3ds Max 8 Essentials

Book description

Welcome to the Autodesk Media and Entertainment Official Training Courseware for 3ds Max 8 software! Consider this book an all-access pass to the production and training experience of Autodesk developers and training experts. Written for self-paced learning or instructor-led classroom training, the manual will teach you the fundamentals of using 3ds Max 8. The book is organized into sections dedicated to animation, modelling, materials, lighting and rendering. Each section covers basic theory, and then includes exercises for hands-on demonstration of the concept. By the end of the book, you will have mastered the basics and moved onto full-length projects. Flexibility is built in, so that you can complete the tutorials in the way that works best for you. Complete the book and you will be a seasoned 3ds Max pro, ready to work confidently in a production environment.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Table of Contents
  6. Introduction
  7. Chapter 1 Getting Started
    1. 1 User Interface
      1. Objectives
      2. User Interface Components
      3. Viewports
        1. Adjusting Viewport Size
        2. Viewport Configuration
        3. Home Grid and Default Views
        4. Menu Bar
        5. Toolbars
      4. Exercise 1: Working in the User Interface
      5. Exercise 2: Creating Objects
      6. Exercise 3: Customizing Toolbars
      7. Command Panel
        1. Create Panel
        2. Modify Panel
        3. Hierarchy Panel
        4. Motion Panel
        5. Display Panel
        6. Utility Panel
      8. Exercise 4: Using the Command Panel
      9. Other User Interface Elements
        1. Quad Menu
        2. Dialog Boxes
        3. Time Slider, Track Bar, and Timeline
        4. Status and Prompt Lines
        5. Animation Controls
        6. Playback Area
      10. Exercise 5: Using the Animation Playback Controls
      11. Viewport UI Elements
        1. Viewport Navigation Icons
        2. Viewport Right-Click Menu
      12. Exercise 6: Orthographic View Manipulation
      13. Exercise 7: Perspective View Manipulation
      14. Keyboard
      15. Help
      16. Summary
    2. 2 Overview Lab
      1. Objectives
      2. Exercise 1: Creating the Signpost
      3. Exercise 2: Adding Modeling Elements to the Signpost
      4. Exercise 3: Adding More Components: Creating the Sign
      5. Exercise 4: Merging a Sign Lamp: Merging an Object from Another File
      6. Exercise 5: Adding Basic Materials to the Signpost
      7. Exercise 6: Adjusting Ambient Lighting and Adding Lighting for the Sign
      8. Exercise 7: Adding the Broken Sign Animation: Animating the sign breaking
      9. Exercise 8: Rendering your animation
      10. Summary
    3. 3 Files and Objects
      1. Objectives
      2. Scene File Manipulation
        1. Saving Files
        2. Hold and Fetch
        3. Merging Files
        4. Save Selected
        5. Import and Export
        6. File Link and XRef
        7. Starting your Scene
        8. Units Setup
        9. Grid Settings
      3. Exercise 1: Units and Grid Setup
      4. Exercise 2: Options for Grid Display
      5. Simple Geometry Creation and Pivot Points
        1. Pivot Point Location
      6. Exercise 3: Simple Geometry Creation and Pivot Point Location
      7. Object Orientation
        1. Pivot Point Orientation
      8. Exercise 4: Viewport Base Plane Geometry and Pivot Point Orientation
      9. Modifying Standard Objects
        1. Face Count
      10. Exercise 5: Modifying Objects and Face Counts
      11. Selecting Objects
        1. Selection Tool
        2. Selection Lock Toggle
        3. Select Objects By Name
        4. Selection Filter
        5. Selection Window/Crossing
        6. Selection Region Type
        7. Hiding and Freezing Objects
      12. Exercise 6: Selecting Objects by Name and Naming Objects
      13. Organization of Objects in a Scene
        1. Selection Sets
      14. Exercise 7: Selection Sets
      15. Groups
      16. Exercise 8: Groups
      17. Attaching Objects
      18. Exercise 9: Attaching Objects
      19. Summary
    4. 4 Transforms
      1. Objectives
      2. Transform Tools
        1. Move
        2. Rotation
        3. Scale
      3. Transform Base Point
      4. Exercise 1: Simple Transform Exercise
      5. Coordinate Systems
        1. World
        2. View
        3. Local
        4. Pick
        5. Snaps
        6. Angle Snap
        7. Scale Percent Snap
      6. Exercise 2: Transforms using Snaps and Coordinate Systems
      7. Exercise 3: Transforms with the Pick Coordinate System
      8. Align
        1. Align XYZ Position
        2. Align Orientation
        3. Quick Align
      9. Exercise 4: Aligning Objects
      10. Cloning Objects
        1. Copy
        2. Instance
        3. Reference
        4. Make Unique
        5. Select Dependents
      11. Exercise 5: Cloning Objects
      12. Other Transforms
        1. Mirror
        2. Array
        3. Spacing
        4. Clone and Align
      13. Summary
    5. 5 Applying Modifiers
      1. Objectives
      2. Concepts of the Modifier Stack
        1. Operations in the Modifier Stack
        2. Modifier Order
      3. Exercise 1: Basic Manipulations of the Modifier Stack
      4. Modifiers
        1. Bend
        2. Taper
      5. Noise
        1. Twist
        2. Shell
        3. Lattice
        4. FFD
      6. Collapsing the Stack
        1. Base Object Types
        2. Collapsing the Stack
        3. Converting Base Object Types
      7. Exercise 2: Adding Modifiers to a Model
      8. Exercise 3: Modeling with Modifiers
      9. Exercise 4: Creating a Sky Dome
      10. Summary
  8. Chapter 2 Modeling
    1. 6 Low Poly Modeling
      1. Objectives
      2. Objects and Sub-Objects
      3. Exercise 1: Accessing Sub-Object Levels
      4. Sub-Object Levels
      5. Exercise 2: Working at Sub-Object Levels
      6. Exercise 3: Basics of Low-Poly Modeling
        1. Adding Detail to the Engine and Optimizing the Mesh
      7. Exercise 4: Modeling with Modifiers
      8. Exercise 5: Repairing the Broken Part
      9. Smoothing Groups
      10. Exercise 6: Using Smoothing Groups Menu
      11. Using Subdivision Surfaces
      12. Exercise 7: Smoothing a Low-Poly Model
      13. Summary
    2. 7 Shapes
      1. Objectives
      2. Shape Definitions
        1. Shape Components
      3. Basic Shape Creation Functions
        1. Line Tool
        2. Parametric Shape Tools
        3. Shape Steps
        4. Rendering Values
        5. 3D Splines
      4. Editing Splines
        1. Editing Parametric Shapes
        2. The Base Spline Object – The Editable Spline
        3. Spline Manipulations
      5. Exercise 1: Creating a Simple Shape
      6. Adding Splines from a Shape
        1. Detaching Splines from a Shape
        2. Basic Transformations of Sub Objects
        3. Mirror
        4. Boolean
        5. Outline
      7. Segment Editing
        1. Connecting Vertices
        2. Refining a Segment Through the Addition of Vertices
      8. Vertex Editing
        1. Deleting Vertices
        2. Welding Vertices
        3. Vertex Controls
        4. Fillet/Chamfer
        5. Importance of the First Vertex
      9. Exercise 2: Creating a Profile for an Oil Can
      10. Exercise 3: Creating a Profile for a Bottle
      11. Using Shape Modifiers
        1. Extrude
        2. Lathe
        3. Bevel
        4. Bevel Profile
        5. Sweep
      12. Exercise 4: Using the Lathe Modifier
      13. Exercise 5: Creating a Medallion with Bevel
      14. Exercise 6: Re-creating the Gas Station Island with Bevel Profile
      15. Exercise 7: Using the Sweep Modifier to Create a Wainscoting
      16. Summary
    3. 8 Using Compound Objects
      1. Objectives
      2. Booleans
        1. Subtraction
        2. Intersection
        3. Union
      3. Exercise 1: Using Booleans to Create a Building Shell
      4. Lofts
        1. Drawing Paths and Shapes
        2. Alignment and Pivot Points of Shapes
        3. Multiple Shape Lofts and the First Vertex
        4. Shape Steps and Path Steps
        5. Deformation Grids
      5. Exercise 2: Creating a Lofted Lamppost
      6. Exercise 3: Creating the top of the Lamppost using a Scale Deformation grid
      7. Scatter Tool
      8. Exercise 4: Distributing Cactus Trees on a Terrain
      9. Summary
    4. 9 Modeling Lab
      1. Objectives
      2. Creating an Underwater Scene
      3. Exercise 1: Creating the ocean floor
      4. Exercise 2: Adding Rocks
      5. Exercise 3: Adding Complex Rock Formations
      6. Exercise 4: Lighting Setup
      7. Summary
  9. Chapter 3 Animation
    1. 10 Animation Basics
      1. Objectives
      2. History of Animation
      3. 2D versus 3D Animation
      4. Time
      5. The Concept of Keyframing
      6. Exercise 1: The Bouncing Ball
      7. Track View
      8. Timing
      9. Ease in / Ease out
      10. Arcs
      11. Exercise 2: The Bowling Ball and the Golf Ball
      12. Exercise 3: The Gelatin Cake
      13. Anticipation
      14. Follow-Through and Overlapping Action
      15. Squash and Stretch
      16. Exaggeration
      17. Exercise 4: The Gelatin Cake: Anticipation, Stretch, and Follow-Through
      18. Secondary Action
      19. Straight-Ahead Animation and Pose-to-Pose Animation
      20. Staging/Appeal/Personality
      21. Summary
    2. 11 Hierarchies
      1. Objectives
      2. Mechanics of Movement
      3. Linking Objects
        1. Pivot Point
        2. Linking vs. Groups
      4. Exercise 1: Linking the Robot Arm
      5. Exercise 2: Linking the Robot Arm using Schematic view
      6. Schematic View
      7. Exercise 3: Linking the Robot Arm Using Schematic View
      8. A Little Bit About IK
      9. Exercise 4: Inverse Kinematics
      10. Hierarchy
        1. Pivot
        2. IK
        3. Link Info
      11. Exercise 5: Link Info on the Locomotive Wheel
      12. Summary
    3. 12 Character Animation—Biped
      1. Objectives
      2. Character Animation
      3. Biped
      4. Exercise 1: Fitting a Biped Inside a Character
      5. Exercise 2: Creating a Physique
      6. Motion Panel
      7. Exercise 3: Setting up Biped for Animation
      8. Exercise 4: Animating a Walk Cycle
      9. The Mechanics of a Walk Cycle
      10. Exercise 5: Refining the walk
      11. Animation Principles
      12. Exercise 6: Follow through
      13. Summary
    4. 13 Animation Lab
      1. Objectives
      2. Getting prepared
      3. Exercise 1: Animating the Chess Object
      4. Exercise 2: The Knight Attacks the Bishop
      5. Exercise 3: The Escape
      6. Exercise 4: Adjusting the Trajectory
      7. Exercise 5: Animating Modifiers to Simulate Emotion
      8. Exercise 6: Animating the Timer
      9. Summary
  10. Chapter 4 Materials & Mapping
    1. 14 Introduction to Materials
      1. Objectives
      2. Introduction to Materials
        1. The Purpose of Materials
        2. Substance
        3. Age
        4. Style
        5. Material Importance
        6. Materials and Lighting
      3. The Material Editor
        1. The User Interface
        2. The Material Editor Dialog
        3. Material Editor Menu Bar
        4. Material Sample Slots
        5. Sample Window Indicators
        6. Material Editor Options
      4. Exercise 1: The Material Indicators
      5. Exercise 2: Changing the Sample Shape
      6. Exercise 3: Using a Custom Sample Object
      7. Exercise 4: Applying a Material to an Object
      8. Exercise 5: Creating a Simple Material
      9. Material Types
        1. The Standard Material
        2. Shader Types
        3. The Raytrace Material
        4. The Architectural Material
        5. The Ink ‘n Paint Material
        6. Blend Material
      10. Exercise 6: The Wet Floor
      11. Exercise 7: Saving the Scene Material to a Library
      12. Summary
    2. 15 Using Maps
      1. Objectives
      2. Using Maps in Material Definitions
        1. Textures and Maps
        2. Maps
        3. Bitmaps
        4. Procedural Maps
      3. Map Types
        1. Accessing Map Types
        2. Map Types
      4. Exercise 1: Mapping the Drum
      5. Mixing Maps
        1. 2D vs. 3D
      6. Exercise 2: Creating a Multi-Map Procedural Texture
      7. Summary
    3. 16 Mapping Coordinates
      1. Objectives
      2. Mapping
        1. UVW Mapping
        2. Mapping Coordinates
        3. Mapping Types
      3. Exercise 1: Applying UVW Mapping
      4. Exercise 2: Box Mapping
      5. Exercise 3: Spherical Mapping
      6. Unwrap UVW
        1. Unwrap UVW tools
      7. Exercise 4: Using Unwrapped Mapping Coordinates
      8. Render To Texture
        1. Texture Baking
        2. Dependence on Mapping
      9. Exercise 5: Rendering a Normal Map
      10. Summary
    4. 17 Materials and Mapping
      1. Objectives
      2. Exercise 1: Create a Material for the Ocean Floor
      3. Exercise 2: Fine Tune the Sand Material
      4. Exercise 3: Create a Blend Mask
      5. Exercise 4: Apply a Material to the Rocks
      6. Exercise 5: Finalize and Adjust the Rock Material
      7. Exercise 6: Create the Caustic Effect
      8. Summary
  11. Chapter 5 Rendering
    1. 18 Cameras
      1. Objectives
      2. Camera types in 3ds Max
      3. Framing a Camera Shot
      4. Exercise 1: Setting a Long Shot with a Target Camera
      5. Exercise 2: Setting a Close-up Shot with a Free Camera
      6. Camera Lenses
      7. Exercise 3: Setting the Camera Lens and FOV
      8. Camera Aspect Ratio
      9. Exercise 4: Setting the Camera’s Aspect Ratio
      10. Camera Angles
      11. Exercise 5: Setting a Dynamic Camera Angle
      12. The Line of Action
      13. Exercise 6: Setting up a Triangle System
      14. Exercise 7: Shot Variation: Using an Over-the-Shoulder (OTS) Shot
      15. The Moving Camera
      16. Exercise 8: Setting up a Crane Shot
      17. Summary
    2. 19 Basic Lighting
      1. Objectives
      2. The Ambient Light Riddle
      3. Exercise 1: Setting the Ambient Color
      4. Light Types in 3ds Max
        1. Using Standard Lights
        2. The Importance of Shadows
      5. Exercise 2: Creating a Target Spot
      6. Lighting Techniques
        1. Three-Point Lighting
      7. Exercise 3: Working with Three-Point Lighting
      8. Light Lister
      9. Exercise 4: Using the Light Lister
      10. Summary
    3. 20 Global Illumination
      1. Objectives
      2. Global Illumination
      3. Global Illumination Engines
      4. Light Tracer
      5. Exercise 1: Light Tracer
      6. Using Light Tracing
      7. Radiosity
      8. Photometric Light
      9. Exposure Control
      10. Exercise 2: Radiosity
      11. Exercise 3: Radiosity Material
      12. Important things to know when using Radiosity
      13. Summary
    4. 21 Rendering the Scene
      1. Objectives
      2. Rendering in 3DS Max
      3. Render Scene Dialog
      4. Common Panel
      5. Time Output
      6. Output Size
      7. Exercise 1: Output Size
      8. Render Output
      9. File Type
      10. RAM Player
      11. Exercise 2: Using the RAM Player
      12. Object Properties Rendering Control
      13. Exercise 3: Rendering Control
      14. Rendering Environment and Effects
      15. Exercise 4: Creating a Sun using Lens effect
      16. Scene States
      17. Exercise 5: Scene States
      18. Batch Render
      19. Exercise 6: Batch Render
      20. Summary
    5. 22 Scene Assembly Lab
      1. Objectives
      2. The Last Gas(p) Gas Station
      3. Modeling
      4. Materials
      5. Lighting
      6. Animation
      7. Summary
  12. Index

Product information

  • Title: 3ds Max 8 Essentials
  • Author(s): Autodesk
  • Release date: March 2014
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136142932