3ds Max 2023 Essential Training

Introduction

• Introducing 3ds Max 2023
• Using the exercise files

1. Getting Started

• Choosing a workspace
• Setting preferences
• Using project folders

2. 3ds Max Interface

• Getting familiar with the interface
• Customizing a workspace
• Customizing background and grid colors
• Creating primitives with keyboard entry
• Creating primitives interactively with the mouse
• Position objects with Select and Move
• Rotate and scale objects
• Navigating in viewports
• Orbit and viewport Undo
• Saving time with keyboard shortcut hotkeys
• Customizing hotkeys
• Choosing viewport shading modes
• Advanced viewport settings
• Configuring viewport layouts

3. Scene Layout

• Specifying display units
• Specifying system units
• Defining the Home grid
• Saving a maxstart.max template scene
• Merging scenes
• Duplicating objects in a pattern with Array
• Duplicating objects with Clone
• Introducing Snap
• Precision transforms with Grid Snap
• Outlining object names with Scene Explorer
• Collecting objects in Groups
• Managing Display Layers in the Layer Explorer
• Controlling object and layer Display Properties
• Understanding Xref external references
• Creating an Xref record
• Moving objects in Reference Coordinate Systems
• Rotating objects in Reference Coordinate Systems
• Manipulating objects around a Transform Center
• Using Isolate Selection and Lock Selection
• Selecting in window and crossing modes

4. Spline Modeling

• Creating shapes
• Editing Bezier splines
• Setting shape detail with Interpolation
• Modeling with the Extrude modifier
• Extruding along a path with the Sweep modifier
• Importing Illustrator paths to 3ds Max
• Adding a Bevel modifier
• Controlling level of detail for a Bevel modifier
• Modeling typography with TextPlus
• Manipulating and fine-tuning TextPlus

5. Parametric Modeling

• Deforming an object with a modifier
• Layering deformers in the modifier stack
• Defining polygon level of detail
• Passing a selection up the stack
• Understanding topology dependence
• Versioning and collapsing the stack

6. Polygon Modeling

• Preparing Boolean operands
• Combine volumes with Boolean compound object
• Adding edges with Quickslice
• Adding edges with Cut
• Hardening polygon edges with the Smooth modifier
• Using the Modeling Ribbon
• Simplifying geometry with Remove
• Branching with Editable Poly Extrude
• Detailing a mesh
• Rounding corners with Chamfer

7. Subdivision Surface Modeling

• Understanding subdivision surfaces
• Best practices for modeling subdivision surfaces
• Box modeling for subdivision surfaces
• Modeling with the Symmetry modifier
• Modeling curvature with Soft Selection
• Refining geometry with SwiftLoop
• Constraining sub-object transforms
• Correcting a seam with Align to View
• Sharpening corners with Edge Crease
• Baking subdivisions

8. Camera Techniques

• Creating a Physical Camera and Target
• First-person camera navigation in viewports
• Enabling Safe Frames
• Setting resolution and aspect ratio in render setup
• Creating a free camera
• Rotating in Gimbal coordinate space
• Setting rotation Axis Order to emulate a tripod

9. Lighting

• Interactive production rendering
• Creating photometric lights
• Adjusting light intensity and color
• Setting exposure control
• Adjusting light shape
• Controlling spotlight parameters
• Using the Light Explorer
• Illuminating with an environment color
• Illuminating with an HDRI environment
• Separating environment from background
• Creating a sun and sky
• Art directing a sun and sky

10. Materials

• Using the Slate material editor
• Assigning materials to objects
• Managing scene materials
• Managing sample slots
• Saving a material library
• Physical material color and roughness
• Physical material reflection parameters
• Controlling viewport material shading
• Controlling material sample size
• Creating a 3D procedural map
• Art directing 3D map parameters
• Mapping bitmap image files
• Projecting UVs with UVW Map
• Using real-world map size
• Restoring links with Asset Tracking

11. Animation

• Understanding hierarchies
• Moving pivot points
• Rotating pivot points
• Prioritizing rotation axes
• Linking objects
• Locking transforms
• Correcting and avoiding scale issues
• Choosing frame rate and playback speed
• Choosing the active time segment
• Creating keyframes in Auto Key mode
• Creating keyframes in Set Key mode
• Editing keyframes in the Track Bar timeline
• Editing keyframes in the Dope Sheet
• Editing keyframes in the Curve Editor
• Editing interpolation in the Curve Editor
• Manipulating tangents in the Curve Editor
• Editing a trajectory with a Motion Path

12. Rendering

• Choosing a renderer
• Preparing to render with Quicksilver
• Choosing Quicksilver render options
• Rendering an image sequence
• Playing an image sequence with the RAM Player

Conclusion

• Next steps