• Author:
  • Murdock, Kelly L.
• Subject:
  Business Applications
• Published by:
  John Wiley & Sons Inc (US)
• Published:
  12/01/2007
• Price:
  $74.99
• <  Buy this book  >

"An excellent book for beginners as well as advanced 3ds Max users. A valuable reference that covers everything you'd want to know."
--Andre Surya, Award-winning Digital Artist

A favorite of 3ds Max artists from beginners to pros!

Why is 3ds Max Bible a perennial bestselling favorite? Because whether you're a beginner looking for a tutorial to get you up to speed your first day or an expert needing a reference to Max's advanced features, it's all here. Loaded with advice, professional tips, and more than 150 step-by-step lessons, this is the most comprehensive reference-tutorial on 3ds Max on the market, and the one you'll turn to again and again.
* Organize and blend sequences with the new Animation Layers feature
* Explore Sun and Sky, Car Paint, and other new mental ray shaders
* Combine and divide objects with ProBoolean and ProCutter
* Create more accurate dynamic animations with updated reactor tools
* Add greater realism with enhanced and integrated hair and fur tools
* Reference objects, materials, and controllers with XRef

Animate a dancing cartoon moose

Isolate mapping surfaces with the Quick Planar map button

Add realistic motion to your model's hairstyle

What's on the DVD?
You'll find before-and-after example files for every tutorial in the book. The DVD also includes:
* Models and textures to customize for your own designs
* Rendered AVI files of animations used in the tutorials
* All the Max files for every tutorial
* Adobe tryout versions of After Effects(r), Photoshop(r) CS2, Illustrator(r) CS2, and Premiere Pro

System Requirements: See the DVD appendix for details and complete system requirements.

Kelly Murdock has been authoring computer books for many years now and still gets immense enjoyment from the completed work. His book credits include various 3D, graphics, multimedia, and Web titles, including six previous editions of this book, 3ds Max Bible. Other major accomplishments include Edgeloop Character Modeling for 3D Professionals Only, Maya 6 and 7 Revealed, LightWave 3D 8 Revealed, Poser 6 Revealed, 3D Game Animation For Dummies, gmax Bible, Adobe Atmosphere Bible, Master VISUALLY HTML and XHTML, JavaScript Visual Blueprint, and co-authoring duties on two editions of the Illustrator Bible (for versions 9 and 10) and two editions of the Adobe Creative Suite Bible.
With a background in engineering and computer graphics, Kelly has been all over the 3D industry and still finds it fascinating. He’s used high-level CAD workstations for product design and analysis, completed several large-scale visualization projects, created 3D models for feature films and games, worked as a freelance 3D artist, and even done some 3D programming. Kelly’s been using 3D Studio since version 3 for DOS. Kelly has also branched into training others in 3D technologies and is a frequent speaker at various conferences.
In his spare time, Kelly enjoys the outdoors while rock climbing, mountain biking, or skiing. He works at the design company he co-founded with his brother Chris, Logical Paradox Design.

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Part I: Learning the Max Interface.

Quick Start: Animating a Dancing Cartoon Moose.

Chapter 1: Exploring the Max Interface.

Chapter 2: Controlling and Configuring the Viewports.

Chapter 3: Working with Files and XRefs.

Chapter 4: Using Vault and the Asset Tracking System.

Chapter 5: Customizing the Max Interface and Setting Preferences.

Part II: Working with Objects.

Chapter 6: Creating and Editing Primitive Objects.

Chapter 7: Selecting Objects, Setting Object Properties, and Using Layers.

Chapter 8: Transforming Objects — Translate, Rotate, and Scale.

Chapter 9: Cloning Objects and Creating Object Arrays.

Chapter 10: Grouping and Linking Objects.

Chapter 11: Working with the Schematic View.

Chapter 12: Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack.

Part III: Modeling.

Chapter 13: Learning Modeling Basics and Working with Subobjects.

Chapter 14: Drawing and Editing 2D Splines and Shapes.

Chapter 15: Modeling with Polygons.

Chapter 16: Deforming Surfaces and Using the Mesh Modifiers.

Chapter 17: Modeling with Patches and NURBS.

Chapter 18: Working with Compound Objects.

Chapter 19: Adding and Styling Hair, Fur, and Cloth.

Part IV: Materials and Maps.

Chapter 20: Exploring the Material Editor.

Chapter 21: Creating and Applying Simple Materials.

Chapter 22: Creating Advanced Multi-Layer Materials.

Chapter 23: Adding Material Details with Maps.

Chapter 24: Unwrapping UVs and Pelt Mapping.

Chapter 25: Creating Baked Textures and Normal Maps.

Part V: Cameras and Lighting.

Chapter 26: Configuring Cameras.

Chapter 27: Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques.

Chapter 28: Working with Advanced Lighting, Light Tracing, and Radiosity.

Part VI: Animation.

Chapter 29: Understanding Animation and Keyframe Basics.

Chapter 30: Using Animation Layers.

Chapter 31: Using Animation Modifiers and Wiring Parameters.

Chapter 32: Animating with Constraints and Controllers.

Chapter 33: Working with Function Curves in the Track View.

Chapter 34: Combining Animations in the Motion Mixer.

Part VII: Dynamic Animation.

Chapter 35: Creating Particles and Particle Flow.

Chapter 36: Using Space Warps.

Chapter 37: Simulating Physics-Based Motion with reactor.

Chapter 38: Animating Hair and Cloth.

Part VIII: Characters.

Chapter 39: Understanding Rigging and Working with Bones.

Chapter 40: Adding Inverse Kinematics.

Chapter 41: Skinning Characters.

Chapter 42: Creating and Animating Bipeds.

Part IX: Rendering.

Chapter 43: Learning Rendering Basics.

Chapter 44: Using Atmospheric and Render Effects.

Chapter 45: Raytracing and mental ray.

Chapter 46: Batch and Network Rendering.

Part X: Post Processing.

Chapter 47: Compositing and Render Elements.

Chapter 48: Using the Video Post Interface.

Part XI: MAXScript and Plug-Ins.

Chapter 49: Automating with MAXScript.

Chapter 50: Expanding Max with Third-Party Plug-Ins.

Appendix A: What’s New with Max 9.

Appendix B: Installing and Configuring 3ds Max 9.

Appendix C: Max Keyboard Shortcuts.

Appendix D: What’s on the DVD.

Index.