Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners

Product Description

Video game and feature-film artists have used 3ds Max to create Halo 2, King Kong, Myst V, and more. Now you can harness this popular animation software with the clear, step-by-step instructions in this easy-to-follow guide. This book breaks down the complexities of 3D modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. Clear-cut explanations, tutorials, and hands-on projects help build your skills and a special color insert includes real-world examples from talented 3ds Max beginners.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #24331 in Books
* Published on: 2007-04-09
* Format: Illustrated
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 527 pages

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover
Let Your Imagination Run Wild

Video game and feature-film artists have used 3ds Max to create Halo 2, King Kong, Myst V, and more. Now you can harness this popular animation software with the clear, step-by-step instruction in this easy-to-follow guide.

Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners breaks down the complexities of 3D modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. You'll jump right into the pipeline—from preproduction to production to postproduction—with clear-cut explanations, tutorials, and hands-on projects to build your skills. A special color insert includes real-world examples from talented 3ds Max beginners. From immediately creating your first animation to tackling poly modeling, rendering, and particles, you'll get a solid grounding in 3ds Max 9.

* Build the knowledge you need for game, film, and TV production
*

Master modeling—from simple and complex polygon mechanical models to organic character modeling
*

Assign textures effects and UV texture mapping
*

Create walk cycles and simple character animations with Character Studio
*

Explore lighting, rendering, and raytracing concepts
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Render through mental ray and raytracing
*

Discover simple rigid body dynamics and Max's particle systems

Valuable companion CD

The CD includes all the image files, scenes, and support materials needed to create the tutorials in the book, as well as a demo version of 3ds Max.

Create a low-poly model tank

Learn to apply different surfaces to objects

Put cameras to workAbout the Authors

About the Author
Dariush Derakhshani is an award-winning 3D animator, author, and educator. He has worked on movies such as The Fantastic Four and Pan's Labyrinth, the South Park TV series, and numerous commercials and music videos. He teaches 3D animation and is the author of Introducing Maya 7: 3D for Beginners (Sybex).

Randi L. Munn teaches 3D animation at The Art Institute of California and has worked as a digital artist and technical director for games and movie projects with Gizmo Games, RJB Enterprises, and Sony.
Customer Reviews

A Fantastic Starter to those who are new To CG World5
At first I thought to myself that this book was going to be your typical "BAD" computer book where you have to get up, look for people who know how to use 3Ds Max or you would either look for some written or video tutorials online to get you up and started running this software. So I honestly didn't bother buying the book at first until one day by coincidence my colleague happens to have the exact same book that I was looking at Amazon 5 days ago. He told me that the book is an easy read especially with the lingo that the author uses in this book. I didn't want to believe it however; as soon as I borrowed the book just 1 day I have literally completed 4 chapters of this AMAZING book! There was no question about it and I had to get hold of a copy of my own.

One of the best things that the user will be introduced in this book is that the author will get the user feet wet into the realm of CG in Chapter 2 where the user will create a simple animation and from there the author then explain how the CG world works today and how a user should be well equipped.

Honestly this is by far one of the best introductions to CG especially how to use a complex software as 3Ds Max 9. All I can say is that this book is only for the Novice and not for the semi or advanced users. However it still acts as a good reference book for the semi / advanced users.

Oh and One last thing I should mention. This may not seem important to you but to me it is. I only believe that a good computer book has to have color throughout the whole book because it makes the book fun to read with colors. But now I am going to have to change my belief on that because this book is completely in black and white and STILL the book surprises me to how EASY it is to read and to follow along through the CD exercise that accompanies this book.

Great Book!5
Its written in easy to follow directions, instructions and example pictures. I really enjoyed the student work section in the middle of the book.

This book has greatly expanded my 3D modeling 'tool belt' and boosted my confidence for tackling difficult projects.