Description:
3DS Max 5 has a wide and deep feature set that’s often intimidating to a new user, but in 3DS Max 5 Visual QuickStart Guide Michele Matossian presents the program in a manageable way for new users. Part of the Visual QuickStart series, the best thing in books for users new to a particular software package, this friendly tutorial book succeeds in getting the new user up to speed. One of the best features of this book is the clear, clean layout and the speed with which it gets the reader into the program. The book first covers installation and a quick tour of the interface, but the second chapter quickly leaps into creating objects. Not just basic cubes, either--it explores the different ways of creating different object types. The reader immediately gets a feel for both the book and the application while learning how to build 3D objects. The remaining sections go into much greater detail on modeling, as well as most other aspects of the program. Lighting, cameras, materials, animating an object, creating compound shapes, and more is not just discussed but demonstrated. On nearly every page, the user is asked to put down the book and do something. It’s almost impossible to walk away from this book without a firm grasp of how 3D Studio Max works. Experienced users might be frustrated with the shallow coverage found in the Visual QuickStart series, but these books are designed for new users. Missing here is detailed (or any) information on scripting, texturing, network rendering, or integrating 3DS Max with other applications. However, it’s unlikely that new users will need this kind of information, and there is more than enough information to keep the beginner busy. 3DS Max 5 Visual QuickStart Guide makes learning this broad and deep tool easy and fun. --Mike Caputo
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