd have to say that this is a great first book for someone who plans to peg the whole program down to a professional level within a few years. I can't understand why it would ever get bad reviews because it seems like the authors really cared to bring the most info across in the most straight foreward way possible. You don't even have to read this baby from front to back. You can open it up and start doing something advanced using step by step instructions right away. Very simple and concise. Good reference tool also.

As the author of this book, I understand and share the frustration of missing files. Those that purchase the book can contact me directly and I will immeadiately forward a CD with any missing files to them, at no extra charge. (My contact info is in the book.)

But the great thing about the book is that the wealth of information in the book not reliant on the files on the CD. As an experienced 3D Studio Max Trainer for Discreet, I am exposed to hundreds of new users a year. They all have common threads of knowledge they are seeking. I have tried to summarize all those bits of knowledge in this book.

Of course no book is perfect, and experience on this program is never found in a book. But I believe this book serves its purpose of raising the level of knowledge about 3D Studio in a different way from other Max books. And those that read it are looking to learn something new, not be told how to do something different. Those people will benefit and be better Max artists because of it. Of course, I am biased because its my book. If you do purchase my book, I encourage constructive comments and feed back. - Good Reading.. CM

As the author of this book, I understand and share the frustration of missing files. Those that purchase the book can contact me directly and I will immeadiately forward a CD with any missing files to them, at no extra charge. (My contact info is in the book.)

But the great thing about the book is that the wealth of information in the book not reliant on the files on the CD. As an experienced 3D Studio Max Trainer for Discreet, I am exposed to hundreds of new users a year. They all have common threads of knowledge they are seeking. I have tried to summarize all those bits of knowledge in this book.

Of course no book is perfect, and experience on this program is never found in a book. But I believe this book serves its purpose of raising the level of knowledge about 3D Studio in a different way from other Max books. And those that read it are looking to learn something new, not be told how to do something different. Those people will benefit and be better Max artists because of it. Of course, I am biased because its my book. If you do purchase my book, I encourage constructive comments and feed back. - Good Reading.. CM

3D Studio MAX is, to put it mildly, a difficult program to learn to use, and there is a dearth of texts on the topic that rise above Fair-to-Middling. In a sense, that's no longer an issue, as this book by Chris Murray and his team, including talented newcomer Catalina Woods, has set a standard which any of its challengers is unlikely to approach. I feel comfortable saying this simply because, with one possible exception, this is the finest software guide I've encountered. Even the most arcane subjects, for example, Bezier splines, are explained in a manner that not only makes them transparent, but wholly natural, as if you've been thinking in terms of them all along. Such a level of writing and integration is rare enough in any technical undertaking, but is simply breathtaking given the inherent complexity of the program. Highly, highly recommended.

As anyone using it for the first time knows, Studio Max can be a program so daunting as to put one off permanently. Although I'd used numerous graphics and illustration packages before and programmed professionally, even after sampling a number of well-regarded Studio Max books, I felt out of my depth. Until this book came along. It is, without doubt, a magisterial achievement in the genre, a model of clarity and style. It actually manages not only to teach, but to enlighten one as to the principles behind the program. Amongst the book's many felicities is a marvelous explication of the role of splines, an area well-known to econometricians, but equally useful to graphical artists; the book makes them seem a natural outgrowth fo the material itself, quite a feat. There may be better software manuals out there, but I've not seen them. I've heard that an updated version will appear for Release Four of the program, and I for one can't wait to see it.

Here is ftp site for the missing files from the CD.

ftp://ftp.sybex.com/2561/

The Author