Who Is Max?


Max is coming of age. Now with the number 9 attached to its name, it is starting to show some maturity. I'd say that version numbers are akin to dog years, which would place Max in its lower 60s.

Before we go any further, I should explain my naming convention. The official name of the product in this release is 3ds Max 9, but I simply refer to it as Max. This reference is a nickname given to a piece of software that has become more familiar to me than the family pets (whose names are Fuzzy, Curious, Zoot, and Snickers). Note: I have not been successful in training Max to come when I call or to sit on command, but it will on occasion play dead.

One way we humans develop our personalities is to incorporate desirable personality traits from those around us. Max's personality is developing as well: Every new release has incorporated a plethora of desirable new features. Many of these features come from the many additional plug-ins being developed to enhance Max. With Release 9, many features that were available as plug-ins for previous releases have been adopted by Max. Several new features have been magically assimilated into the core product, such as the Motion Mixer and the Hair and Fur system. These additions make Max's personality much more likable, like a human developing a sense of humor.

Other personality traits are gained by stretching in new directions. Max and its developers have accomplished this feat as well. Many of the new features are completely new, not only to Max, but also to the industry. As Max grows up, it will continue to mature by adopting new features and inventing others. I just hope Max doesn't experience a mid-life crisis in the next version.

Some additional factors have appeared in Max's house that certainly have an impact on Max's development. First is the appearance of Max's adopted brother, Maya. There are other siblings in the Autodesk household (including MotionBuilder and AutoCAD), but Maya is closest in age to Max and its personality likely will rub off in different ways.

The second big factor is that Max has developed an alter ego that imagines it is a superhero. The 3ds Max installation discs ship with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version overcomes the 2GB hardware restriction and lets users work with huge datasets. This represents a huge leap forward in the scale of models that we can work with. In time, I see Max assuming this superhero persona permanently.




3ds Max 9 Bible
3ds Max 9 Bible
ISBN: 0470100893
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 383

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