Rating: 
Summary: The point is moot...but this book is wonderful.
Review: I know the point is late in coming since Peterson has moved on to AutoDesk Press and MAX4 is now the proper subject of any review, but there is no way this book deserves the poor reviews it has received from a couple of reviewers here.There are two books on the market that new users of MAX should consider: 3D Studio MAX 3 Fundamentals by Michael Todd Peterson and 3D Studio MAX 3 In Depth by Rob Polevoi. Of the two, this one is the more basic and gradual. The thing that both of these volumes have in common is that they seek to create an understanding of working in MAX rather than simply describing the programs functions. It is true that instructions and illustrations are not repeated again and again throughout the book, but I count that as a strength, not a weakness. If you need to remember what the MeshSmooth button looks like, refer to Illustration 1.1! This book is head and shoulders above 3D Studio MAX 3 Visual Quickstart Guide, and I believe 3D Studio MAX 3 Bible and Mastering 3D Studio MAX 3. Visual Quickstart (and to a lesser extent the other two titles) simply lists the "steps" to perform each function without giving you an understanding how all the parts work together to actually create animations. For MAX4 users, got to Petersons new book from Autodesk Press or Boardmans book from New Riders. I Haven't seen the new volume of In Depth yet, but it seems to have nearly doubled in press, so I would steer towards these two.
Rating: 
Summary: It's ok
Review: I started out teaching myself with this book and it did ok. With many things, the book would tell you what they were but not how to use or manipulate them. I thought the CD was good at filling in where the book was lacking but I'd go with another book.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent for beginners
Review: I thought this was an excellent, well-written book and perfect for someone new to this program. I am fairly new to 3D Studio MAX but I understand the depth of the program and how difficult it must be to write a book covering just the fundamentals. Some of the tutorials were a little difficult to follow (due to the subject matter primarily) but with a little patience I was able to complete all of them successfully. If you take your time and don't rush through them you won't have a problem. If you're new to 3D Studio MAX I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Buy another book instead
Review: In a nutshell, this book misses ilustrations, no pictures of buttons after the presentation of them in chapter One. The author takes for granted lots of things in his step by step tutorials. I have also had problems following instructions in the first animation exercise. Steve Burke did a great job in the cover but not in the book itself. LOOK, what a beginner expects in a book that says FUNDAMENTALS is visual help, when I decided to buy this book I came to this same page and did not consider what the other people wrote about how terribly writen and designed this book was, I thought the others who gave 5 stars were the ones I should listen to and here I am completly disappointed. I have read and practiced the book cover-to-cover and it is incredible how dissociate topics are, how irrelevant examples are and how graphically poor this book is. This book is an act of irreponsability towards beginners a waste of money if compared to the visual quickstart guide and other books that were written instead of dictated to a secretary and better illustrated in the inside than in the outside.
Rating:
Summary: The best book for laying solid 3D Studio Max R3 foundation!
Review: One of the best computer-related books I've ever read. Easy understandable, humorous. Fluent and fun to read. This not the book for you if you want in-depht information in modeling or other special topics, but lets you catch a glimpse or two of each of the 3D Studio related topics. This book is also proving the neccesary theory of the complex methods and thoughts that stand behind 3D Graphics. A book worth evrey cent you spend!!
Rating:
Summary: Good book to get your feet wet in MAX.
Review: Peterson does a good job of organizing a strong overview of all the features of MAX. This was my first introduction to MAX as well as 3D modeling and animation and his instruction has been a great starting place. The Lotus ScreenCams on the accompanying CD ROM were most helpful. MAX is a daunting program and it is nice to be able to see it in action as opposed to just reading about it. My only complaint is that he instructs you to enter values in a wide range of parameters in his example without telling you why he is doing it. I don't believe it would have taken much more effort to do so and it would have really added some needed clarity. For the most part the book gives you a quick glance at each topic and then it is up to you to experiment. Overall, it is a nice intro to MAX and has inspired me to look for more in-depth material.
Rating:
Summary: Over Priced for the detail of coverage of 3D Max R3
Review: The author obivously wants the reader to explore 3D Max and learn to use the software's Online Help for further details. While this book does cover Max as a intro I felt that for the money more detail should have been included.
Rating:
Summary: Find another book!
Review: This book does a horrible job at helping you navagate 3d studio max, it often leaves you spending alot of time finding something on your own. It is filled with unneeded words and the tutorials off the cd are a shame. like other reviews have said, you complete the final stages of what this guy has already done... leaving you to wonder how he even did the first steps.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely a book for beginners into the world of 3D!
Review: This book is an excellent resource for simple affective and time-saving tips. It goes in depth far enough to give you a basic understanding of Max and 3D in general. However, if you are looking for in depth modelling or incredibly detailed character animation tutorials, this is not the book to buy. This book does not go in deep enough to consider yourself professional in really any areas after reading soley this book. If you are a beginner though, this book will tell you all you need to know to get started. It is composed of 18 chapters dealing with materials, lighting, special effects, etc. Within each chapter you will learn new and useful techniques for editing mostly. As for modelling your own complex 3D models, you are basically on your own. Modelling is, however, one of the more advanced areas of Max and so you should not expect to find too much of it in a book sub-titled "Fundamentals". Overall, I give this book 4 stars (out of 5)because it does VERY well at teaching you the techniques that it presents, but it doesn't present enough challenging and impressive techniques to take your work to a commercial level.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't do it!
Review: This book spends entirely too much time explaining the "fundamentals". That's okay if that's all you're interested in learning. Almost each tutorial requires that you load an almost complete project from the included CD. I wanted to learn how to create even basic objects using this program, not have someone show me how to finish theirs! HINT: Buy the book and read a little for yourself, BUT do not remove the CD. If you do most bookstores will not let you return it. I wish I knew this book was not going to help me before I dove into the CD. Good luck elsewhere.
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