Editorial Review

3D Studio Max for Windows 95 and Windows NT, the high-end 3-D modeling and animation package from Kinetix, is as complex as it is powerful. This guide, the second of three volumes for accomplished 3D Studio Max users, focuses on helping you create architectural, engineering, and character models and design models for VR (virtual reality) and the Web. The authors devote much attention to acquiring and managing material maps and creating natural, man-made, special effects, and animated materials. You get plenty of step-by-step instruction along with four-color illustrations of the project files. A CD-ROM includes sample files and utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Not for beginners
This was my first book that I purchased for learning 3d studio max.. I also bought the fundamental book too.. I've only flip through couples of pages then I put it away to collect dust. The exercise are hard to follow, they gave complete instruction for teaching you a certain command. But you wouldn't find motivation to delve in to the 3d world by building something that's meaningless. The book is only good for advance user as it'll teaches you how to press certain short cut keys and stuff.. Inside 3D Studio MAX Volume 2 Advance Modeling and Material
This book is not bad, just lack of good modeling example, this book is really for beginner, Anyway, the mapping tutorials are good.

1
100 ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Computer Bks - Desktop Publishing    3. Computer Books: Desktop Publish    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computer animation    6. Desktop Publishing    7. Desktop Publishing - General    8. Computer graphics software   

Reviews (2)

Find another Max 8 book
Avoid this book and spend your time on another if you want to learn Max.There are numerous files required for the tutorials that are missing from the CD, and easily dozens of omission/typos that will have you going in wrong directions if you don't figure things out on your own.I even contacted the publisher re: this and they simply pointed me to their website that has the downloadable color versions of the book's black & white screenshots, but they haven't bothered to make the missing textures and guide images available.
Stay away until the files are available for download...
The model sheets for Chapters 4, 6 & 7 are missing from the companion CD, rendering the majority of the book impossible to follow.Chapters 3 and 5 also demonstrate some dubious modeling and texturing techniques with enough omissions in the text that a beginner is certain to be lost.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    3. Computer art    4. Computer games    5. Computers    6. Computers - General Information    7. Design    8. Hardware - Personal Computers - General    9. Video & Electronic - General    10. Video games    11. Computers / Personal Computers & Microcomputers / General    12. Computing and Information Technology    13. Personal computers   

Editorial Review

For any up-and-coming animator searching for ways to create flying logos or make animated titles look more professional and polished, your search is over. Read more

Reviews (24)

terrible
not even worth giving it up to my dog to chew on.

A Great Book !
I have read several books about 3D Max but I consider this book one of the best books ! and I have learnt a lot from it ...If you want to make professional media animations logos you have to own one !

A Great Book !
I have read several books about 3D Max but I consider this book one of the best books ! and I have learnt a lot from it ...If you want to make professional media animations logos you have to own one ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    3. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computer animation    6. Computers    7. Computers - Desktop Publishing    8. Microcomputer Graphics    9. Multi-Media Hardware & Software    10. Virtual reality    11. Computer graphics software   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Graphics - Design    3. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computers    6. Computers - Other Applications    7. Internet - Web Site Design    8. Computers / Computer Graphics / General    9. Image processing: computer animation   

Reviews (12)

Truly Exceptional!The only book which makes it, well, easy
I thought I'd never learn to use this program.It's HARD.Not impossible... but not easy, either.I'd almost given up when a friend told me he'd found this one book which made Max4 seem pretty tame; I was, frankly, skeptical.But, I've gone through the *entire* book (with the exception of small parts of the final chapters), and feel I have the measure of the program. Mistakes Mistakes and More Mistakes.
That's what this book should be called. Teacher's Highest Recommendation
As a college instructor of MAX modeling, texturing, and animation, I both recommend this book to my students and use it myself as a resource. I had the pleasure of contributing to this work in a few sections, and so had the opportunity to examine this work closely as it was written. In addition to providing comprehensive instruction on all areas of MAX, Cat Woods discusses the principles of 3D space and the creation of 3D art with greater elegance and clarity than any book I have encountered on the subject. Those struggling with the tools will find help here. A must-have for beginners, and a strong resource for experienced users. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3ds max (Computer file)    2. Computer Books And Software    3. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computer animation    6. Computers    7. Computers - Desktop Publishing    8. Interactive & Multimedia    9. Microcomputer Graphics    10. Computer graphics software    11. Computers / Computer Graphics / Design   

Editorial Review

Unlike many books trying to cover all things Max, Read more

Reviews (13)

best so far - waiting for any new Chismar release
I am a beginner user of Viz and Max and will be using it for architectural 3D rendering. What I look for in a text book are lengthy tutorial exercises.I want to know step by step everything that I have to do to reproduce what the author is showing.This book is great for that.There are three main excercises that go the full length of the 550 pages of this book.As an examplethe 2002 voting machine tutorial goes from pages 182 to 315, covering each step of the construction.Chismar even includes alternate means of construction to show why one method works better than other methods. Best I have seen
The most important feature of this book is the lengthy step by step tutorials.This is the first thing I look for in a computer book - to see that the tutorials are long.to me this indicates that the writer is very thorough with all steps in the project and does not leave out important steps along the way. Good book
Overall, it is a good book with clear instruction for intermediate user.Read more

Subjects:  1. 3ds Max 4 (Computer file)    2. Computer Animation    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    5. Computer graphics    6. Computers    7. Computers - Desktop Publishing    8. Interactive & Multimedia    9. Computers / Computer Graphics / General   

Reviews (6)

Waste of money
What a waste of money this book is. Thank God I had the good sense to not purchase this hunk of dung. I find it funny that the only reviews of this book are from a handful of his brown nosing students and a couple disgruntled ones. Why would anyone buy this book if they weren't required to for the class being taught by Ross? Horribly structured, confusing and redundant. Ross makes Max boring and impossible. The writer's own knowledge is so limited that I can't fathom how he wrote "a book." All I can say is don't buy this, because you'd be better off in the forums. But, if you must buy a book buy anything but this.

Great Max Book
This is a great all around Max guide, and has the best tutorials I've read. They're easy to understand, while being thorough.It's perfect for learning the basics and has a lot of tips and tricks as well.Overall it's very straightforward and well organized to help you find exactly what you're looking for.

Good foundation
After trying to muddle through a few tutorials from other 3d modeling books, I really appreciate how well the tutorials of this book are written.In many of the tutorials, Aaron Ross will point out what will go wrong as you are working throught the tutorial and how to fix it!Although, I agree that the character model is not pretty, this does not detract from the tutorial itself.This book does provide an excellent foundation for using 3ds Max 6 and I recommend it for any beginner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3ds max (Computer file)    2. CAD-CAM - General    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computer animation    6. Computer graphics    7. Computers    8. Engineering - General    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Computer graphics software    11. Technology / Engineering / General   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Graphics - General    3. Computers    4. Computers - Desktop Publishing    5. Interactive & Multimedia    6. Computers / Interactive Media   

Editorial Review

Whereas Read more

Reviews (6)

Missing cd rom
I purchased book on:14-Nov-2003, Listing ID:0922A885308. Good tutorials
This is a 4 stars book, but is outdated now.

this book
this book is alright but the thing that i hated was that it says "go to snap settings" and it took me over 20 minutes to find it. It doesn't tell you where to find stuff. It took me over 2 hours to do someprojects because i was exploring to find settings and boxes i had to check.dont buy it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Computer Books And Software    3. Computer Graphics    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computer animation    6. Computers - Desktop Publishing    7. Desktop Publishing    8. Computer Programming    9. Computer graphics software    10. Microsoft Windows   

Reviews (8)

A good start to enter 3D Max world.
This is a 4 stars book, but is outdated. Good for Intermediate and begginers.
This books has good tutorials and explanations about topics like, methods of object creation/modeling, textures and lights. This is what you have to understand before making a scene or animation. You can also work withanimations, if you pc is good enough.This book gives what it takes tostart working or work better with 3DSMax fx. By the way, the book is about3D Studio Max 1, but since the way lights, materials and objects work isthe same, it's a good choice. wonderful!!
This IS the book to get if you are a biginner with MAX! I bought Inside 3D Studio MAX Vol. 1 about a week ago. I now know that 3D Studio MAX Appliedis the book i should have bought. I learned more in the first fifty pagesthan i did in the two- hundred of Inside 3ds!! Excellent! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Animation    3. Computer Books And Software    4. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    5. Computer Graphics - General    6. Computer animation    7. Computers    8. Computers - Desktop Publishing    9. Interactive & Multimedia    10. Multi-Media Hardware & Software    11. Computer graphics software    12. Desktop publishing software    13. Image processing: computer animation   

Reviews (2)

Not unless you've never seen MAx before
This book is bad.The character built wastes so many polygons that using their technique you will easily create a character with four time the amount of polygons of that of a regular game character and with a quarter of the detail.All this book can do is create bad habbits and you would be much better off not giving this a second thought.Every thing taught here can pretty much be found in any other 3Ds Max book and with much better and less confusing detail.DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME HERE

Very badly written book
Just like all the other books from this publisher the tutorials are badly written with many holes in the descriptions.After much frustration I have started to use the tutorials in Help, which have proved much easier to understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    3. Computer Graphics - Design    4. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    5. Computer Graphics - Photoshop    6. Computer games    7. Computers    8. Computers - Desktop Publishing    9. Computers - Games    10. Design    11. Programming    12. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General    13. Image processing: computer animation    14. Multimedia   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (23)

Very good book for beginners
No book does everything, I've learned that over the last few years, which is why this book can't be a 5 star book, but let me start by saying that this is a great book for beginners.Not absolute virgin beginners, but relatively new beginners.Yes, there are many typos, which is really frustrating, but if you read through the Visual Quickstart Guide (separate book), and have half a brain you can make it work.In a way it makes you have to figure a few things on your own which is important.When I finished the final animated scene, in comparison to the animation shot Duane provides on the cd, my models were a little different in size than his, my lights were placed differently, etc, but basically I had the same thing.I learned a lot from this book.To me the single best thing about this book is that it shows you how to complete something from beginning to end.When you are just beginning, it's important to complete something, even if it is simple.Duane's introduction to Video Post is great, his examples of animation and the use of controllers are a great intro to those new to computer animation, and he proves that you can make a lot out simple modeling techniques.He also provides a lot of art theory, which makes the book a good read.My only real complaints are the typos, which you can deal with, and that I would like to see the discussion of art principles and the step by step instructions more separated.As one reviewer noted, the text is a bit hard on the eyes, and you can get lost when reading directions in paragraph form.Also, when I finish a project, I like to go back and quickly rebuild everything again by just following the step by step, without reading the theory.Overall though, a great beginner book, when read with something like the Quick Start Guide.

Great Book...But Missing Files
As a beginner, I found this to be a great book. Its a legnthy tutorial that takes you through all the crucial steps of building and animating a scene. A very cute scene too! The author even gives some valuable advice on creating a reel. However, the missing files were a distraction, especially a missing camera that was required at the beginning.

Who edited this book?
The content of the book is actually not too bad. It covers the interface farely well and the project is a good idea that allows you to cover a great deal of the application. The problem I have with this book is all the typos. The book can confuse someone that is not familiar with the interface. (Not to mention the missing files.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Animation    3. Computer Books: Desktop Publish    4. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    5. Computer animation    6. Computer graphics    7. Computers    8. Computers - Desktop Publishing    9. Film & Video - General    10. Object-Oriented Programming    11. Programming - Object Oriented Programming    12. Computer graphics software    13. Computers / Computer Graphics / General    14. Multimedia   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (6)

Great for absolute beginners
3D , unlike 2D 'photo' applications, reqire that you know a fair deal about the nature of the 3D world and the multitude of features and modeling techniques before you can do anything! Nice and Easy - Still reading
One aspect of the book is that it is easy to read. Samples, examples explanations. Definately worth reading.

Excellent for beginners
I have read many a 3DS MAX book. -- Well I have tried to read many that is. -- Believe me I have tried off and on for a year or so now. --- This book *truly* is a beginners book that will start you off on the ground level and have you doing things very quickly that are fun. -- I learned more with 3 hours and this book in front of MAX than I had in 3 weeks prior just because this book has a good focus.Read more

Subjects:  1. 3ds max (Computer file)    2. Animation    3. Computer Bks - Desktop Publishing    4. Computer Books: General    5. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    6. Computer Graphics - General    7. Computer animation    8. Computer graphics    9. Computers - Desktop Publishing    10. Film & Video - General    11. Interactive & Multimedia    12. Internet - General    13. Microcomputer Graphics    14. Performing Arts    15. Computer graphics software    16. Image processing: computer animation    17. Technology / Engineering / General   

Reviews (3)

�NO te inscribas en una escuela, mejor compra este libro!
Pues s�, al comprar este libro puedo asegurarte que con un poco de dedicaci�n y de inter�s por descubrir los "secretos" del 3dsmax (incluyendo la versi�n 4), podr�s dominar todo lo necesario para hacer lo que el programa te promete. It's a great book!
I already knew enough about 3D Studio as to make my own models. I wantedto know more, and I found this book. I think it's great, even for someonelike me that already used 3D Studio a lot. It was also between the cheapestones, so I didn't doubt when I bought it. Really nice, it does a deepcoverage of each command, and I prefer Spanish (my original language) toEnglish any day.

don't even try it
well, to any of those who already have read any good max book, can realizeof the poor kind of information that is in this one. I agree there's nomany good books of 3d animation in spanish, and those from anaya multimediaare also very bad books, but, well.. I could tell learn some english andhave some good books like the inside series from new riders. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    2. Computer Graphics - General    3. Computers    4. Computers - Desktop Publishing    5. Computers / CAD-CAM / General    6. Computers / Computer Graphics / General    7. Graphic Arts - General    8. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    9. 3D studio    10. Cinematography    11. Computer Bks - Desktop Publishing    12. Computer animation    13. Spanish Language    14. Special effects   

Editorial Review

The 3D Studio Max application is big and has great depth, but most of the available books that cover it are either of the all-encompassing "bible" type--which are great reference books, but often lack in-depth tutorials--or the getting-started type--which are designed to orient the new user without inducing a bad case of "featuritis overwhelmus."Read more

Reviews (6)

This is a pleasingly easy to follow book
I'm thoroughly happy with this book as it is very easy to understand and follow.However, one or two of the tutorials are very dodgy indeed.Like for example the Tidal Wave effect on the CD is not very good, the wave looks extremely fake and out of place.But apart from that, the rest of this book is very well made and presented.A must buy for any intermediate users.

The 3dMax Goodie Bag!
One of the big gripes I hear from people using tutorial books for software is that they are linear. (They make you start with the apple, then they let you model the tree, and somewhere way down they road you get to model Johnny Appleseed.) This is not the case with 3dMax 3 Magic. Each chapter introduces a new technique on a new tutorial model. In one chapter you are shown how to make realistic looking water surfaces, in another you are being shown how to make the best looking car paint I've ever seen. Like the title of this review states, this is a goodie bag. It is for the Intermediate to Advanced user who wants a "How To" on some of the things Max 3 has to offer. The Authors of the book assume that you atleast know your way around the application. I'm happy to have this book on my shelf, right next to my computer!

Great effects
This is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to enhance theirabilities with 3D Studio MAX 3.It goes beyond the MAX tutorials to showyou how to create effects that obviously took some of these professionals along time to perfect.The car paint material chapter alone is worth theprice of the book.My only complaint is that it's too short. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Animation    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    5. Computer Graphics - General    6. Computer animation    7. Computer graphics    8. Computers    9. Computers - Desktop Publishing    10. Film & Video - General    11. Microcomputer Graphics    12. Computers / Computer Graphics / General   

Reviews (1)

Good
This book is very helpful for animation but you need also a hernashing max5 this is also a good one ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Computer Animation    3. Computer Bks - Desktop Publishing    4. Computer Books: General    5. Computer Graphics - General    6. Computer graphics    7. Computers    8. Computers - Desktop Publishing    9. Desktop Publishing - General    10. Interactive & Multimedia    11. Microcomputer Graphics    12. Multi-Media Hardware & Software    13. Computers / Computer Animation    14. Mathematics and Science   

Editorial Review

The enormous complexity and depth of 3D Studio Max is explored in thisinstallment in the In Depth series from Coriolis Press. Written by anexperienced user and teacher, Read more

Reviews (22)

used book looks new and un-used
I'm new to 3D max and dont really plan on making money useing it, so I decided to try used books on Max and save a few $ and just learn to enjoy the world of 3D for my own use, I must say that the 3 used books I bought were completely new and appeared un-used, as well as the CD's un-opened or used. Also surpisingly that all 3 arrived within 4 working days of ordering, during xmas no less......hats off to all involved, you seem to have your act together. My advice to novices like myself, try the used books and save a chunk of change, you wont be disappointed.

A treasure for the confused dabbler
I am a 3D amateur and had been dabbling with 3D Studio since R4 for DOS. This is obviously not an intuitive product to the amateur, so trying to learn it alone will never really get you far. I realised this and meant to buy a book to help me through for a long time. Until I did, I got a vague grasp on many of the fundamental concepts 3D Studio uses and could do some crude modeling & animations. I finally decided to buy a book and this was it. After years of guesswork I found this book beautifully unravelling the concepts to me and making all the pieces of the puzzle come together, finally making sense, while discovering lots of new features I never knew were there. 3D Studio Max R3 in Depth!
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Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. CAD-CAM - General    3. Cinematography    4. Computer Books: General    5. Computer Graphics - 3D Studio    6. Computer Graphics - General    7. Computer animation    8. Computers    9. Computers - Desktop Publishing    10. General    11. Special effects    12. Computer graphics software   

Editorial Review

The 3D Studio Max application is huge, and it has tremendous flexibility. New users can easily be intimidated by the interface, even if all they want to do is create some animated text. Read more

Reviews (19)

A great book to learn 3D Studio Max R3... QUICKLY!!
Hello! Very nice book
I found this book to be very helpful and to the point. I appreciated the focus on the interface of the program. My background in 3d modeling and animation was nil until I got this book. As with any type of graphic software, you must come into it with a goal. With that in mind this book will get you from concept to "reality" very quickly. Buy this book

For a true beginner....
I am just start to get into this world of 3D. This book is a big help seeing as how I had a problem putting a material on a sphere. This big is making the confusing well not so confusing. I like this big. While using this book I have been doing advanced thing by using tutorial from the net. I plan to finish this book and get me a Advanced Book. But how can you go wrong with Peachpit Books. I mean this is truely a book that a beginner needs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 3D studio    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer Graphics - General    4. Computer animation    5. Computer graphics    6. Computers    7. Microcomputer Graphics    8. Computer graphics software