Autodesk 3ds Max Basics

Setting Render Output Size

• Render output size can be set in the Render Setup > Common Tab > Output Size group

Hiding Shape Objects

• To hide all shape objects from the viewport, go to Command Panel > Display Tab > Hide by Category rollout > check Shapes

Displaying Units

• To display units as feet and inches, choose the US Standard option in the Unit Setup dialogue box

Creating Loft Objects

• To generate a Loft object, you need a shape and a path

Sliding Door Parameters

• The parameters available for a Sliding door are Height, Width, and Length

Snap Toggle Button

• The Snap Toggle button is located in the Main Toolbar

Global Illumination

• GI stands for Global Illumination

Modifier-Based Space Warps

• Stretch is a modifier-based space warp

Character Animation Workflow

• The ideal sequence in a Character animation workflow is Modelling, Bone Setup, Rigging, Skinning, Animating

Skin Modifiers

• The Skin modifier is used to bind a skin mesh to a bones system and to define the associations between the skin vertices and the bones

Animation Playback Controls

• Animation playback controls are located in the Upper-right area of the 3DS Max interface

Project Folder

• When setting a Project Folder, 3DS Max will look for bitmap textures in the Sceneassets > Images sub-folder by default

IK

• IK stands for Inverse Kinematics

Cloth Simulation

• The Cloth Forces dialogue box lets you define characteristics for cloth and collision objects

Space Warps

• The Vortex space warp lets you spin particles system around in a spiral like going down a whirlpool

Pivot Point

• To adjust the position of the pivot point, go to Command Panel > Hierarchy tab > Move Pivot Point

Rendered Preview

• 3DS Max allows you to create a rendered preview in low resolution

Lofted Object Scaling

• The Scale Deformation feature can be used to scale the width of a lofted object through its various locations

Crowd System Behaviors

• The Avoid behavior prevents collisions between scene objects and other delegates

Atmospheric Apparatus

• Atmospheric Apparatus gizmos can be accessed through Create > Helper > Atmospherics

Space Warp Effect

• A space warp affects an object only when the object is bound to it

Preview Animation

• To create a preview animation, go to Application button > Preview – Grab Viewport > Create Preview Animation for the menu bar

Cloth Simulation

• The Simulate Local button can be used to drape the cloth without running it over several frames

Rendering Animation

• Rendering a final animation can take a long time, and if there is an error in the animation, it does not need to be completely re-rendered after the rectification of the error

Sliding Window Parameters

• The parameters available for a Sliding window are Height, Width, and Depth

Particle Systems

• A particle system is represented by a single gizmo known as an emitter icon

Atmospheric Effects

• Atmospheric effects can be selected through the Environment and Effects dialog box

Material Editor

• The Show Shaded Material in Viewport button makes the bitmap image visible in the shaded viewport when you assign a material to the object

Rigging

• A rig's skeleton consists of bones that are organized in a linked hierarchy

Environment Setup

• Controlling the environment for skylight, reflection, and refraction can be set up via V-Ray Environment

Wall Creation

• A wall can be created by creating a close wall profile with spline tools and then extruding the same, or by using the Wall object found in the AEC Extended category

This quiz covers the basics of Autodesk 3ds Max, including interface navigation, object manipulation, and rendering settings. Test your knowledge of this popular 3D modeling software.