Getting Started with 3ds max
You use 3ds max to quickly create professional-quality 3D models, photo-realistic still images, and film-quality animation on your PC. Before using this reference material, we highly recommend you get to know 3ds max firsthand by following the included tutorials. You can access the tutorials using the Help menu > Tutorial command, or in the printed version. This section presents these brief topics designed to help you quickly start using 3ds max.
Once you have installed the program (see the installation guide included with your software package), you open it from the Start menu, or use any other Windows method. The figure above shows the application window with a scene file loaded.
Note:If you open the program from a Command Prompt window or batch file, you can add command-line switches. See Starting from the Command Line. Unrelated keywords, Free 3D models software: Tanks battleships armored forces jeeps, helicopters armored missiles rockets. Weapons military objects army items.
Note:3ds max is a single-document application, meaning you can work on only one scene at a time. However, you can open more than one copy of the program and open a different scene in each copy. Opening additional copies of the program requires a lot of RAM. For the best performance, you should plan to open one copy and work on one scene at a time. Opening multiple copies of the program is not supported in Windows 95/98 or ME.
- Project Workflow
- Setting Up Your Scene
- Modeling Objects
- Using Materials
- Placing Lights and Cameras
- Animating Your Scene
- Rendering Your Scene
- The 3ds max Window
- Special Controls
- Quad Menu
- Managing Files
- Importing, Merging, and Replacing Scenes
- Startup Files
- Backing Up and Archiving Scenes
Startup Files
When you run 3ds max, it loads several auxiliary files and uses their settings. In some cases, the program also updates files when you change settings and when you quit the program. In general, you don't need to work directly with these files, but it's good to know about them. Among the auxiliary files the program uses are:
3dsmax.ini - This file gets updated when you start and quit 3ds max, as well as when you change most Preferences settings. It contains values relating to program defaults, including the graphics driver, directories used to access external files such as sounds and images, preset render sizes, dialog positions, snap settings, and other preferences and default settings. If you edit this file, be sure to make a copy first, so you can return to the original if anything goes wrong.
maxstart.max - At startup and when you reset, 3ds max looks for this file in the Scenes directory specified in Configure Paths, and if found, loads it. This allows you to specify the default state of the workspace whenever you start or reset the program. For example, if you always use a ground plane, you can make it the default setup by creating one, then saving it as maxstart.max. If you save a different file over maxstart.max, you can return to program defaults by deleting the maxstart.max file, then resetting the program.
maxstart.cui - This is the default custom user interface file. You can load and save .cui files, and set the program to use a different default .cui file. See Customize Menu.
plugin.ini - This file contains directory paths for plug-ins. Most other paths are kept in the program .ini file, but plugin.ini is maintained as a separate file because third-party plug-ins often add entries to the list at installation.
Note: It is possible to use more than one plugin.ini by nesting additional paths in your plugin.ini file. This can be very useful for allowing an entire network of users to share one plugin.ini file, making the system easier to maintain for the network administrator. For more information, see Network Plug-In Configuration.
startup.ms - A MAXScript file that automatically executes at startup time. For more information, see Startup Script (Glossary).
splash.bmp - To substitute a custom splash screen (startup screen) for the default image, copy any Windows Bitmap (.bmp) file into the program root directory and rename it splash.bmp. The program will thereafter use this image at launch.
