Review of 3ds Max 2009 Bible (Paperback)

Like other 'bibles' 3ds Max 'bible' is frustrating, often oblique and although the author clearly knows his stuff, he cannot teach - at least not this reader. It is a brick of a book and the illustrations often contradict the text which leads to further difficulty. Also the odd religious prose dedication at the beginning of the book about sin and how one should live one's life is odd to say the least in an industry text, and, given how frustrating the book is to use, simply adds another annoyance. For the 3ds Max novice the '3ds Max Essentials' book from Elsevir is excellent and had me in control of the application and understanding why I was in control in no time. As for the 'bible', comprehensive, yes, but helpful? Not for the novice. Avoid.

Product Description
The only comprehensive reference-tutorial on 3ds Max available, this book is everyone's favorite. Whether you're a beginner looking for 3D basics or a full-fledged animator seeking new ways to dazzle viewers with your creations, it's all here. You'll find pages of professional tips, loads of advice, and more than 150 step-by-step tutorials guaranteed to build your skills and spark your creativity. A 16-page color insert highlights cutting-edge work from 3D artists. A valuable companion DVD provides all the examples and content from the book, including unique models and textures you can customize on your own, and a searchable, full-color version of the book.

3ds Max 2009 Bible covers both 3ds Max 2009 and 3ds Max 2009 Design and covers:

• Navigating the viewports with the ViewCube, SteeringWheels, and other ways.
• Creating realistic materials with new ProMaterials.
• Using Spline Mapping to improve texture mapping over irregular shaped objects.
• Blending multiple texture maps together with the new Composite Map.
• Creating architectural walkthroughs with the Walkthrough Assistant.

Don't miss out on the newest version of this bestselling resource!

From the Back Cover
Covers both 3ds Max 2009 and 3ds Max 2009 Design

This is, hands down, the best book on 3ds Max you'll find

If you want just one book to be your go-to guide for all things 3ds Max, this is the book. Whether you're a beginner looking for 3D basics or a full-fledged animator seeking new ways to dazzle viewers with your creations, it's all here. You'll find pages of professional tips, loads of advice, and more than 150 step-by-step tutorials guaranteed to build your skills and spark your creativity.

• Discover the ViewCube, SteeringWheels, and more ways to navigate the viewports

• Use the new ProMaterials to create realistic materials

• Improve texture mapping over irregular shaped objects using Spline Mapping

• Blend multiple texture maps together with the new Composite Map

• Easily create architectural walkthroughs with the Walkthrough Assistant

What's on the DVD?
You'll find before-and-after example files for every tutorial in the book. The DVD also includes:

• Unique models and textures you can customize for your own designs

• Autodesk 3ds Max evaluation version

• A searchable full-color PDF of the book

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

Also in the Book

• A 16-page full-color insert showcases cutting-edge work from 3ds Max artists

Click Here to see more reviews about: 3ds Max 2009 Bible (Paperback)

Review of 3ds Max 8 Bible (Paperback)

Looking through this book I saw immediately that it suffered from the same problem as it's predecessor:lack of thought to the student's learning path.

It is a problem that is almost universal to computer instructional guides do... lack of any educational theory in its writing. It does not guide the newcomer through the art of learning the software, but rather deals with issues as if one is going through the menu commands.The tutorials consistantly use elements and commands that one will not cover for another hundred por more pages, and the chapters are not designed to "build on the student's knowledge" but rather to give all information about a given cocept right from the beginning.Thus, I am taught how to personalise the user interface and use XREFs (external references) before I am told how to create even the simplest of objects.

I am an experienced 3D analylist, with knowledge of CAD and GIS, so I am not the least experienced of readers on this topic.Even so I found it frequently infuriating to attempt to learn this software using this book.

Product Description
If 3ds Max 8 can do it, you can do it too...

Spark your creativity with the world's most popular animation software and the detailed instruction in this power-packed book from an industry expert. If you're new to 3ds Max, jump right in with a Quick Start program that will have you modeling and rendering a complete image your first day. Experienced users, discover exciting new Max 8 features such as a new module for hair and fur, a new cloth system, and much more. This comprehensive book covers every feature, and it's loaded with professional techniques and full color examples to inspire you.

Inside, you'll find complete coverage of 3ds Max 8

• Model a detailed creature right away with the Quick Start tutorial
• Add realistic and dynamic hair, fur, and cloth to your models
• Create complex characters with Max's new biped features
• Use the expanded Edit Poly options to work more efficiently with Edge Ring and Edge Loop selections
• Explore Max's new Asset Tracking system including the Autodesk(r) Vault client
• Make texture creation a snap with the new Pelt mapping method and the Render UVW Template feature
• Save, load, and retarget animation files using the supported XML Animation File (XAF) format
• Easily render a series of stills from several angles with the new Batch Render tool

Bonus DVD Included!

Features a wide selection of 3D models and textures just right for your own projects, plus the Max files and examples to more than 150 tutorials. The DVD also includes a full-color electronic version of the book!

From the Back Cover
If 3ds Max 8 can do it, you can do it too ...

Spark your creativity with the world's most popular animation software and the detailed instruction in this power-packed book from an industry expert. If you're new to 3ds Max, jump right in with a Quick Start program that will have you modeling and rendering a complete image your first day. Experienced users, discover exciting new Max 8 features such as a new module for hair and fur, a new cloth system, and much more. This comprehensive book covers every feature, and it's loaded with professional techniques and full color examples to inspire you.

Inside, you'll find complete coverage of 3ds Max 8

• Model a detailed creature right away with the Quick Start tutorial
• Add realistic and dynamic hair, fur, and cloth to your models
• Create complex characters with Max's new biped features
• Use the expanded Edit Poly options to work more efficiently with Edge Ring and Edge Loop selections
• Explore Max's new Asset Tracking system including the Autodesk® Vault client
• Make texture creation a snap with the new Pelt mapping method and the Render UVW Template feature
• Save, load, and retarget animation files using the supported XML Animation File (XAF) format
• Easily render a series of stills from several angles with the new Batch Render tool

Bonus DVD Included!

Features a wide selection of 3D models and textures just right for your own projects, plus the Max files and examples to more than 150 tutorials. The DVD also includes a full-color electronic version of the book!

Click Here to see more reviews about: 3ds Max 8 Bible (Paperback)

Review of 3ds Max 2008 Bible (Paperback)

This is a great book if you want to learn buttonology, but it seems to lack in student projects and exercises. I certainly cannot recommend this book for beginners, unless you want to use it as reference/supplemental guide to other training material. The author goes in to great deal on the "how" but doesn't really explain the "why" portion as well as I hoped he would. Definetely go to your local bookstore and glance through it before purchasing. As for my rating, I gave it a marginal rating of 3 stars simply because I thought it to be average at best, but far from bad.

Product Description
Master the complexities of 3ds Max by working through more than 150 short tutorials under the guidance of 3D expert Kelly Murdock. If you're a beginner, a Quick Start chapter shows you how to create an exciting animation your first day using the software. You'll find extensive detail on the latest features, allowing quick ramp-up for veterans of earlier 3ds versions. In addition, the book includes a 16-page, full-color insert with examples of cutting-edge 3ds Max art as well as a DVD with all the examples in the book, models and textures you can customize, a full-color and searchable PDF of the book.

From the Back Cover
The 3ds Max reference 3D designers choose

Open this book to any page, and you'll quickly see why the 3ds Max Bible is a perennial favorite of 3ds Max artists. Whether you're a beginner looking for a quick start or an expert exploring the very latest advanced features, it's all here. You'll find pages of professional tips, loads of advice, and more than 150 step-by-step tutorials guaranteed to jump-start your creativity. This is the 3ds Max book you need to succeed.

• Make global changes to multiple objects with Scene Explorer

• Build MAXScripts more quickly with the new MAXScript ProEditor

• Stream and focus light through a window with the Sky Portal

• Create compelling characters using enhanced Biped tools

• Learn to reference, select, clone, group, link, and transform objects

• Discover new keyboard shortcuts for speed modeling

What's on the DVD?
You'll find before-and-after example files for every tutorial in the book. The DVD also includes:

• Unique models and textures you can customize for your own designs

• 3ds Max 2008 trial version

• A searchable full-color PDF of the book

Also in the Book

• A 16-page full-color insert will inspire you with a selection of cutting-edge work done by 3ds Max artists

Click Here to see more reviews about: 3ds Max 2008 Bible (Paperback)

Review of 3ds max 5 Bible [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

Be warned, I am a pretty harsh grader.
Well first off this edition does not contain the entire book in a pdf file for easy reading on a laptop/computer so that was definatly a minus.One of the reasons I liked 3DS Max 4 Bible was because you didn't have to carry around the entire book (I've had encyclopidia sets smaller that this folks).
Other than that no real complaints.Newbies will not get much out of this one as this is more of a reference book and not a book of tutorials and techniques.
The book is well written and give good (black and white) photos of what certain effects and/or modifiers look like.I give it 3 stars because its a solid reference book but when you think "bible" your kind of hopeing for more than refence.

Product Description
* Shows how to build an animation right away.
* Gives users valuable hands-on experience under the expert guidance of 3D master Kelly Murdock.
* Includes a 16-page full-color insert explaining how to push the limits of max.
* Explores the major program changes that are expected with the next release of 3ds max.
* Provides tutorial files from the book, trial versions of related software, and exclusive plug-ins on the enclosed CD-ROM.

From the Back Cover
"This book is a valuable and insightful resource for beginning and advanced 3D artists alike looking to harness the most power from the vast capabilities of 3ds max 5."
-Phillip Miller, Vice President, Discreet Animation Products Group

• Build your first dynamic animation project today with unique Quick Start guide
• Master all the new features found in 3ds max 5 including Global Illumination, Radiosity, Character Posing, and Layers
• Create cutting-edge special effects for video, motion pictures, games, and television

If 3ds max 5 can do it, you can do it too . . .

Plunge into the world of professional animation with 3D expert Kelly Murdock, whose easy-to-follow tutorials and fluid explanations make this book a must-have for beginners and experienced users alike. He meets you wherever you are as a 3ds max user and elevates your skills to the next level. If you're a veteran, here is the indispensable road map to the complex variations of version 5. If you're meeting "Max" for the first time, the amazing Quick Start teaches you to build an eye-popping animation in your very first session!

Inside, you'll find complete coverage of 3ds max 5

• Add realistic lighting to your images with 3ds max 5's new Advanced Lighting features including Global Illumination, Radiosity, Photometric Lights, and Area Shadows
• Explore such new modeling features as Character Assemblies, improved bone tools, poseable skin, and a host of new poly object modeling additions such as extruding along a spline
• Increase scene details with materials and maps like the new Ink 'n' Paint material
• Automate the animation process with many improvements to the Track View, including Auto Tangents and Soft Selections
• Investigate new transform gizmos and other new version 5 interface elements

Bonus CD-ROM

• 3ds max, Version 5 demo
• All tutorial sample files, models, and bitmaps
• Exclusive plug-ins from Furious Research, including Rainbow atmospheric effect, Sketch render effect, and many more

Click Here to see more reviews about: 3ds max 5 Bible [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)