Description
Need to get results with 3ds max fast? Why take months to learn every button in 3ds max when you can create great visuals with just a few key tools? Learn to create quick yet stunning special effects, and animated characters with the fastest techniques possible. Need convincing grass, trees, water, shadows? You can use the memory-hogging methods that choke your display and take forever to render, or you can get it done bing-bang with this book. When you need an animated character you can spend days fiddling with polygons, or you can use this book to put it together in minutes and get the entire project done in a day. How to Cheat in 3ds max includes a host of time-saving techniques as well as little-known tools that will make you look like an expert in no time flat. This book is for busy professionals who need to get it done right, but also need it done fast. NEW to this edition willbe higher-end cheats (for Intermediate users) geared towards greater realism in images, and game-centered cheats.
The DVD includes scene files and bitmaps used to illustrate the cheats, also music files, organizational samples, and instructional Camtasia movies of Michele showing some of the trickier techniques.
* 3ds Max luminary, Bousquet, shares 3ds Max secrets and little-known tips and tricks that save users bundles of time.
* Concise, step-by-step, focused, examples with everything on the accompanying DVD so that professionals and beginners alike can start toying right away: NEW camtasia MOVIES added to DVD for this edition, where Michele demonstrates the trickiest cheats.
* Proven "How to Cheat" series - Learn to create quick yet stunning special effects, animations, realistic textures, and game elements - the fastest techniques possible.
Reviews
Praise for current version: Max 2009:
'My first impression was "WOW!" and my second impression was "This is what reference material should look like!" The balance between illustration and text is just right for visual people - 3D artists will love it.'
- Borislav "Bobo" Petrov, Technical Director of Visual Effects at Frantic Films
'The most visually interactive training tool ever for 3ds MAX. It is visually engaging and sets a new standard for understanding complex concepts. Michele Bousquet Rocks!'
- Richard Lapidus, Assistant Professor, 3D Animation, Mechanical Design and Drafting/CAD
'Best tricks of the trade, deliciously illustrated. Michelle reveals the secrets behind the magic of using 3ds Max. Move over David Blaine.'
- Mark Gerhard, 3ds Max Guru
'I found this book to be thoroughly readable and filled with time saving ideas. It's well organized and clearly written. There's lots of information in each section and the abundance of pictures makes it easy to follow. I know this book will soon become a well used and dog-eared reference in my classroom. It's filled with just the type of information my students need every single day. Each topic is covered in a single two-page spread so it's easy to read and quick to put into practice.'
- Pat Gombarcik, Autodesk Certified Instructor
Contents
UPDATES FOR THIS EDITION:
High-end techniques:
More cheats geared toward realism and games.
--Game-centered cheats
--Normal maps - Realistic bumps
--Subsurface scattering - Realistic skin and marble
--HDRI - Use of images in conjunction with lighting to make realistic lighting in scenes. This technique is tricky, but the results are astounding.
--More on mental ray - Sky, Sun, portals
--MAXScript basics and cheats
--Hair/fur - both for hair/fur and grass/vegetation
NEW DVD Content:
Camtasia MOVIES where Michele will show some of the trickier techniques.
All the techniques above - 5 or 6 movies
Skinning - 2 movies
Character animation - 3 movies
Controllers - 2 movies
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Introduction
1 Modeling
2 Materials and mapping
3 Lighting
4 Shadows
5 Reflections
6 Glass
7 Animation
8 Character animation
9 Rendering
10 Logo treatments
11 Parameter wiring
12 Appendices: Challenges, CD files