CGNetworks Product Review :: Discreet 3ds max 7
3ds max 7 Professional Review
Sam Hodge, 5 October 2004
Edited by Lisa Thurston
 

3ds max has a long history of 6 versions prior to this release, but the majority of the workflow from the first version hasn't changed. Each 3ds max release focuses on adding features and improving the workflow on what is a stable and well-rounded 3d modeling and animation package. This seventh release is no different. It builds on what exists, adding a number of new features to the base product.

The major additional features are the inclusion of mental ray 3.3 and character studio, a leading system for the production of motion of bipedal characters from both key-framed and motion capture data. In addition, Discreet has included some useful improvements to the modeling, animation and rendering workflow in this release.

Moreover, the version 7 renderer now has full support for Normal Maps, one of the most highly-anticipated new features in the product. According to Discreet, the Normal Maps are one of the top 3 most important new features in 3ds max 7 and have been the biggest focus for 3ds max engineers over the past few years. Certainly the Normal Map support will be a boon for texturers and games engineers using max.
 

As a modeler, 3ds max is hard to beat. It has a useful number of geometry classes including numerous parametric primitives. They are great for beginners and pre-viz artists to get quick results. It also has:

• Editable meshes, the legacy polygonal editing tool
• Editable polygons, the updated and more powerful modeling tools with sophisticated features
• Splines: as construction primitives these Bezier based splines are familiar for anybody with experience with a vector based drawing package
• Patches: these allow for creating detailed surfaces by filling the spaces between three and four sided hole in Bezier curve lattice with patch geometry and NURBS surfaces

This variety of tools allows you to produce quality models in a short amount of time. The NURBS tools are somewhat dated but still functional. As far as flexibility and ease of use go, the editable polygon class of geometry is difficult to match. This class of geometry has been upgraded again in 3ds max 7. Combine these with a customizable UI comprising of menus, icon based buttons, hotkeys and gizmos that has been refined over 7 iterations of the software and you can work in a way that suits you and create models within a tight deadline.

New Modeling Features in 3ds max 7

Edit Poly modifier
This was perhaps the missing link from the editable polygon geometry type. Now all the tools you've grown to love from the editable polygon are available as a modifier. They are animatable too! Just being able to have access to the edge loops tools ring and loop at a modifier level is great! It's a pity that these edge and loop selections aren't system-wide, for instance in the skin modifier and the edit UVW modifier, without having to add additional scripting. All the updates to the editable polygon base object can be found in the modifier also.

Editable poly enhancements

Relax
Relax is now applied at the sub-object level so that you can average out 'jaggies' in your model without the need to make selections and add a modifier – a very useful tool indeed.

Border: Bridge
This works at the border sub object like the Connect Boolean object, allowing you to have full control of a connection between two open holes in your model. This is perfect for stitching a limb onto a hole in the body.

Preserve UVW
The model can be edited independently of the UVW coordinates, allowing a modeler to make changes to the model without ruining UVW coordinates. Vertices, edges and polygons can slide underneath the map. Of course it cannot make adjustments for major changes in form, but will allow you to move around a few edge loops here and there without having to repaint your model. This is a great 'get out of jail free card' for unexpected hiccups in the intended pipeline.

Turn edges
With this enhancement, you can now edit the triangulation with a single click of the mouse – an improvement on the click and drag action required in older versions.

Paint selections
You can now paint a selection (as a system-wide selection) which is very useful. It allows you to create and add and remove from a selection with a round brush from any viewport. It's another welcome alternative to the other marquee-based selection tools.

Flatten polygon
The flatten polygon tool can now be used in X, Y or Z dimensions, allowing you make co-planar polygons quickly and easily.

Polygon sub-object: Select by angle
Polygons can now be selected according to the angle they share with adjoining polygons, which means you can select a whole face of a cube with one click, as adjoining faces will likely be beyond your angle threshold.

Paint Deform for poly objects
Paint deform allows the user to use three operations (pull, push and relax) along the surface normal of the polygon you are editing. It is similar to the artisan tools in Maya. This is an invaluable tool for the creation or normal maps and editing of both low and high polygon models. As an artist chipping away at a model in the same way you would a lump of clay, by adding to its surface or digging away at it, the paint deform tool for poly objects is much more intuitive but lacks the accuracy of directly moving specific vertices.

Paint soft selection
Rather than just having a soft selection falloff with a radius from the nearest selected vertex, you can individually paint the amount a vertex or face selected with colored feedback. In the past this could only be achieved using a vertex paint modifier followed by a volume select. This improvement in workflow is a great gain for modelers and technical directors alike.

bridge tool


relax modifier


paint deformation


paint selections


preserve UVs