Title Details

Preface xxxix

Acknowledgments xlv

Part I: Getting Started with 3ds Max 1

Quick Start: Animating a Walking Dinosaur 3

Chapter 1: Exploring the Max Interface 15

Chapter 2: Controlling and Configuring the Viewports 39

Chapter 3: Working with Files, Importing, and Exporting 77

Chapter 4: Customizing the Max Interface and Setting Preferences 105

Part II: Working with Objects 135

Chapter 5: Creating and Editing Primitive Objects 137

Chapter 6: Selecting Objects and Setting Object Properties 167

Chapter 7: Transforming Objects, Pivoting, Aligning, and Snapping 197

Chapter 8: Cloning Objects and Creating Object Arrays 227

Chapter 9: Grouping, Linking, and Parenting Objects 249

Part III: Modeling Basics 259

Chapter 10: Accessing Subobjects and Using Modeling Helpers 261

Chapter 11: Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack 275

Chapter 12: Drawing and Editing 2D Splines and Shapes 307

Chapter 13: Modeling with Polygons and Patches 349

Chapter 14: Using the Graphite Modeling Tools and Painting with Objects 399

Part IV: Materials, Cameras, and Lighting Basics 435

Chapter 15: Using the Slate Material Editor 437

Chapter 16: Creating and Applying Standard Materials 453

Chapter 17: Adding Material Details with Maps 467

Chapter 18: Creating Compound Materials and Using Material Modifiers 507

Chapter 19: Configuring and Aiming Cameras 521

Chapter 20: Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques 537

Part V: Animation and Rendering Basics 567

Chapter 21: Understanding Animation and Keyframes 569

Chapter 22: Animating with Constraints and Simple Controllers 593

Chapter 23: Rendering a Scene and Enabling Quicksilver 613

Part VI: Advanced Modeling 635

Chapter 24: Building Complex Scenes with Containers and XRefs and Using Asset Tracking 637

Chapter 25: Working with the Schematic View 655

Chapter 26: Deforming Surfaces and Using the Mesh Modifiers 675

Chapter 27: Working with Compound Objects 695

Chapter 28: Working with Solids and Body Objects 733

Chapter 29: Adding and Styling Hair and Fur, and Using Cloth 741

Part VII: Advanced Materials 759

Chapter 30: Using Specialized Material Types 761

Chapter 31: Painting in the Viewport Canvas and Rendering Surface Maps 773

Chapter 32: Unwrapping UVs and Mapping Textures 789

Chapter 33: Creating Baked Textures and Normal Maps 815

Part VIII: Advanced Animation Techniques 827

Chapter 34: Using Animation Layers, Modifiers, and Complex Controllers 829

Chapter 35: Animating with the Expression Controller and Wiring Parameters 863

Chapter 36: Working with Function Curves in the Track View 881

Part IX: Working with Characters 919

Chapter 37: Understanding Rigging and Working with Bones 921

Chapter 38: Working with Inverse Kinematics 929

Chapter 39: Animating with CAT and Creating Crowds 947

Chapter 40: Skinning Characters 973

Part X: Dynamic Animation 991

Chapter 41: Creating Particles and Particle Flow 993

Chapter 42: Using Space Warps 1023

Chapter 43: Simulating Physics-Based Motion with reactor 1045

Chapter 44: Animating Hair and Cloth 1067

Part XI: Advanced Lighting and Rendering 1075

Chapter 45: Working with Advanced Lighting, Light Tracing, and Radiosity 1077

Chapter 46: Using Atmospheric and Render Effects 1095

Chapter 47: Rendering with mental ray 1127

Chapter 48: Batch and Network Rendering 1141

Part XII: MAXScript and Plug-Ins 1157

Chapter 49: Automating with MAXScript 1159

Chapter 50: Expanding Max with Third-Party Plug-Ins 1195

Appendix A: What’s New with 3ds Max 2011 1203

Appendix B: What’s on the DVD 1207

Index 1211