3D Studio MAX 4.0 is an exciting look into the world of 3D animation using the powerful 3D Studio MAX™ program. . The labs, the chapter-ending exercises, and the application chapters take students into the animated worlds that fascinate us in today's films, advertisements, and gaming environments.

INTERFACE

   The 3D World

   Controlling The View

   Naming And Colour

   Parametric Objects

 

TRANSFORMS AND MODIFIERS

   Adjusting Parameters

   Drawing Assistants

   Modification vs. Transform

   Using The Stack

 

CREATING OBJECTS

   Primitive Objects

   Spline-Based Objects

   Using Transforms & Modifiers

   Cutting Holes

 

MATERIALS

   Material Editor Basics

   Libraries

   Making A Simple Material

   Improving The Material

 

CAMERA & LIGHTING

   Adding A Camera

   Camera Parameters

   Using Lights

   Improving Lighting

 

ANIMATION & RENDERING

   Keyframing Basics

   Editing Animation

   Render The Scene

 

PLACING TEMPLATES

   Universal Centre

   Importing Templates

   More Templates

   Custom Keystrokes

 

BLOCKING OUT

   Model The Marquee Arch

   Adding/Sub-Arch

   Model/Side Arch

   Model/Side Arch Windows

 

MORE MODELLING

   Model/2^nd Story Windows

   Model/Gargoyles

   Model/Statues

   Build/Marquee

ADDING DEPTH

   Lathe The Torch

   Build The Entry

   Adjust The Objects

   More Objects

 

MATERIALS AND MAPPING

   A Custom Material

   Applying Base Mapping

   Fix The Window

   Fix The Touch

 

FILLING OUT THE SCENE

   Mirror The Arches

   Copy Objects

   Add Window Glass

   Finishing Touches

 

SETTING UP THE SCENE

   Importing Templates

   Making Blueprints

   Setting The Scale

   Lock Zoom/Pan

 

BLOCKING OUT THE SHAPES

   Main Cylinder

   Smoothing Groups

   House Side

   Making Molding

 

MORE MODELLING

   House Front & Roof

   Spline Lathing

   Using FFDS

   Lathe the Headlights & Mount

 

ADVANCED TOOLS

   Build Main Wheel

   Assemble The Cowcatcher

   Building Around The Wheels

   Lofting The Pipes

 

FILLING IN DETAILS

   Lathing the Engine Front

   Greebling the Engine

   Build The Coal Car

   Making Coal With Noise

 

ADVANCED MATERIALS

   Coal Materials

   Secondary Materials

   Composite Materials

   Multi/Sub Object Materials

 

 

ORGANIZING

   Named Selection Sets

   Using Colour

   Groups

   Building Hierarchies

 

ANIMATING

   Setting Pivots

   Timings

   Adjusting

   Vertex Animation

 

EXPRESSIONS

   Setting Up

   Expressions 1

   Expressions 2

   The Remaining Wheels

 

CONTROLLERS

   Setting Up The Links

   Changing The Arm Controller

   The Forward Arm Controller

   The Piston

 

MOVING THE TRAIN

   Adding Geometry

   Add The Camera & Materials

   Setting The Train Keys

   Trajectories

 

ANIMATION & SPACE WARPS

   Build The Flag

   Add The FFD

   Animate The FFD

   Add The Ripple Space Warp

 

BOX MODELLING

   The Box

   Starting The Bird’s Foot

   Finishing The Foot

   Basic MeshSmooth

 

MODELLING THE CAR

   Transfer & Setup

   Starting The Box

   Applying The Modifier

   Adding Segments

 

MORE DETAIL

   Separating The Fillet

   Changing The Editable Mesh

   Car Materials

   Car Mapping

 

 

PATCH MODELLING

   Using Splines

   Cross Sections

   Building The Network

   Adding Surface

 

BUILDING THE SPLINE CAGE

   Initial Splines

   Copying Splines

   Controlling Surface

   More Splines

 

FINISHING THE CAR

   Adding The Wood Trim

   Multiple Uvs

   Other Detail

   Scene Integration

 

VIDEO POST GLOW FILTER

   Material Setup

   Video Post Basics

   Glow Filter Setup

   VP Rendering

 

TRAIN HEADLIGHT

   Headlight Material

   Add The Light

   Lens Flares

   Volume Light FX

 

ENVIRMENT LIGHTS

   Add Glowing Letters

   Building The Streetlamps

   Ass Lighting FX

   Volume Fog

 

ADDING SPARKS

   Freeze The Wheels

   Add The Particles

   Sparks Material

   Sparks FX

 

ADDING SMOKE

   Particle Basics

   Ass A Particle Cloud

   Particle Timing

   Smoke Material

 

THE FINAL RENDER

   Object Motion Blur

   Scene Motion Blue

   Fine Tuning

   Render To Animation