Introduction to 3ds Max

Welcome to the world of 3ds Max! 3DS Max is a professional 3D animation rendering and modeling software package used mostly by game developers, design visualization specialists, and visual effects artists. In addition to its modeling and animation capabilities, 3ds Max has a flexible plugin architecture and is able to be used on the Microsoft Windows platform.

In this assignment, you will view some videos showing, first showing an overview of the capabilities of the program, then a more detailed introduction to the interface and modeling basics.

1. Set up your Home Directory for saving your work
   1. In your Home Directory, create a new folder named 3ds Max.
      
   2. Inside the 3ds Max folder, create another new folder named Modeling.
   3. You will save all your work for the Modeling Units in this folder.
      
      
2. From your desktop, launch the 3ds Max program by clicking the icon for 3ds Max 2010 32-bit.
   Alternately you can click the Start button, the choose Programs > Autodesk >
   Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 32-bit > Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 32-bit.
   
3. The program will take a few moments to open - please be patient.
4. Click Continue on the splash screen.
   
   
5. Introduction Videos:
   
   1. What you see next is a screen of introductory videos. Put on your headphones and turn on your sound, the click on and watch each of these in turn.
   2. When you are finished watching the videos, click the check box so that that screen will not come up every time you open the program.
      If for some reason you want to see them again, you can access them in the Help menu.
   3. Leave the program open for the rest of this assignment.
      
      
6. Basic Concepts Video:
   1. Open a My Computer window. Navigate to the Student Common / TeacherFolders / Pangman, Kerri / Classes / Computer Animation / Read
   2. Double-click the basicconcepts.exe file.
      
   3. A screen will appear, offering choices of several individual videos in this set. Click the top choice.
   4. The video will begin - if you scroll down, you will see that you can Pause and Play the video. To see the whole screen, you should scroll up, but to access the pause, you must scroll down again.
   5. This video was made using an earlier version - 3ds Max 9. It is still similar enough for you to learn from, however.
   6. After the video shows you some information or procedure, pause it and go to your program window to explore and try yourself. (Make this 'play time' brief - there is still lots to do...)
      Even though the two programs look slightly different, this will help you familiarize yourself with our current version.
   7. Continue through the entire set of videos, practicing as you go.
      
      
7. Exercise Video:
   
   1. The last lesson video is an Exercise, modeling a bicycle seat. You will actually do this one.
   2. Either follow along, stopping after each step or two to do the steps yourself, or watch the entire process, then do it yourself. (or watch, then watch again to follow along...)
   3. When you have completed the model, save it in your 3ds Max/Modeling folder.
   4. Place a copy in the Mrs. Pangman's Computer Animation / Turn-in folder on the Student Common.