List of Figures

Quick Start: Animating a Dancing Cartoon Moose

Figure QS.1: Having a sketch to start from makes the modeling process go much easier.

Figure QS.2: The reference sketch helps define the height and width of the character's body parts.

Figure QS.3: Marvin's leg and foot already look funny.

Figure QS.4: The moose with its torso, arm, and hand completed.

Figure QS.5: The moose body is mirrored and welded together along its midline.

Figure QS.6: Welcome to the moose head, complete with glasses.

Figure QS.7: Smoothing the moose body makes it flow better and look more organic.

Figure QS.8: Adding materials to the moose character better differentiates the various body parts.

Figure QS.9: Notice how closely the biped bones are aligned with the skin.

Figure QS.10: Skinning associates all the skin vertices with the right bone.

Figure QS.11: Animating the character is as easy as positioning bones.

Chapter 1: Exploring the Max Interface

Figure 1.1: Max includes five main interface elements.

Figure 1.2: All menus feature visual clues.

Figure 1.3: The main toolbar includes buttons and drop-down lists for controlling many of the most popular Max functions.

Figure 1.4: Flyout menus bundle several toolbar buttons together.

Figure 1.5: The Command Panel includes six separate panels accessed via tab icons.

Figure 1.6: Open and close rollouts by clicking on the rollout title.

Figure 1.7: Increase the width of the Command Panel by dragging its left edge.

Figure 1.8: Left-handed users can move the Command Panel to the left side.

Figure 1.9: The Lower Interface Bar includes several sets of controls.

Figure 1.10: Quadmenus contain a host of commands in an easily accessible location.

Figure 1.11: The Welcome Screen includes video clips that show the basic skills for working with Max.

Figure 1.12: The User Reference includes panels for viewing the index of commands and searching the reference.

Chapter 2: Controlling and Configuring the Viewports

Figure 2.1: Axonometric and Perspective views

Figure 2.2: The Max interface includes four viewports, each with a different view.

Figure 2.3: The rotation guide appears whenever the Arc Rotate button is selected.

Figure 2.4: The Perspective viewport is zoomed in on the dog's head using the Zoom and Pan controls.

Figure 2.5: The Perspective viewport after a slight rotation shows Bruce's good side.

Figure 2.6: You can dynamically resize viewports by dragging their borders.

Figure 2.7: Expert Mode maximizes the viewports by eliminating most of the interface elements.

Figure 2.8: The Rendering Method panel holds controls for specifying the Rendering Level and several other viewport rendering options.

Figure 2.9: The viewport rendering methods are shown from left to right. First Row: Smooth+Highlights, Smooth, Facets+Highlights, Facets, and Flat. Second Row: Hidden Line, Lit Wireframes, Wireframe, Bounding Box, and Edged Faces applied to Smooth+Highlights.

Figure 2.10: The viewport transparency options include None, Simple, and Best.

Figure 2.11: The Force 2-Sided option makes the interior of objects visible.

Figure 2.12: The Display Selected with Edged Faces and Use Selection Brackets options make identifying the current selection easy.

Figure 2.13: The clipping planes can be used to show the interior of this car model.

Figure 2.14: By using Clipping Planes, you can reveal the interior of a model.

Figure 2.15: A viewport image can be grabbed using a menu command found in the Tools menu.

Figure 2.16: The Layout panel offers many layout options.

Figure 2.17: The Safe Frames panel lets you specify areas to render.

Figure 2.18: Safe frames provide guides that help you see when the scene objects are out of bounds.

Figure 2.19: The Adaptive Degradation panel maintains a defined frame rate by degrading the rendering level.

Figure 2.20: The Regions panel enables you to work with smaller regions within your scene.

Figure 2.21: The image on the left was rendered using the Sub Region option; the right image used the Blowup Region.

Figure 2.22: The Statistics panel lets you display polygon count and frames per second in the viewport.

Figure 2.23: The active viewport can be set to display the selected statistics.

Figure 2.24: The Viewport Background dialog box lets you select a background source image or animation.

Figure 2.25: Adding a background image to a viewport can help as you begin to model objects.

Chapter 3: Working with Files and XRefs

Figure 3.1: When creating a new scene, you can keep the current objects or select New All.

Figure 3.2: Use the Save File As dialog box to save a scene as a file.

Figure 3.3: The Missing External Files dialog box identifies files for the current scene that are missing.

Figure 3.4: The Merge dialog box lists all the objects from a merging scene.

Figure 3.5: The Files panel includes an Auto Backup feature.

Figure 3.6: Max files with thumbnails show up in Windows Explorer.

Figure 3.7: The 3DS Import dialog box enables you to merge objects into or completely replace the current scene.

Figure 3.8: The JSR-184 Export dialog box lets you choose which resources to export.

Figure 3.9: The Texture Tool lets you specify the exact size of texture maps to be exported for mobile devices.

Figure 3.10: The Autodesk DWF Viewer is used to view files exported using the DWF format.

Figure 3.11: A company logo created in Illustrator and ready to save and import into Max

Figure 3.12: A company logo created in Illustrator and imported into Max

Figure 3.13: The Asset Browser window displays thumbnails of the files in the current directory.

Figure 3.14: You can use the MAXFinder utility to search for scene files by property.

Figure 3.15: The Resource Collector utility can compile all referenced files into a single location.

Figure 3.16: The Summary Info dialog box shows all the basic information about the current scene.

Figure 3.17: The File Properties dialog box contains workflow information such as the scene author, comments, and revision dates.

Figure 3.18: The View File dialog box can open an assortment of image and animation formats.

Figure 3.19: The XRef Scenes dialog box lets you specify which scenes to load as external references.

Figure 3.20: The maze.max file loaded into the current file as an XRef scene

Figure 3.21: The XRef Objects dialog box lets you choose which files to look in for external objects.

Figure 3.22: The XRef Merge dialog box lets you choose specific objects from a scene.

Figure 3.23: The tree object is an XRef from another scene. Its proxy is a simple cylinder.

Figure 3.24: The XRefs panel in the Configure User Paths dialog box lets you specify paths to be searched when an XRef cannot be located.

Chapter 4: Using Vault and the Asset Tracking System

Figure 4.1: The Vault Log In dialog box opens when the File Open from Vault menu command is used.

Figure 4.2: The Open File from Vault dialog box lists the available Vault files.

Figure 4.3: Warning dialog boxes such as this one remind you to check out files.

Figure 4.4: The Asset Tracking interface shows all the checked out files and the status of each.

Figure 4.5: The dialog box where comments on the latest changes are entered appears every time a Vault file is checked in.

Figure 4.6: The History dialog box lets you access older versions of a file.

Figure 4.7: The Asset Tracking interface shows the checked out file along with its dependents.

Chapter 5: Customizing the Max Interface and Setting Preferences

Figure 5.1: The Keyboard panel enables you to create keyboard shortcuts for any command.

Figure 5.2: The Toolbars panel in the Customize User Interface dialog box enables you to create new toolbars.

Figure 5.3: A new toolbar of compound objects created using the Customize User Interface dialog box

Figure 5.4: The Edit Macro Button dialog box provides a quick way to change an icon, tooltip, or text label.

Figure 5.5: The Edit Macro Button dialog box with a custom icon group selected

Figure 5.6: The Quads panel of the Customize User Interface dialog box lets you modify pop-up quadmenus.

Figure 5.7: The Advanced Quad Menu Options dialog box lets you change quadmenu fonts and colors.

Figure 5.8: You can use the Menus panel of the Customize User Interface dialog box to modify menus.

Figure 5.9: You can use the Colors panel of the Customize User Interface dialog box to set the colors used in the interface.

Figure 5.10: The Configure Modifier Sets dialog box lets you group the modifiers as you want.

Figure 5.11: The Custom Scheme dialog box appears when you're saving a custom interface and lets you select which items to include.

Figure 5.12: If you prefer a darker interface, then try loading the Ame-dark scheme.

Figure 5.13: This window explains the benefits of the different initial settings and scheme choices.

Figure 5.14: The Configure User Paths dialog box specifies where to look for various resources.

Figure 5.15: The Configure System Paths dialog box specifies additional paths.

Figure 5.16: The Units Setup dialog box lets you choose which units system to use. Options include Metric, U.S. Standard, Custom, and Generic.

Figure 5.17: The General panel lets you change many UI settings.

Figure 5.18: The Viewports panel contains several viewport parameter settings.

Figure 5.19: Backface culling simplifies objects by hiding their backsides.

Figure 5.20: Background images can be set to be low-res to enable the viewports to update more quickly.

Figure 5.21: The Define Stroke dialog box can associate with a command strokes dragged with the middle mouse button.

Figure 5.22: The Review Strokes and Stroke Preferences dialog boxes list all defined strokes and their respective commands.

Figure 5.23: You use the Direct3D Driver Setup and the Graphics Driver Setup dialog boxes to select a different display driver.

Figure 5.24: Enabling gamma correction makes colors consistent regardless of the monitor.

Chapter 6: Creating and Editing Primitive Objects

Figure 6.1: The Create panel includes categories and subcategories.

Figure 6.2: You can create primitive spheres easily by dragging in a viewport.

Figure 6.3: The Rename Objects dialog box can rename several objects at once.

Figure 6.4: You use the Object Color dialog box to define the color of objects displayed in the viewports.

Figure 6.5: The Color Selector dialog box lets you choose new custom colors.

Figure 6.6: The Color Clipboard utility offers a way to transport colors.

Figure 6.7: The Color Clipboard floating palette can hold 12 colors.

Figure 6.8: The octagon, cube, tetrahedron, icosahedron, and dodecahedron objects; Plato would be amazed.

Figure 6.9: The Standard Primitives: Box, Sphere, Cylinder, Torus, Teapot, Cone, GeoSphere, Tube, Pyramid, and Plane

Figure 6.10: Sphere primitives of various Segment values with the Smooth option turned on and off

Figure 6.11: Creating hemispheres with the Chop and Squash options

Figure 6.12: Using the Slice option to create sphere slices

Figure 6.13: Using the Segments and Twist options on a Torus

Figure 6.14: Even with a similar number of segments, GeoSpheres are much more spherical.

Figure 6.15: The Extended Primitives: Hedra, ChamferBox, OilTank, Spindle, Gengon, RingWave, Hose, Torus Knot, ChamferCyl, Capsule, L-Ext, C-Ext, and Prism

Figure 6.16: The Hedra Families with the standard shapes in the top and bottom rows and the intermediate shapes in the middle row

Figure 6.17: Hedras with extended faces, compliments of the Axis Scaling option

Figure 6.18: A ChamferBox with progressively increasing Fillet values

Figure 6.19: Several different cylindrical extended primitive objects exist, including Oil Tank, Spindle, ChamferCyl, and Capsule.

Figure 6.20: Gengon primitives are actually just extruded regular polygons.

Figure 6.21: Five frames of a rapidly expanding and turbulent RingWave object

Figure 6.22: This pie object was created using the RingWave object.

Figure 6.23: Various Torus Knots display the beauty of mathematics.

Figure 6.24: Torus Knots with a Circle Base Curve are useful for creating impressive rings.

Figure 6.25: The Hose object flexes between its two bound objects.

Figure 6.26: Use the Hose primitive to connect two objects.

Figure 6.27: A treasure chest full of gems quickly created by altering object parameters

Figure 6.28: The Favorite Plants rollout shows thumbnails of the various plants.

Figure 6.29: Rooms of walls can be created simply by clicking where the corners are located.

Figure 6.30: The AEC Objects category makes adding structural objects like stairs easy.

Chapter 7: Selecting Objects, Setting Object Properties, and Using Layers

Figure 7.1: Selected objects can be highlighted with selection brackets (left), edged faces (middle), or both (right).

Figure 7.2: The Filter Combinations dialog box enables you to create a custom selection filter.

Figure 7.3: The Select Objects dialog box displays all objects in the current scene by name.

Figure 7.4: The drill's front is selected using the Rectangular, Circular, Fence, and Lasso selection methods.

Figure 7.5: The Paint Selection Region tool makes it easy to select spheres by dragging.

Figure 7.6: A lion cartoon character with its white selected nose.

Figure 7.7: The Edit Named Selections dialog box lets you view and manage selection sets.

Figure 7.8: Isolated Selection mode lets you focus on the details of the selected object.

Figure 7.9: The Object Properties dialog box displays valuable information about a selected object.

Figure 7.10: The See-Through display property can make objects transparent in the viewports.

Figure 7.11: The Vertex Ticks option displays all vertices as small blue tick marks.

Figure 7.12: The Display Floater dialog box includes two panels: Hide/Freeze and Object Level.

Figure 7.13: The Display panel includes many of the same features as the Display Floater and the Object Properties dialog box.

Figure 7.14: From this dialog box, you can add new categories to the Hide by Category list.

Figure 7.15: The Object Display Culling utility lets you hide objects to display a target framerate.

Figure 7.16: Here are toothbrushes for the whole family; just remember which color is yours.

Figure 7.17: The Layer Manager lists all the layers and the objects contained within each layer.

Figure 7.18: Use the Layers toolbar to set the active layer.

Figure 7.19: The Layer Properties dialog box is similar to the Object Properties dialog box, but it applies to the entire layer.

Figure 7.20: All objects assigned to a layer can be viewed in the Layer Properties dialog box.

Chapter 8: Transforming Objects-Translate, Rotate, and Scale

Figure 8.1: These basketballs have been scaled using uniform, non-uniform, and squash modes.

Figure 8.2: The Transform Gizmos let you constrain a transformation to a single axis or a plane.

Figure 8.3: The Gizmos panel in the Preference Settings dialog box lets you control how the Transform Gizmos look.

Figure 8.4: The Transform Type-In dialog box displays the current Absolute coordinates and Offset values.

Figure 8.5: The Move Gizmo is located in different places, depending on the selected Transform Center mode.

Figure 8.6: The Axis Constraints toolbar includes buttons for restricting transformations to a single axis or plane.

Figure 8.7: The Locks and Inherit rollouts can prevent any transforms along an axis and specify which transformations are inherited.

Figure 8.8: Transformation buttons and the Transform Gizmos were used to position this spaceship.

Figure 8.9: The Transform Gizmo is located at the object's pivot point.

Figure 8.10: By moving the pivot point of the bee, you can control how it spins about the flower.

Figure 8.11: The Align Selection dialog box can align objects along any axes by their Minimum, Center, Pivot, or Maximum points.

Figure 8.12: The Normal Align dialog box allows you to define offset values when aligning normals.

Figure 8.13: Using the Normal Align feature, you can align object faces.

Figure 8.14: The Align to View dialog box is a quick way to line up objects with the axes.

Figure 8.15: The Home Grid and User Grids panels of the Grid and Snap Settings dialog box let you define the grid spacing.

Figure 8.16: This spyglass object was created quickly and easily using the AutoGrid option.

Figure 8.17: The Snaps panel includes many different points to snap to depending on the object type.

Figure 8.18: The Options panel includes settings for marker size and color and the Snap Strength value.

Figure 8.19: The Snaps toolbar provides a quick way to access several snap settings

Figure 8.20: A methane molecule lattice drawn with the help of the Snap feature

Chapter 9: Cloning Objects and Creating Object Arrays

Figure 9.1: The Clone Options dialog box defines the new object as a Copy, Instance, or Reference.

Figure 9.2: Cloning multiple objects is easy with the Shift-clone feature.

Figure 9.3: Two dozen doughnut instances ready for glaze

Figure 9.4: Even apples from the same tree should be slightly different.

Figure 9.5: The Mirror dialog box can create an inverted clone of an object.

Figure 9.6: A perfectly symmetrical robot, compliments of the Mirror tool

Figure 9.7: The Snapshot dialog box lets you clone a Copy, Instance, Reference, or Mesh.

Figure 9.8: The Snapshot tool helps to build a set of footprints through a maze.

Figure 9.9: The Spacing Tool dialog box lets you select how to position clones along a path.

Figure 9.10: These dominoes were much easier to stack than the set in my living room.

Figure 9.11: The Clone and Align dialog box lets you choose which objects mark the place where the source object should go.

Figure 9.12: Using the Clone and Align dialog box, you can place these trees to match the stand-in objects' position and orientation.

Figure 9.13: The Array dialog box defines the number of elements and transformation offsets in an array.

Figure 9.14: Tom Sawyer would be pleased to see this white picket fence, created easily with the Array dialog box.

Figure 9.15: A circular array created by rotating objects about the Transform Coordinate Center

Figure 9.16: This Paste dialog box lets you replace all instances.

Figure 9.17: The horses in the carousel were created using a Ring Array system.

Chapter 10: Grouping and Linking Objects

Figure 10.1: The plane moves as one unit after its objects are grouped.

Figure 10.2: The Create Assembly dialog box lets you choose a light head object.

Figure 10.3: The Parameter Wiring dialog box can make the light object's Multiple parameter into a Dimmer switch.

Figure 10.4: This flashlight assembly can be controlled using the simple Luminaire parameters.

Figure 10.5: Linked child ducks inherit transformations from their parent duck.

Figure 10.6: The Select Parent dialog box indents all child objects under their parent.

Figure 10.7: With a link to a dummy object, making the airplane circle the globe is easy.

Chapter 11: Working with the Schematic View

Figure 11.1: The Schematic View window displays all objects as nodes.

Figure 11.2: The Schematic View window can automatically arrange nodes in two different modes: Hierarchy and Reference.

Figure 11.3: Free nodes are moved independent of the arranging mode.

Figure 11.4: Shrunken nodes appear as simple dots in the Schematic View.

Figure 11.5: After rearranging nodes to the correct order, the planets are easy to locate.

Figure 11.6: The Display floater can turn nodes and lines on and off in the Schematic View.

Figure 11.7: Schematic View nodes can be collapsed or expanded by clicking the up and down arrows.

Figure 11.8: Controllers can be assigned using the Schematic View window.

Figure 11.9: All character parts are now linked to the man's pelvis part.

Figure 11.10: The Schematic View Preferences dialog box lets you customize many aspects of the Schematic View window.

Figure 11.11: Without limiting nodes, the Schematic View window can get very busy.

Figure 11.12: Using a background image, you can see how the links relate to the model.

Figure 11.13: The List Views dialog box includes a list of nodes with relationships.

Chapter 12: Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack

Figure 12.1: The Modifier Stack rollout displays all modifiers applied to an object.

Figure 12.2: The Modifier Stack changes the text style to identify instances and references.

Figure 12.3: Changing the order of the modifiers in the Stack can affect the end result.

Figure 12.4: Because the Collapse operation cannot be undone, this warning dialog box offers a chance to Hold the scene.

Figure 12.5: Using the Collapse utility, you can select the following Boolean operations (shown from left to right): Union, Intersection, and Subtraction.

Figure 12.6: By changing the modifier's center point, the bottle's shape changes.

Figure 12.7: The Noise and XForm modifiers are applied to just the subobject selection.

Figure 12.8: The Affect Region modifier can raise or lower the surface region of an object.

Figure 12.9: The Bend modifier can bend objects about any axis.

Figure 12.10: The Bend modifier can be used to bend trees.

Figure 12.11: You can use the Displace modifier's gizmo as a modeling tool to change the surface of an object.

Figure 12.12: The Lattice modifier divides an object into struts, joints, or both.

Figure 12.13: The Noise modifier can apply a smooth or wild look to your objects.

Figure 12.14: The Push modifier can increase the volume of an object.

Figure 12.15: The Relax modifier can simplify the number of vertices in an object.

Figure 12.16: The Ripple modifier can make small waves appear over the surface of an object.

Figure 12.17: The Shell modifier can add an inside to hollow objects.

Figure 12.18: The Slice modifier can cut objects into two separate pieces.

Figure 12.19: You can use the Skew modifier to tilt objects.

Figure 12.20: The Stretch modifier pulls along one axis while pushing the other two.

Figure 12.21: The Spherify modifier pushes all vertices outward like a sphere.

Figure 12.22: The Spherify modifier can fatten up a crocodile.

Figure 12.23: The Squeeze modifier can bulge or squeeze along two different axes.

Figure 12.24: The Twist modifiers can twist an object about an axis.

Figure 12.25: The Taper modifier can proportionally scale one end of an object.

Figure 12.26: The Taper modifier can be used to create a simple yo-yo.

Figure 12.27: The Wave modifier produces parallel waves across the surface of an object.

Figure 12.28: The Wave modifier can gently wave a flag.

Figure 12.29: The FFD modifier changes the shape of an object by moving the lattice of Control Points that surround it.

Figure 12.30: This tire is being deformed via an FFD modifier.

Chapter 13: Learning Modeling Basics and Working with Subobjects

Figure 13.1: The Show Normals option shows the normal vectors for each face in a plane, a cube, and a sphere.

Figure 13.2: This mesh suffers from objects with flipped normals, which makes them invisible

Figure 13.3: Expanding an editable object in the Modifier Stack reveals its subobjects

Figure 13.4: The Soft Selection rollout is available only in subobject mode

Figure 13.5: The Soft Selection curve is affected by the Falloff, Pinch, and Bubble values

Figure 13.6: Soft Selection makes a smooth transition between the subobjects that are moved and those that are not.

Figure 13.7: A gradient of colors shows the transition zone for soft selected subobjects

Figure 13.8: The Shaded Face Toggle shades the surface using the soft selection gradient colors.

Figure 13.9: The Extrude modifier is applied to just the subobject selection

Figure 13.10: The Measure utility dialog box displays some useful information

Figure 13.11: The Level of Detail utility (split into two parts) can specify how objects are viewed, based on given thresholds.

Chapter 14: Drawing and Editing 2D Splines and Shapes

Figure 14.1: The shape primitives in all their 2D glory: Line, Circle, Arc, NGon, Text, Section, Rectangle, Ellipse, Donut, Star, and Helix

Figure 14.2: The extended shape primitives: WRectangle, Channel, Angle, Tee, and Wide Flange

Figure 14.3: These rollouts are common for most of the shape primitives

Figure 14.4: Using the Interpolation rollout, you can control the number of segments that make up a line

Figure 14.5: The Line shape can create various combinations of shapes with smooth and sharp corners

Figure 14.6: Enabling the Pie Slice option connects the arc ends with the center of the circle

Figure 14.7: An inscribed pentagon and a circumscribed pentagon

Figure 14.8: The Star primitive can be changed to create some amazing shapes

Figure 14.9: The Text shape lets you control the space between letters, known as kerning.

Figure 14.10: The Character Map application shows all the special characters that are available

Figure 14.11: The Helix shape can be straight or spiral shaped

Figure 14.12: You can use the Section shape primitive to create the conic sections (circle, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola) from a set of 3D cones

Figure 14.13: A company logo created entirely in Max using shapes

Figure 14.14: You can use the Section shape to view the interior area of the heart

Figure 14.15: Using renderable splines with a Thickness of 3.0, the logo can be rendered

Figure 14.16: The Selection rollout provides icons for entering the various subobject modes. Segment subobject mode

Figure 14.17: Several spline shapes displayed with vertex numbering turned on Spline end point

Figure 14.18: For Editable Splines, the Geometry rollout holds most of the features

Figure 14.19: The Cross Section feature of Editable Splines can create splines that run between several cross-section shapes

Figure 14.20: Moving the vertex handles alters the spline around the vertex

Figure 14.21: Using the Fuse and Weld buttons, several vertices in our star shape have been combined

Figure 14.22: You can use the Connect button to connect end points of shapes

Figure 14.23: The CrossInsert button can add vertices to any overlapping splines of the same object

Figure 14.24: The Fillet button can round the corners of a shape.

Figure 14.25: Chamfers alter the look of spline corners.

Figure 14.26: The Bind button attaches one end of the circle shape to a segment.

Figure 14.27: The completed ninja star, ready for action (or extruding)

Figure 14.28: The Divide button adds segments to the spline.

Figure 14.29: The Connect Copy feature joins newly copied segments to the original.

Figure 14.30: The Outline button creates a duplicate copy of the original spline and offsets it.

Figure 14.31: Using the Boolean operations on two overlapping shapes

Figure 14.32: Mirroring a shape is as simple as selecting a direction and clicking the Mirror button.

Figure 14.33: You can use the Trim button to cut away the excess of a spline.

Figure 14.34: A spider web made from Editable Splines

Figure 14.35: The Normalize Spline modifier relaxes the shape by removing vertices.

Figure 14.36: The resulting drain pipe was created using the Sweep modifier.

Figure 14.37: The Shape Check utility can identify spline intersections.

Figure 14.38: Extruding simple shapes adds depth to the spline.

Figure 14.39: The finished bookshelf created with spline Boolean operations and the Extrude modifier

Figure 14.40: Lathing a simple profile can create a circular object.

Figure 14.41: Bevels applied to a shape can give a unique profile edge.

Chapter 15: Modeling with Polygons

Figure 15.1: Editable Mesh objects have triangular faces; the Editable Poly object uses faces with four or more vertices.

Figure 15.2: The Selection rollout includes options for determining which subobjects are selected

Figure 15.3: Using the Grow button, you can increase the subobject selection.

Figure 15.4: The Ring and Loop buttons can select an entire row and/or column of edges

Figure 15.5: A clown head created from an editable mesh by selecting and moving vertices

Figure 15.6: The Edit Geometry rollout includes many general-purpose editing features

Figure 15.7: The Preserve UVs option lets you make subobject changes after texture maps have been applied.

Figure 15.8: Using the Attach, QuickSlice, and Detach features, you can slice and separate mode parts

Figure 15.9: The Settings dialog boxes for the MSmooth and Tessellate buttons let you interactively set the Smoothness and Tension values

Figure 15.10: Using MSmooth reduces the sharp edges, and tessellating adds more editable faces

Figure 15.11: A cube tessellated twice, using each option once

Figure 15.12: Deleting vertices also deletes the adjoining faces and edges, but Remove maintains the mesh

Figure 15.13: You can use the Break button to give each face its own vertex

Figure 15.14: Subobjects can be extruded along an averaged normal or locally

Figure 15.15: Enabling the open option in the Chamfer settings dialog box removes a polygon instead of replacing it

Figure 15.16: Selecting two opposite edges and clicking the Bridge button in Edge subobject mode creates new connecting polygons.

Figure 15.17: The Create Shape dialog box lets you name shapes created from selected edge subobjects

Figure 15.18: The Turn feature is used to change the direction of edges

Figure 15.19: The Bridge dialog box lets you specify options such as the number of segments, the Taper, and whether the bridge twists

Figure 15.20: The Bridge feature can be used to quickly connect body parts such as this forearm

Figure 15.21: The top faces of this dodecahedron have been individually extruded and beveled

Figure 15.22: The Hinge Polygons From Edge dialog box lets you select a hinge

Figure 15.23: Several polygon faces in the sphere have been extruded along a hinge

Figure 15.24: The Extrude Polygons Along Spline settings dialog box

Figure 15.25: The tentacles of this octopus were created easily with the Extrude Along Spline feature

Figure 15.26: The Polygon Properties rollout includes settings for Material IDs, Smoothing Groups, and Vertex Colors

Figure 15.27: The Subdivision Surface rollout includes controls for NURMS subdivision

Figure 15.28: The organic look for this tooth is accomplished with NURMS

Chapter 16: Deforming Surfaces and Using the Mesh Modifiers

Figure 16.1: The Paint Deformation brush looks like a circle that follows the surface

Figure 16.2: The Brush Presets toolbar lets you quickly select from a selection of predefined brushes. Add New Preset

Figure 16.3: The Brush Preset Manager lets you create new preset brushes

Figure 16.4: The Paint Deformation brushes are helpful in painting on raised and indented surface features

Figure 16.5: The Painter Options dialog box includes a graph for defining the minimum and maximum brush strengths and sizes.

Figure 16.6: The Edit Poly Mode rollout lets you switch between Model and Animate modes

Figure 16.7: Extruded faces are moved in the direction of the face normal

Figure 16.8: A simple bullet can be created by extruding one face of a hemisphere

Figure 16.9: You can use the Optimize modifier to reduce the complexity of the alligator model

Figure 16.10: You can use the MultiRes modifier to dynamically dial back the complexity of a mesh

Figure 16.11: When you use the Symmetry modifier, you have to model certain objects only once

Figure 16.12: The Edit Normals Parameters let you work with normals

Figure 16.13: The TurboSmooth modifier can make a model flow better

Chapter 17: Modeling with Patches and NURBS

Figure 17.1: A Quad Patch and a Tri Patch

Figure 17.2: A checkerboard created using patch grids

Figure 17.3: The Selection rollout includes icon buttons for selecting the various subobject modes

Figure 17.4: The Geometry rollout (shown in two parts) includes controls for editing patches

Figure 17.5: The only differences in these patch spheres are the View Steps values

Figure 17.6: Moving the Vertex handles alters the adjacent faces

Figure 17.7: Two patches of different resolutions have been combined using the Bind and Weld buttons

Figure 17.8: By subdividing edge subobjects, you can control where the greatest resolution is located

Figure 17.9: A quick outline of a key was created by selecting edge subobjects and adding Quad patches

Figure 17.10: This shell is an Editable Patch created by moving every other interior edge

Figure 17.11: The simple key-shaped patch has been extruded

Figure 17.12: A patch sphere whose corner patches have been beveled

Figure 17.13: By repositioning the vertex handles, you can make the patch object match the leaf's edges precisely

Figure 17.14: The CrossSection modifier joins several cross-section splines into a network of splines ready for a surface

Figure 17.15: The Surface modifier applies a surface to the cross-section spline network

Figure 17.16: The brass swan was created using the CrossSection and Surface modifiers

Figure 17.17: NURBS curves come in two different types: point and CV curves

Figure 17.18: NURBS surfaces also come in two different types: point and CV surfaces

Figure 17.19: Standard primitives, like the sphere on the left, can be converted to NURBS surfaces

Figure 17.20: The General rollout includes options for determining what is displayed in the viewports

Figure 17.21: The Advanced Surface Approximation dialog box lets you specify subdivision levels

Figure 17.22: The NURBS Creation Toolbox lets you work with NURBS points, curves, and surfaces

Figure 17.23: A NURBS spoon created with the U Loft tool

Figure 17.24: A UV Loft surface lofted from two sets of curves

Figure 17.25: The lathed CV surface vase

Figure 17.26: A stem created with a 1-rail sweep

Figure 17.27: Translating CVs to sculpt a NURBS leaf

Figure 17.28: Flower petals that were sculpted using NURBS

Figure 17.29: A vase and flower built completely from NURBS

Chapter 18: Working with Compound Objects

Figure 18.1: A Morph rollout lets you pick targets and create morph keys

Figure 18.2: A woman's face being morphed to a smile

Figure 18.3: The Parameters rollout of the Conform object lets you define how the object is wrapped

Figure 18.4: A patch grid being conformed to the front of a face object

Figure 18.5: Use the Parameters rollout for the ShapeMerge compound object to cut or merge a shape

Figure 18.6: A ShapeMerge object using the Cookie Cutter option

Figure 18.7: The logo with the interior centers removed from extruded letters using the ShapeMerge object

Figure 18.8: The Color by Elevation rollout lets you change the color for different elevations

Figure 18.9: A Terrain island created with the Terrain compound object

Figure 18.10: BlobMesh objects can be used to cover objects in ice

Figure 18.11: A Scatter object made of a Cylinder spread over an area defined by a sphere

Figure 18.12: A Scatter object with different options: Base Scale at 20%, Vertex Chaos at 2.0, Perpendicular option disabled, and Duplicates at 100

Figure 18.13: A Scatter object with different distribution options: Area, Skip N where N=7, Random Faces, All Vertices, and All Face Centers

Figure 18.14: Using the Scatter object, we can add trees to our island terrain

Figure 18.15: A Connect compound object can join two open holes in separate objects.

Figure 18.16: The Loft compound object rollouts

Figure 18.17: A lofted hanger created with two different cross-sectional shapes

Figure 18.18: The Deformation dialog box interface lets you control the cross section over the length of the path

Figure 18.19: The Loft compound object deformation options: Scale, Twist, and Teeter

Figure 18.20: The Loft compound object deformation options: Bevel and Fit

Figure 18.21: A Loft object with Fit Deformation applied

Figure 18.22: You can use the Compare dialog box to align shapes included in a Loft

Figure 18.23: Drapes that have been modeled using a Loft object

Figure 18.24: Object before any operations and Boolean operations: Union, Intersection, Subtraction, and Merge with the Imprint option enabled

Figure 18.25: A keyhole built using the ProBoolean object

Figure 18.26: A puzzle cut using the ProCutter compound object

Chapter 19: Adding and Styling Hair, Fur, and Cloth

Figure 19.1: By making a subobject selection, you can control precisely where hair is grown.

Figure 19.2: Hair properties can be altered using the General and Material Parameters rollouts.

Figure 19.3: Many of the hair properties can be defined using maps

Figure 19.4: Changing hair properties can drastically alter the hair's look from normal to frizz, kink, and multi-strand

Figure 19.5: Hair can be added to only a subobject selection or to the entire object

Figure 19.6: Hair can be styled by changing the position and orientation of the guide hairs

Figure 19.7: The Hair and Fur Presets dialog box shows rendered thumbnails of the available presets

Figure 19.8: Mr. Matchstick head has all his hair replaced with matchsticks, an instance.

Figure 19.9: The Garment Maker modifier uses the Delaunay algorithm for subdividing cloth meshes

Figure 19.10: The figure outline lets you identify corresponding body markers on the character model for positioning cloth panels

Figure 19.11: The Object Properties dialog box includes all the parameters for the cloth and collision objects

Figure 19.12: Using figure markers, you can approximate where the clothes are positioned on a character

Figure 19.13: The Simulate Local button causes the clothes to be draped over the body

Chapter 20: Exploring the Material Editor

Figure 20.1: Use the Material Editor window to create, store, and work with materials

Figure 20.2: You can set the number of sample slots in the Material Editor to display 6, 15, or 24 slots

Figure 20.3: Open materials in a magnified window by double-clicking them

Figure 20.4: You can load a custom sample object to be displayed in the sample slots

Figure 20.5: The Create Material Preview and Render Map dialog boxes offer two ways to render a material

Figure 20.6: The Material Editor Options dialog box offers many options for controlling the Material Editor window

Figure 20.7: These eggs have been assigned materials with different Diffuse colors

Figure 20.8: The Material/Map Browser lets you select new materials from a library of materials

Figure 20.9: You can use the Material/Map Browser to view the materials in many different ways, such as View List + Icons and Large Icons

Figure 20.10: The Material/Map Browser also lets you work with saved custom material libraries

Figure 20.11: The Material/Map Navigator shows the layered material as a hierarchy

Chapter 21: Creating and Applying Simple Materials

Figure 21.1: Basic parameter options include (from left to right) Wire, 2-Sided, Face Map, and Faceted

Figure 21.2: The Blinn Basic Parameters rollout lets you select and control properties for the Blinn shader

Figure 21.3: Increasing the Self-Illumination value reduces the shadows in an object

Figure 21.4: The Opacity value sets how transparent a material is

Figure 21.5: You can control specular highlights by altering brightness and size

Figure 21.6: The Specular Highlight graph for the Blinn and Anisotropic shaders

Figure 21.7: Materials with the Anisotropic shader applied have elliptical highlights

Figure 21.8: Materials with a Multi-Layer shader applied can have two crossing highlights

Figure 21.9: A material with a Metal shader applied generates its own highlights

Figure 21.10: These translucent window curtains show shadows

Figure 21.11: The Extended Parameters rollout includes Advanced Transparency, Reflection Dimming, and Wire settings

Figure 21.12: Materials with the In and Out Falloff options applied

Figure 21.13: Three materials with Wire values of (from left to right) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 pixels

Figure 21.14: A dolphin over the water with applied materials

Figure 21.15: A fishing net completed easily with the net texture applied as an Opacity map

Chapter 22: Creating Advanced Multi-Layer Materials

Figure 22.1: The Blend material can include a mask to define the areas that are blended

Figure 22.2: Composite materials are applied from top to bottom, with the last layer being placed on top of the rest

Figure 22.3: The Multi/Sub-Object material defines materials according to material IDs

Figure 22.4: A quilt composed of patches and colored using the Multi/Sub-Object material

Figure 22.5: A rendered image of a surfboard with the Top/Bottom compound material applied

Figure 22.6: A rendered balloon object behind an object with a matte/shadow material applied

Figure 22.7: Use the Paint Level value to set the number of colors used in the material

Figure 22.8: The Paint Level value sets the number of colors used in the material

Figure 22.9: Cartooning made easy with the Ink ‘n’ Paint material

Figure 22.10: The Physical Qualities rollout includes standard properties that control the look of the material

Figure 22.11: Architectural materials make adding textures to a building easy

Figure 22.12: These dice have different bitmaps applied to each face

Figure 22.13: This marquee is randomly lighted, thanks to the MaterialByElement modifier

Figure 22.14: Objects can be displaced using the Displace modifier or a displacement map

Chapter 23: Adding Material Details with Maps

Figure 23.1: Use the Material/Map Browser to list all the maps available for assigning to materials

Figure 23.2: The Coordinates rollout lets you offset and tile a map

Figure 23.3: Seamless image tiles are a useful way to cover an entire surface with a small map

Figure 23.4: The Rotate Mapping Coordinates dialog box appears when you click the Rotate button in the Coordinates rollout

Figure 23.5: The Color Map graph enables you to adjust the highlights, midtones, and shadows of a map

Figure 23.6: The Select Bitmap Image File dialog box lets you preview images before opening them

Figure 23.7: The Bitmap Parameters rollout offers several settings for controlling a bitmap map

Figure 23.8: Viewing an image in the Cropping/Placement dialog box enables you to set the crop marks

Figure 23.9: The Checker map can be softened as these three maps are with Soften values of 0, 0.2, and 0.5

Figure 23.10: A Gradient map can be linear (left) or radial (right)

Figure 23.11: The Flag Properties dialog box enables you to specify a color and its position to use in the Gradient Ramp

Figure 23.12: The Gradient Ramp map offers several different gradient types, including (from top left to bottom right) Box, Diagonal, Normal, Pong, Spiral, and Tartan

Figure 23.13: The Swirl map combines two colors in a swirling pattern

Figure 23.14: From the Standard Controls rollout, you can select from several preset Tile styles, including Running Bond, English Bond, and Fine Running Bond

Figure 23.15: The Cellular map creates small, regular-shaped cells

Figure 23.16: The Dent map causes dents in the object when applied as bump mapping

Figure 23.17: The Marble map creates a marbled surface

Figure 23.18: The Noise map produces a random noise pattern on the surface of the object

Figure 23.19: The Perlin Marble map creates a marble pattern with random veins

Figure 23.20: You can use the Planet map to create planets with landmasses and oceans

Figure 23.21: The Smoke map simulates the look of smoke when applied as opacity mapping

Figure 23.22: The Speckle map paints small random specks on the surface of an object

Figure 23.23: The Splat map splatters paint randomly across the surface of an object

Figure 23.24: The Stucco map creates soft indentations when applied as bump mapping

Figure 23.25: You can use the Water map to create watery surfaces

Figure 23.26: The Wood map creates a map with a wood grain

Figure 23.27: The Composite map can use multiple maps

Figure 23.28: The Mix map lets you combine two maps and define the Mix Amount

Figure 23.29: The RGB Multiply map combines maps at full saturation using alpha channels

Figure 23.30: A Flat Mirror map causes the object to reflect its surroundings

Figure 23.31: The Thin Wall Refraction map is applied to a magnifying glass

Figure 23.32: The Maps rollout can turn maps on or off

Figure 23.33: Using a variety of techniques, you can create an assortment of space textures

Figure 23.34: This toolbox shows its age with Glossiness and Bump mappings

Figure 23.35: The Bitmap/Photometric Path Editor window lets you alter map paths

Figure 23.36: The Instance Duplicate Maps dialog box lets you consolidate maps into a single instance

Chapter 24: Unwrapping UVs and Pelt Mapping

Figure 24.1: The UVW Map modifier lets you specify various mapping coordinates for material maps

Figure 24.2: You can use the UVW Map modifier to apply decals to objects

Figure 24.3: The Edit UVWs interface lets you control how different planar maps line up with the model

Figure 24.4: The Options pop-up interface includes many of the same features as the menus

Figure 24.5: The Flatten Mapping option displays every part of a model as a separate segment

Figure 24.6: The Unfold Mapping option splits the model and unfolds it by adjacent faces into a single segment

Figure 24.7: In the Unwrap Options dialog box, you can set the preferences for the Edit UVWs dialog box

Figure 24.8: The Edit UVWs interface lets you transform the mapping coordinates by moving vertices

Figure 24.9: The position of covered wagon's texture map has been set using the Unwrap UVW modifier

Figure 24.10: The Relax tool can make working with vertices easier

Figure 24.11: The Quick Planar Map button makes separating the faces into elements easy

Figure 24.12: Pelt mapping positions all seam points in a circle around the selected faces

Figure 24.13: The Pelt Map Parameters dialog box includes commands for stretching the pelt mapping

Figure 24.14: After being stretched, the UV faces are lined up quite well

Figure 24.15: Using Pelt mapping, you can stretch the UVs for a mesh object

Figure 24.16: The Render UVs dialog box lets you render and save a template for painting textures

Chapter 25: Creating Baked Textures and Normal Maps

Figure 25.1: The Map Channel Info dialog box lets you edit channel data

Figure 25.2: The General Settings rollout of the Render to Textures panel includes settings for all objects

Figure 25.3: The Objects to Bake rollout of the Render to Textures panel lets you specify which objects are baked into the texture map

Figure 25.4: The Output rollout of the Render to Textures panel lets you choose which texture elements are baked

Figure 25.5: The final two rollouts of the Render to Textures panel include settings for handling the baked material and how the texture is mapped

Figure 25.6: A texture map created with the Render to Textures panel

Figure 25.7: Although normal maps are created using the Render to Texture dialog box, they are applied using the Material Editor

Figure 25.8: The Projection Options dialog box lets you specify how the projection values are determined

Figure 25.9: The normal map for the spikey ball can be applied as a bump map to reclaim the high-res details

Figure 25.10: The Paintbox palette for the Vertex Paint modifier includes a wealth of features

Figure 25.11: The Color Palette can display colors as a list or as swatches

Figure 25.12: The Vertex Paint modifier can apply color to an object by assigning a color to its vertices

Chapter 26: Configuring Cameras

Figure 26.1: A car as seen by two different cameras

Figure 26.2: Positioning an additional camera behind the Black player's pieces offers the opponent's view.

Figure 26.3: Positioning the camera's target on the rocket enables the camera to follow the rocket's ascent.

Figure 26.4: This new camera view of the dinosaur shows his best side.

Figure 26.5: A camera cone displaying Clipping Planes

Figure 26.6: Use the Depth of Field Parameters rollout to set the number of passes.

Figure 26.7: Changing the Sample Radius value changes the amount of blur added to the scene.

Figure 26.8: Multi-Pass camera effects can be viewed in the viewport using the Preview button.

Figure 26.9: For the Motion Blur effect, you can set the number of frames to include.

Figure 26.10: Using the Motion Blur multi-pass effect for a camera, you can blur objects moving in the scene.

Chapter 27: Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques

Figure 27.1: A standard lighting model includes a key light, two secondary lights, and a backlight.

Figure 27.2: An elk model rendered using default lighting, a single key light, two secondary lights, and a backlight

Figure 27.3: Images rendered with different shadow types, including no shadow (upper left), Area Shadows (upper right), a Shadow Map (lower left), and Raytraced Shadows (lower right)

Figure 27.4: Photometric lights can be Point, Linear, or Area (left to right).

Figure 27.5: The Light Lister dialog box includes a comprehensive list of light settings in one place.

Figure 27.6: The snowman, after the lights have been automatically repositioned using the Place Highlights command

Figure 27.7: The rendered lighted-lamp image

Figure 27.8: The Exclude/Include dialog box lets you set which objects are excluded or included from being illuminated.

Figure 27.9: Using the Exclude/Include dialog box, you can exclude objects from casting shadows.

Figure 27.10: The Intensity/Color/Distribution rollout for photometric lights uses real-world intensity values.

Figure 27.11: The Compass helper provides an orientation for positioning the sun in a Sunlight system.

Figure 27.12: The Geographic Location dialog box lets you specify where you want to use the Sunlight system. You have many different cities to choose from.

Figure 27.13: Several frames of an animation showing a tree scene from sunrise to sunset

Figure 27.14: The Volume Light Parameters rollout in the Environment dialog box lets you choose which lights to include in the effect.

Figure 27.15: The Volume Light effect makes the light visible.

Figure 27.16: The car now has headlights, thanks to spotlights and the Volume Light effect.

Figure 27.17: You can create laser beams using direct lights and the Volume Light effect.

Figure 27.18: You can use projection maps to project an image in the scene, like this trumpet.

Figure 27.19: A stained-glass window effect created with raytraced shadows

Chapter 28: Working with Advanced Lighting, Light Tracing, and Radiosity

Figure 28.1: A house scene rendered using standard lighting (left) and light tracing (right)

Figure 28.2: The Light Tracer Parameters rollout sets values for GI lighting.

Figure 28.3: Color bleeding spreads color about the scene. Exposure Control can highlight it with Automatic (left) and Logarithmic (right).

Figure 28.4: Color bleeding happens only when global illumination is enabled.

Figure 28.5: Use the Advanced Lighting panel in the Object Properties dialog box to disable advanced lighting.

Figure 28.6: Color bleeding becomes much stronger with a higher Bounce value.

Figure 28.7: This scene is lighted using normal lighting (left) and radiosity lighting (right).

Figure 28.8: The Radiosity Processing Parameters rollout includes buttons for computing a solution.

Figure 28.9: The Subdivide modifier changes all mesh faces into regularly shaped triangular faces.

Figure 28.10: Subdividing an irregular mesh prepares it for radiosity lighting.

Figure 28.11: Because lighting is saved as a light map, you can add or subtract light from the scene using a brush tool.

Figure 28.12: The Rendering Parameters and Statistics rollouts offer rendering options and statistics for radiosity solutions.

Figure 28.13: The radiosity solution for this scene adds to the lighting levels for the entire room.

Figure 28.14: Use the Radiosity panel of the Preference Settings dialog box to set global parameters.

Figure 28.15: The Advanced Lighting Override Material rollout defines how light interacts with the material.

Figure 28.16: The Lighting Analysis dialog box displays the light values at the specified location.

Chapter 29: Understanding Animation and Keyframe Basics

Figure 29.1: The Time Configuration dialog box lets you set the number of frames to include in a scene.

Figure 29.2: Use the Set Key Filters dialog box to specify the types of keys to create.

Figure 29.3: Frame 50 of this simple windmill animation

Figure 29.4: The Create Key dialog box enables you to create a Position, Rotation, or Scale key quickly.

Figure 29.5: The Track Bar displays all keys for the selected object.

Figure 29.6: Key dialog boxes enable you to change the key parameters.

Figure 29.7: The Parameters section of the Motion panel lets you assign controllers and create keys.

Figure 29.8: The Trajectories rollout in the Motion panel enables you to see the animation path as a spline.

Figure 29.9: When you use a spline path, the position keys are automatically set for this plane.

Figure 29.10: Enabling ghosting lets you know where an object is and where it's going.

Figure 29.11: The Animation panel includes settings for displaying Key Brackets.

Figure 29.12: The MIDI Time Slider Control Setup dialog box lets you set up specific notes to start, stop, and step through an animation.

Figure 29.13: One frame of the dart animation

Figure 29.14: The Create Material Preview dialog box can render the entire range of frames or a select number of frames.

Figure 29.15: This lamp object dims as the animation proceeds.

Figure 29.16: IFL Manager Utility can help to create IFL files.

Figure 29.17: You can use IFL files to animate materials via a list of images.

Figure 29.18: Using the Point Cache modifier, you can animate a whole forest of trees.

Figure 29.19: The Make Preview dialog box lets you specify the range, size, and output of a preview file.

Figure 29.20: When a preview file is being created, the viewports are replaced with a single view of the current frame.

Chapter 30: Using Animation Layers

Figure 30.1: The Animation Layers toolbar includes icons for defining and merging layers.

Figure 30.2: The Enable Animation Layers dialog box lets you limit which type of keys are included.

Figure 30.3: The Layers Properties dialog box lets you set the controller type to collapse to.

Figure 30.4: The Animation Layers feature provides a single parameter for controlling the plane's height.

Chapter 31: Using Animation Modifiers and Wiring Parameters

Figure 31.1: The Morpher modifier's rollouts

Figure 31.2: Using the Morpher modifier, you can morph one facial expression into another.

Figure 31.3: The Flex modifier rollout lets you control the flex settings.

Figure 31.4: Use the Paint button to change the weight of the spring vertices.

Figure 31.5: You can use the Flex modifier to simulate the motion of soft body objects like cloth.

Figure 31.6: The Melt modifier slowly deforms objects to a flat plane.

Figure 31.7: Our car model hugs the road, thanks to the PatchDeform modifier.

Figure 31.8: The text in this example has been deformed around a spline path using the PathDeform modifier.

Figure 31.9: The SplineIK Control modifier may be applied only to spline objects.

Figure 31.10: The Parameter Wiring dialog box can work with expressions.

Figure 31.11: A slider control is wired to open the crocodile's mouth.

Figure 31.12: The Parameter Collector dialog box is used to gather several different parameters into a custom rollout.

Figure 31.13: You can use the Parameter Editor dialog box to create custom parameters.

Figure 31.14: The Edit Attributes/Parameters dialog box lets you edit or delete custom attributes.

Chapter 32: Animating with Constraints and Controllers

Figure 32.1: The Attachment constraint sticks one object to the surface of another.

Figure 32.2: The Surface constraint can animate one object moving across the surface of another.

Figure 32.3: The spaceship object has been attached to a spline path that it follows.

Figure 32.4: You can use the Position constraint to control the position of an object in relation to its targets.

Figure 32.5: With the Link constraint, the figure skater can move in a figure eight by rotating about two dummy objects.

Figure 32.6: The Motion panel displays all transform controllers applied to an object.

Figure 32.7: The Assign Position Controller dialog box lets you select a controller to assign.

Figure 32.8: The PRS Parameters rollout is the default transform controller.

Figure 32.9: The Audio Controller dialog box lets you change values based on the amplitude of a sound file.

Figure 32.10: The Bzier controller produces smooth animation curves.

Figure 32.11: The Linear controller uses straight lines.

Figure 32.12: The Noise controller properties let you set the noise strength for each axis.

Figure 32.13: The Noise controller lets you randomly alter track values.

Figure 32.14: The Motion Capture controller lets you control track values using external devices.

Figure 32.15: The Keyboard Input Device rollout lets you select which key press is captured.

Figure 32.16: The Motion Capture controller and utility let you animate with a mouse, keyboard, joystick, or MIDI device.

Figure 32.17: This dialog box shows and lets you control a curve defined by the Tension, Continuity, and Bias values.

Figure 32.18: The TCB controller offers a different way to work with curves.

Figure 32.19: The Reaction Manager dialog box lets you set the parameters of a reaction.

Figure 32.20: The Reaction controller animates these two opposite rotating gears.

Figure 32.21: The Spring controller rollouts can add additional springs and forces.

Figure 32.22: The Spring controller adds secondary motion to the existing motion of the largest sphere.

Figure 32.23: The Limit controller dialog box lets you set upper and lower limits for the current controller value.

Figure 32.24: The On/Off controller lets you make objects appear and disappear.

Figure 32.25: The Waveform Controller dialog box lets you produce sinusoidal motions.

Figure 32.26: Combining sine and square waves with the Add, Multiply, Clamp Above, and Clamp Below Effect options.

Figure 32.27: The Color RGB controller lets you assign different controllers to each color component.

Figure 32.28: The Master Block Parameters dialog box lists all the tracks applied to a Block controller.

Figure 32.29: The Track View Pick dialog box lets you select the tracks you want to include in the Block controller.

Figure 32.30: The Block Parameters dialog box lets you name a block.

Figure 32.31: The Attach Controls dialog box lets you attach saved tracks to the Block controller.

Figure 32.32: The Master Track Key Info dialog box lets you change the key values for each vertex.

Figure 32.33: The Master Point controller defines tracks for each subobject element that is animated.

Figure 32.34: The Numerical Expression Evaluator dialog box lets you enter expressions for a spinner.

Figure 32.35: You can use the Expression controller to build expressions and define their results.

Figure 32.36: The Track View Pick dialog box displays all the tracks for the scene. Tracks that you can select are displayed in black.

Figure 32.37: The Function List dialog box lets you view all the available functions that you can use in an expression.

Figure 32.38: The Expression Debug window offers a way to test the expression before applying it.

Figure 32.39: Select the Position track for the Sphere01 object in the Track View Pick dialog box.

Figure 32.40: The Expression controller was used to animate the eyes following the ball in this example.

Figure 32.41: A balloon being inflated using an Expression controller to control the Push modifier

Figure 32.42: The Expression controller animates the diffuse color for this object.

Chapter 33: Working with Function Curves in the Track View

Figure 33.1: The Track View interface offers a complete hierarchical look at your scene.

Figure 33.2: The Track Bar offers quick access to the Track View.

Figure 33.3: Several tracks are available by default.

Figure 33.4: Drag the tab above the vertical scroll tab to split the Track View into two views.

Figure 33.5: In the Dope Sheet, Position keys are red, Rotation keys are green, Scale keys are blue, and parameter keys are gray.

Figure 33.6: Use the Randomize Keys utility to create random key positions and values.

Figure 33.7: The Keyable Icons feature displays an icon next to all tracks that can be keyed.

Figure 33.8: Click the Edit Ranges button to display the key ranges in the Key pane.

Figure 33.9: Function curves display keys as square markers along the curve.

Figure 33.10: Using Zoom Values to see the stopping position keys

Figure 33.11: The finished Percent curve for the train's position along the path

Figure 33.12: The monorail and "Primitive Town"

Figure 33.13: Drawing curves results in numerous keys.

Figure 33.14: The Reduce Keys button optimizes the curve by reducing keys.

Figure 33.15: The Key dialog box lets you change the key's Time, Value, or In and Out tangent curves.

Figure 33.16: The Checkered River flows evenly.

Figure 33.17: The Param Curve Out-of-Range Types dialog box lets you select the type of out-of-range curve to use.

Figure 33.18: The rotation of the Wind-up Key object

Figure 33.19: The Multiplier curve keeps the Noise track in check.

Figure 33.20: The wind-up teapot moves about the scene.

Figure 33.21: The Filters dialog box lets you focus on the specific tracks.

Figure 33.22: The Track Sets Editor dialog box lets you name track selections for easy recall.

Figure 33.23: The Notes dialog box lets you enter notes and position them next to keys.

Figure 33.24: The curve with Stepped in and out tangents and a Cycle Parameter Out-of-Range type

Figure 33.25: The hazard light flashing on

Figure 33.26: The blocked-in animation curves for the white piece

Figure 33.27: The new keys are moved up.

Figure 33.28: The In and Out tangents corrected for the new keys

Figure 33.29: The checker pieces on the checkerboard

Figure 33.30: The Sound Options dialog box lets you select a sound to play during the animation.

Figure 33.31: Sounds loaded into the sound track appear as waveforms.

Figure 33.32: To help synchronize sound, the audio track can be made visible under the Track Bar.

Chapter 34: Combining Animations in the Motion Mixer

Figure 34.1: The Biped Save As dialog box is used to save biped animations.

Figure 34.2: The Save XML Animation File dialog box is used to save animations of the selected object.

Figure 34.3: The Motion Mixer interface shows each loaded animation on a separate track.

Figure 34.4: Time Warps can be added to clips to compress time.

Figure 34.5: Two biped clips have been combined to produce a new animation.

Figure 34.6: The Load XML Animation File dialog box lets you load animation files from one scene and apply them to another.

Figure 34.7: The Map Animation dialog box lets you map objects to receive animation.

Figure 34.8: Use the Retargeting rollout to specify how the scale changes between mapped objects.

Chapter 35: Creating Particles and Particle Flow

Figure 35.1: The emitter icons for each particle system type

Figure 35.2: The Spray Parameters rollout holds the parameters for the Spray particle system.

Figure 35.3: Rain created with the Spray particle system

Figure 35.4: A simple snowstorm created with the Snow particle system

Figure 35.5: The Basic Parameters rollout lets you specify where and how the particles appear in the viewports.

Figure 35.6: The Particle Generation rollout lets you control the particle motion.

Figure 35.7: The Particle Type rollout (shown in four parts) lets you define how the particles look.

Figure 35.8: The Super Spray particle system is used to create fireworks sparks.

Figure 35.9: Using a mostly transparent material, you can create a fine mist spray.

Figure 35.10: MetaParticles emitting from the opening of a soda can

Figure 35.11: The Rotation and Collision rollout options can control how objects collide with one another.

Figure 35.12: Multiple basketball particles flying around a hoop

Figure 35.13: The Object Motion Inheritance rollout sets how the particles inherit the motion of their emitter.

Figure 35.14: The Particle Spawn rollout (shown in two parts) can cause particles to spawn new particles.

Figure 35.15: The Load/Save Presets rollout enables you to save different parameter settings.

Figure 35.16: The Basic Parameters rollout for the PArray particle system lets you select the location where the particles form.

Figure 35.17: A Plane object positioned beneath the vent is an emitter for the particle system.

Figure 35.18: Realistic jet flames created using the Particle Age and MBlur maps

Figure 35.19: The Particle View window lets you program the flow of particles using a visual editor.

Figure 35.20: Using the Collision Spawn and a well-placed deflector, you can create an avalanche effect.

Figure 35.21: Event outputs can be wired to event inputs.

Figure 35.22: All the moths in this scene are particles and are following a target linked to the lantern.

Figure 35.23: The Particle View window shows the flow of the particles in the animation.

Figure 35.24: The spaceship is trying to outrun the laser blasts.

Figure 35.25: One spiraling black hole accomplished with the Particle Flow interface

Chapter 36: Using Space Warps

Figure 36.1: The Force Space Warps: Motor, Vortex, Path Follow, Displace, Wind, Push, Drag, PBomb, and Gravity

Figure 36.2: You can use the Motor Space Warp to apply a twisting force to particles and dynamic objects.

Figure 36.3: You can use the Push Space Warp to apply a controlled force to particles and dynamic objects.

Figure 36.4: You can use the Vortex Space Warp to force a particle system into a spiral like a whirlpool.

Figure 36.5: You can use the Drag Space Warp to slow the velocity of particles.

Figure 36.6: You can use the PBomb Space Warp with the PArray particle system to create explosions.

Figure 36.7: A Path Follow Space Warp bound to an emitter from the Super Spray particle system and following a Helix path

Figure 36.8: You can use the Wind Space Warp to blow particles and dynamic objects.

Figure 36.9: The Displace Space Warp can raise or indent the surface of a patch grid.

Figure 36.10: The Deflector Space Warps: POmniFlect, SOmniFlect, UOmniFlect, PDynaFlect, SDynaFlect, UDynaFlect, Deflector, SDeflector, and UDeflector

Figure 36.11: The PDynaFlect, SDynaFlect, and UDynaFlect Space Warps deflecting particles emitted from a Super Spray particle system

Figure 36.12: The POmniFlect, SOmniFlect, and UOmniFlect Space Warps reflecting and refracting particles emitted from the Super Spray particle system

Figure 36.13: The Geometric/Deformable Space Warps: FFD (Box), FFD (Cyl), Wave, Ripple, Displace, Conform, and Bomb

Figure 36.14: The Wave and Ripple Space Warps applied to a patch grid object

Figure 36.15: A ripple in a pond produced using the Ripple Space Warp

Figure 36.16: The Conform Space Warp wraps the surface of one object around another object.

Figure 36.17: The Bomb Space Warp causes an object to explode.

Figure 36.18: You can use Space Warps on Scatter objects as well as particle systems.

Figure 36.19: The Modifier-Based Space Warps: Bend, Noise, Skew, Taper, Twist, and Stretch

Figure 36.20: A shattering mirror

Figure 36.21: Exploding a planet with a PBomb and a Ringwave

Figure 36.22: Water flowing down a trough using the Path Follow Space Warp

Chapter 37: Simulating Physics-Based Motion with reactor

Figure 37.1: Use the reactor toolbar to define physical object properties.

Figure 37.2: reactor can compute all the collisions between all these marbles.

Figure 37.3: The gizmo icons for each of the collections

Figure 37.4: The Property Editor can set the physical properties for geometric objects included in the scene.

Figure 37.5: reactor can be used to simulate cloth falling realistically over a chair.

Figure 37.6: The gizmo icons for each of the reactor objects

Figure 37.7: The reactor Toy Car object can be used to compute the realistic actions of this monster truck.

Figure 37.8: The fracture object in reactor can be used to compute realistic explosions.

Figure 37.9: Depending on the mass property, objects sink or float.

Figure 37.10: The Preview window is a fun place to play with a simulation.

Figure 37.11: Animating these falling donuts, simulated as soft body objects, was easy with reactor.

Figure 37.12: Fully constrained humanoid figures can be created using the rctRagdollScript.ms script.

Figure 37.13: Using constraints gives you control over the animation motion.

Chapter 38: Animating Hair and Cloth

Figure 38.1: The Live dynamic mode makes the hair react in real time to the scene forces.

Figure 38.2: Using precomputed hair can save you a bundle of time when rendering.

Figure 38.3: The Object Properties dialog box lets you define the properties of cloth and collision objects.

Figure 38.4: After you've defined cloth and force properties, an executed simulation drapes the cloth over a chair.

Figure 38.5: You can view the tension for cloth created with the Garment Maker modifier.

Figure 38.6: Computing the dynamics of a cloth object is possible with a cloth system.

Chapter 39: Understanding Rigging and Working with Bones

Figure 39.1: The Bone rollouts lets you specify which bones get assigned an IK Controller.

Figure 39.2: This bone includes fins that make understanding its orientation easier.

Figure 39.3: This bones system for an alligator was easy to create.

Figure 39.4: The Bone Tools palette includes several buttons for working with bones systems.

Figure 39.5: A white-to-black gradient was applied to this spiral bone chain.

Chapter 40: Adding Inverse Kinematics

Figure 40.1: The IK rollouts let you control the binding of an IK system.

Figure 40.2: The Schematic View window is helpful for linking hierarchies.

Figure 40.3: The objects in this scene are part of an inverse kinematics system.

Figure 40.4: The Inverse Kinematics panel of the Preference Settings dialog box lets you set the global Threshold values.

Figure 40.5: The propeller rotates by turning the handle and using inverse kinematics.

Figure 40.6: The IK Solver rollout lets you enable or disable the IK solver.

Figure 40.7: The swivel angle defines the plane along which the joint moves.

Figure 40.8: Moving the goal for each IK chain makes animating a character easy.

Figure 40.9: The IK Controller Parameters rollout sets the boundaries of the IK solution.

Figure 40.10: The HD IK solver is used to control the spyglass.

Figure 40.11: You can use the IK Limb solver to control limbs such as legs and arms.

Figure 40.12: The IK Spline solver is perfect for creating objects like snakes and animal tails.

Chapter 41: Skinning Characters

Figure 41.1: These two characters have details modeled where needed.

Figure 41.2: If the envelopes are off for any of the skin vertices, the skin stretches incorrectly.

Figure 41.3: Envelopes define which Skin vertices move with the underlying bone.

Figure 41.4: The Weight Tool dialog box includes buttons for quickly altering weight values and for blending the weights of adjacent vertices.

Figure 41.5: The Weight Table lets you specify weight values for each vertex and for each bone.

Figure 41.6: Vertices' weights can be fixed with the Weight Tool and by Painting Weights.

Figure 41.7: In Mirror mode, matched bones and vertices appear green and blue.

Figure 41.8: Not all objects that are animated need a bones structure.

Figure 41.9: Using the Skin Morph, you can set a muscle to bulge as the forearm is rotated.

Chapter 42: Creating and Animating Bipeds

Figure 42-1: The default biped includes all the basic body parts for a human character.

Figure 42-2: The four available body types include Skeleton, Female, Male, and Classic.

Figure 42-3: This biped includes two ponytails, a tail, and a prop object attached to its right hand.

Figure 42-4: The Display Preferences dialog box lets you set the options for displaying biped elements.

Figure 42-5: When links are rotated with the Bend Links Mode enabled, the entire link chain is affected.

Figure 42-6: When a single spine link is rotated with the Twist Links Mode enabled, the entire link chain is affected.

Figure 42-7: A Preview window in the Copy/Paste rollout lets you select the exact pose you want to use.

Figure 42-8: This cat pose was created by manipulating the biped bones.

Figure 42-9: The Create Multiple Footsteps dialog box lets you specify details such as Stride Length.

Figure 42-10: By positioning footsteps, you can control exactly where the biped moves.

Figure 42-11: The Key Info rollout includes specialized buttons for setting biped keys.

Figure 42-12: The Keyframing Tools rollout includes a variety of features.

Figure 42-13: The Motion Flow Graph interface displays each motion clip as a separate node.

Figure 42-14: Use the Setup rollout to define the crowd system.

Figure 42-15: The Scatter Objects dialog box lets you quickly create crowds of objects.

Figure 42-16: The Edit Multiple Delegates dialog box lets you quickly set the parameters of multiple delegates.

Figure 42-17: The Behavior Assignments and Teams dialog box lets you organize teams of delegates and assign them to behaviors.

Figure 42-18: The Crowd simulation automatically figures out how to move the delegate bunnies to reach the goal while avoiding the trees.

Figure 42-19: The Object/Delegate Associations dialog box lets you link objects to delegates.

Chapter 43: Learning Rendering Basics

Figure 43-1: The ActiveShade window can be opened within a viewport.

Figure 43-2: You use the Render Scene dialog box to render the final output.

Figure 43-3: The Select Preset Categories dialog box lets you choose which settings to include in the preset.

Figure 43-4: The Rendering dialog box displays the current render settings and progress of the render job.

Figure 43-5: The Bitmap Proxies dialog box lets you replace all texture maps with proxy images.

Figure 43-6: The Email Notifications rollout includes options for sending an E-mail message to report on rendering status.

Figure 43-7: The Default Scanline Renderer rollout includes settings unique to this renderer.

Figure 43-8: The Rendering panel in the Preference Settings dialog box lets you set global rendering settings.

Figure 43-9: A sample VUE file viewed in a text editor

Figure 43-10: The Rendered Frame Window displays rendered images without saving them to a file.

Figure 43-11: The RAM Player interface lets you load two different images or animations for comparison.

Figure 43-12: The Panoramic Viewer lets you zoom, pan, and spin the scene about its center location.

Figure 43-13: The Print Size Wizard lets you set the image dimensions based on paper size and DPI settings.

Figure 43-14: The Environment and Effects dialog box lets you select a background color or image, define global lighting, control exposure, and work with atmospheric effects.

Figure 43-15: The results of a background image loaded into the Environment panel

Figure 43-16: The Pseudo Color Exposure Control rollout can display illumination and luminance values as colors.

Figure 43-17: This rendered image shows an image before and after exposure control was enabled.

Chapter 44: Using Atmospheric and Render Effects

Figure 44-1: The Add Atmospheric Effect dialog box lets you select atmospheric effects.

Figure 44-2: The Fire Effect Parameters rollout lets you define the look of the effect.

Figure 44-3: The Fire atmospheric effect can be either Tendril or Fireball shaped.

Figure 44-4: The Stretch value can elongate flames.

Figure 44-5: The Fire effect brightness is tied closely to the flame Density value.

Figure 44-6: A sun image created with a simple sphere, a material with a Noise Bump map, and the Fire effect

Figure 44-7: You can use the Fire atmospheric effect to create clouds.

Figure 44-8: The Fog Parameters rollout lets you use either Standard fog or Layered fog.

Figure 44-9: A rendered image with several different Fog effect options applied

Figure 44-10: The Volume Fog Parameters rollout includes parameters for controlling the fog density and type.

Figure 44-11: A rendered image that uses the Volume Fog effect

Figure 44-12: The Rendering Effects panel lets you apply interactive post-production effects to an image.

Figure 44-13: The Parameters tabbed panel of the Lens Effects Globals rollout lets you load and save parameter settings. The Scene tabbed panel lets you set the effect's Size and Intensity.

Figure 44-14: These Star Lens Effects vary in size.

Figure 44-15: Lens Effects also can vary in intensity like these glows.

Figure 44-16: These Ring effects vary in Stretch values.

Figure 44-17: The Glow Element rollout lets you set the parameters for the Glow effect.

Figure 44-18: The Radial Falloff dialog box lets you control how the inner radial color changes to the outer radial color.

Figure 44-19: These glow effects are distorted using the Radial Size function curves.

Figure 44-20: The Surf Norm option causes objects to glow, based on the angle between their surface normals and the camera.

Figure 44-21: You can create electricity using a simple spline, the Noise modifier, and the Glow render effect.

Figure 44-22: The glow of neon lights, easily created with render effects

Figure 44-23: Ring effects can vary in thickness.

Figure 44-24: The Ray effect extends a given number of rays out from the effect center.

Figure 44-25: The Star effect lets you set the number of bands emitting from the center.

Figure 44-26: The Streak effect enables you to create horizontal bands.

Figure 44-27: The Auto Secondary Element rollout sets the parameters for this effect.

Figure 44-28: The Auto Secondary Effect displays several flares extending at an angle from the center of the effect.

Figure 44-29: The Manual Secondary Effect can add some randomness to a flare lineup.

Figure 44-30: The Spruce Goose has had a sparkle added to it using the Glow and Star Lens Effects.

Figure 44-31: The Blur Parameters rollout lets you select a Uniform, Directional, or Radial blur type.

Figure 44-32: The Blur effect can soften an otherwise hard model.

Figure 44-33: The Pixel Selections tabbed panel (shown in two parts) of the Blur Parameters rollout lets you select the parts of the image that get the Blur effect.

Figure 44-34: The File Output Parameters rollout lets you save a rendered image before a render effect is applied.

Figure 44-35: The Film Grain render effect applies a noise filter to the rendered image.

Figure 44-36: The Depth of Field Parameters rollout lets you select a camera or a Focal Point to apply the effect to.

Figure 44-37: The Depth of Field effect focuses a camera on an object in the middle and blurs objects closer or farther away.

Chapter 45: Raytracing and mental ray

Figure 45-1: The Raytracer Global Parameters rollout includes raytracing settings that affect the entire scene.

Figure 45-2: This simple scene of transparent spheres was rendered without raytracing (left) and with raytracing (right).

Figure 45-3: Additional anti-aliasing settings are available by clicking the button to the right of the drop-down list.

Figure 45-4: The Raytrace Messages window outputs all the data from the raytracing engine.

Figure 45-5: This Raytracing Acceleration Parameters options control the speed of the raytracing by limiting the number of faces and divisions that must be processed.

Figure 45-6: The Exclude/Include dialog box lets you select objects to be removed from the raytracer.

Figure 45-7: Many of the raytrace material settings are the same as those for the standard material.

Figure 45-8: A sphere with an Environment map reflected off a raytrace material

Figure 45-9: The Raytracer Controls rollout lets you set the raytracing options.

Figure 45-10: A rendered image with raytrace materials applied to the vase and table

Figure 45-11: You can use the raytrace map to raytrace only select objects.

Figure 45-12: The Preference Settings dialog box includes a panel of mental ray settings.

Figure 45-13: The mental ray Connection rollout in the Material Editor lets you override the default shaders.

Figure 45-14: The Material/Map Browser includes many additional mental ray materials and maps.

Figure 45-15: The materials in the mental ray Arch &Design collection include a broad set of physical properties.

Figure 45-16: Ambient Occlusion lets you light the scene by controlling the ambient light that get bounced around the scene.

Figure 45-17: Cars rendered with the mental ray Car Paint shader use multiple layers just like real cars.

Figure 45.18: The mental ray Indirect Illumination rollout lets you define the light settings for individual lights.

Figure 45-19: The Daylight can be endowed with mr Sun and mr Sky.

Figure 45-20: This indoor swimming pool scene is rendered without caustics (left) and with caustics (right).

Figure 45-21: This disco ball simply reflects the caustic photons around the room.

Figure 45-22: The Object Properties dialog box includes options for generating and receiving caustics and global illumination.

Figure 45-23: The Indirect Illumination panel includes settings for caustics, global illumination, and final gather.

Figure 45-24: The Renderer panel includes several rollouts of settings for controlling the mental ray renderer.

Chapter 46: Batch and Network Rendering

Figure 46-1: The Batch Render window lets you define render tasks to be run as a batch process.

Figure 46-2: The Manage Scene States and Save Scene State dialog boxes let you define which properties to save as a state that can be recalled for a batch render task.

Figure 46-3: A list of the network protocols installed on this computer

Figure 46-4: You can find the IP Address in the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.

Figure 46-5: Sharing a directory so that other computers on the network can use it

Figure 46-6: Other computers can now access the shared "scenes" directory.

Figure 46-7: Mapping the Z drive to point to \\dungar\scenes\

Figure 46-8: Starting the network manager

Figure 46-9: Starting a network server. Notice that the server is already looking for the manager.

Figure 46-10: Manually choosing the manager's IP address

Figure 46-11: The Net Render option must be enabled to start a network rendering job.

Figure 46-12: Using the Network Job Assignment dialog box to locate the manager to handle the rendering job

Figure 46-13: The network manager detects the new job.

Figure 46-14: One of the network servers receives the command to start a new job.

Figure 46-15: The Notifications dialog box lets you specify which type of notifications to receive.

Figure 46-16: The backburner Manager General Properties dialog box

Figure 46-17: The logging options for managers and servers let you tell Max where to report what.

Figure 46-18: The Monitor makes managing a rendering farm quick and easy.

Figure 46-19: The Server Properties dialog box displays information about the server.

Figure 46-20: The Week Schedule dialog box can set the time during the week when a server is available for rendering.

Chapter 47: Compositing and Render Elements

Figure 47.1: Photoshop is an important compositing tool for static images.

Figure 47-2: The Rendered Frame window can display an image's alpha channel.

Figure 47-3: Premiere can be used to combine several animation sequences together.

Figure 47-4: After Effects can add special effects to an animation sequence.

Figure 47-5: Combustion has a unique interface, much different from Max.

Figure 47-6: Combustion maps work between Max and Combustion.

Figure 47-7: Combustion maps painted in Combustion show up in Max.

Figure 47-8: Shapes that are painted in Combustion show up in Max.

Figure 47-9: You can use the Render Elements rollout to render specific effects.

Figure 47-10: The Alpha render element shown in the Rendered Frame Window

Chapter 48: Using the Video Post Interface

Figure 48.1: The Video Post interface lets you composite images with your final rendering.

Figure 48.2: The Execute Video Post interface includes the controls for producing the queue output.

Figure 48.3: The Add Image Input Event dialog box lets you load an image to add to the queue.

Figure 48.4: The Image Input Options dialog box lets you align and set the size of the image.

Figure 48.5: The Add Scene Event dialog box lets you specify which viewport to use to render your scene.

Figure 48.6: The Add Image Filter Event dialog box lets you select from many filter types.

Figure 48.7: The Simple Wipe Control dialog box lets you select which direction to wipe the image.

Figure 48.8: The Stars Control dialog box lets you load a custom database of stars.

Figure 48.9: A space scene with a background, compliments of the Video Post interface

Figure 48.10: The Add External Event dialog box lets you access an external program to edit images.

Figure 48.11: The Add Loop Event dialog box lets you play an event numerous times.

Figure 48.12: You can use the Abut Selected button to position several events end-to-end.

Figure 48.13: Green arrow buttons in the Lens Effects Flare dialog box identify the parameters that can be animated for this effect.

Figure 48.14: The Glow and Ring tabbed panels are representative of all the different lens effect settings.

Figure 48.15: The Inferno tabbed panel includes options for enabling noise for the various flare effects.

Figure 48.16: You can use the Lens Effects Focus dialog box to blur an image.

Figure 48.17: Use the Lens Effects Glow dialog box to make objects and scenes glow.

Figure 48.18: Use the Lens Effects Highlight dialog box to add highlights to scene objects.

Figure 48.19: Using the Lens Effects Highlight dialog box, you can add shining highlights to objects like this halo.

Figure 48.20: The airplane in this image is rendered, and the background is composited.

Chapter 49: Automating with MAXScript

Figure 49.1: MAXScript is written using standard syntax in a simple text editor window.

Figure 49.2: The MAXScript rollout on the Utilities panel is a great place to start working with MAXScript.

Figure 49.3: The results of the SphereArray MAXScript utility

Figure 49.4: The MAXScript Listener window interprets your commands.

Figure 49.5: Use the MAXScript Listener window to query Max about an object's properties.

Figure 49.6: The resulting objects created via the MAXScript Listener window

Figure 49.7: Running the new squash-and-turn-purple script

Figure 49.8: The MAXScript Debugger lets you check the values of variables as the script runs.

Figure 49.9: The Watch Manager lets you watch the value of specific variables.

Figure 49.10: The MAXScript Debugger Parameters let you set the break cycle time, among other settings.

Figure 49.11: The MAXScript panel in the Preference Settings dialog box includes options for controlling MAXScript.

Figure 49.12: The script commands entered in the MAXScript Listener affect the objects in the viewports.

Figure 49.13: Using the MAXScript Listener to evaluate expressions

Figure 49.14: First attempt at making the fish follow a path

Figure 49.15: A tail-flapping fish that faces the right direction as it follows the path

Figure 49.16: Both fish swimming together

Figure 49.17: The Visual MAXScript window makes building rollouts easy.

Figure 49.18: You can add control elements to the form in the Visual MAXScript window.

Figure 49.19: The rollout laid out in the Visual MAXScript window

Figure 49.20: The MAXScript Editor window is updated with the code from the Visual MAXScript window.

Figure 49.21: The results of the BuildCube.ms script

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

Figure 50.1: The Plug-In Info dialog box includes a list of all the currently loaded plug-ins, both internal and external.

Figure 50.2: Use the Plug-in Manager dialog box to disable plug-ins.

Figure 50.3: This simple fireball was created using the AfterBurn plug-in.

Appendix B: Installing and Configuring 3ds Max 9

Figure B.1: The installation wizard takes you through the steps to install 3ds Max.

Figure B.2: This step lets you choose which components to install.

Figure B.3: The first screen to appear after installation lets you activate your software or run it without activation.

Figure B.4: This dialog box lets you choose the display driver to use.

Figure B.5: Use the Portable License Utility to move a Max license to another computer.

Appendix C: Max Keyboard Shortcuts

Figure C.1: The Hotkey Map window displays keyboard shortcuts interactively.