Beginning with all the new features available in release 3 (of which there are many) the book continues by covering subjects such as rendering, post-production and ways to extend the power of Max using plug-ins and Maxscript.

Although a hefty book, its 41 chapters aren't padded with fluff or screenshots--in fact, more screenshots would have been welcome. Each page is filled with step-by-step instructions, tips and notes on how to use just about any feature in Max. Everything seems to be covered, from navigating and customising the Max interface, to basic and advanced modelling, using and controlling lights and cameras, deformations.

Not only does the Max Bible explain everything (there is even a whole chapter on setting up network rendering), but each chapter has at least one, usually two, step-by-step tutorials to demonstrate the features described. The tutorials are usually very short and to the point--designed to demonstrate the workings of a specific feature. For example, the tutorial on using the Motion Capture controller is only four steps, and uses the example of animating a pencil over the surface of a sheet of paper. All the objects are made from primitives, and no time is wasted on modelling and texturing a realistic pencil or a paper surface.

While short tutorials are a great way to learn quickly, longer ones would have been welcome. The colour gallery pages offer some nice examples of high-level work, but they lack explanations of how they were created or how the credited artist approached the scene.

The accompanying CD-ROM offers numerous models and the tutorial elements used throughout the book, with the added bonus of a set of plug-ins for Max 3. The gear-making primitive, the toy brick-making primitive, and several rendering plug-ins (TV Image is cool) are more than worth the cost of the book.

If you need a single point of reference to keep handy when working in Max, 3D Studio Max 3 Bible is a good place to start. If you buy two, you can use them to do arm curls while your version of "Toy Story" is rendering. --Mike Caputo, Amazon.com

Book Description
Master valuable 3D modeling and animation skills to create spectacular visual effects with 3D Studio MAX R3 Bible. Each chapter in this authoritative guide helps you harness the power of MAX's specialized tools, effects, and utilities:*Familiarize yourself with the new features in R3, understand the interface, and discover how to configure and customize MAX.*Learn how to reference, select, transform, and modify models, cameras, lights, and any other object that can be viewed in a viewport.*Model objects by working on primitives, spline shapes, meshes, patches, NURBS, and a variety of specialized compound objects, including Lofts and Morphs.*Control light and cameras, as well as several lighting special effects and camera utilities.*Use particle systems and space warps to enhance any MAX scene.*Create animated scenes with keyframing, Track View, and Controllers.*Extend the features of MAX with plug-ins.The jam-packed CD-ROM includes exclusive Bible plug-ins, including Brick Object, Gear Object, Rainbow Effect, and more. It also offers sample 3D models and complete tutorial files to help you take full advantage of MAX 3R.

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