Description:
The 3D Studio Max application offers an array of powerful modeling tools, but the type of model and the style of tool can often make building intricate objects a real challenge. 3D Studio Max: Building Complex Models attempts to break down the process of complex modeling into digestible chunks using Max's native tools as well as third-party plug-ins. Divided into nine sections and 25 chapters, Building Complex Models opens with a short set of tutorials on how to use Max's native model-making tools, including using splines, lofting, creating compound objects, and NURBS. Other sections cover some of the more popular commercial plug-ins, an array of shareware/freeware modeling plug-ins, particle system modeling, and using Max with other applications to build or texture models. There are several notable points about this book. For one, it is not exclusive to 3D Studio Max. It includes chapters and tutorials that cover a range of programs. While this is not a bad thing, you might be disappointed if you are expecting a solid book on modeling in Max; if you use a variety of applications, or if you work in a studio where sharing data across applications is important, this information might be useful. Also, the vast majority of examples depend on third-party plug-ins. Only the first 85 pages (the five chapters of section A) deal with Max's native toolset. The remaining 350 or so pages explore virtually every commercial or shareware third-party plug-in available. Again, this by itself isn't a bad thing. There are plenty of cool plug-ins available that either make life easier when using Max, or allow you to do things that Max can't normally do by itself. However, Max's native toolset offers a wide array of features, and learning to use them well is vital to becoming proficient with the program. Therefore, it's a little disappointing to find that more examples weren't offered that illustrate the use of the tools that ship with the program. This is a balanced book, with highs and lows. If you're looking for a book that teaches how to build complex and intricate models using Max, this isn't it. However, if you want to explore the world of available plug-ins, or need to learn how Max can integrate with some other applications, you could do worse by starting that exploration elsewhere. --Mike Caputo
| 
