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A bizarre twist of fate 3DS Max is now owned by the same firm that publishes its age rival, Maya, yet the pair of heavyweight 3D applications remain the two main choices for animators working in the three-dimensional realm. Although Maya’s popularity has increased of late (perhaps largely due to its superior accessibility for newcomers), 3DS still remains a key player within the industry, and this latest incarnation significantly improves upon the wire-frame mapping approach of the past. Perhaps the biggest innovation within version 8 of the app is the inclusion of a ‘pelt mapping’ feature. For the benefit of those who don’t work for Pixar or Rockstar Games, this is basically a device for ‘unwrapping’ a wireframe model in order to paint its exterior. This can save you a lot of time and unnecessary Photoshop tomfoolery when working with organic objects, such as human faces or characters. However, it isn’t so adept at handling non-organic objects like cars, streets or houses, as the results are typically very liquidy. As always, 3DS Max allows you to be very precise in terms of the mapping of your creations, perhaps even more so than Maya. Besides the standard mapping tools, the application now contains all manner of alignment features to ensure that you get pinpoint accuracy when modelling. What’s more, 3DS now contains more flexible options for relax, the tool that averages UVs and allows for the automatic relief of texture distortion. If used in conjunction with another function, show edge distortion, then the mapping of your characters becomes all the easier. There are dozens of other features within the software that will help you produce stunning 3D models without tearing your hair out. We were particularly taken with the render UVW template function, allowing very quick template rendering of your prepared UVs, either in wireframe, filled, mapped or shaded versions. With a raft of skinning and modelling tools, 3DS Max gives you very precise control over your models, without having to code or program every co-ordinate, making it a very user-friendly option. Naturally, the cost of the full version of the program will put off many 3D hobbyists, but for serious animation professionals it’s an application that is to be ignored at your peril. Although it remains to be seen whether there will be an amalgamation with Maya, 3DX Max remains a world leader in its market and, given enough patience, can be used to transform the outer limits of your imagination into a fantastic reality.
Autodesk 3ds Max software contains a range of state-of-the-art tools for creative and media professionals. Developed as a total animation package with a deep, productive feature set designed to accelerate workflow, 3ds Max is one of the leaders in 3D animation for game development, design visualization, visual effects, and education. Continue reading…
The Upshot – Here is our roster of stories that managed to evade the full-on blog treatment: • U.S. counterterrorism officials think that Osama bin Laden may be behind the recent threat of attacks on multiple European cities. (AP) • Researchers have found a dramatic uptick in the concentration of carcinogens in the Gulf post-BP oil disaster. (Huffington [...] Read more...
PC World – The Google URL shortening service Goo.gl, that allows you to transform long Web addresses into short easy to remember links, was opened to the public Friday. With the introduction of Goog.gl, the Internet behemoth joins the ranks of Bit.ly, TinyURL, Ow.ly, and dozens of other similar services. Read more...
AFP – French videogame titan Ubisoft is expanding the world of “Assassin’s Creed” to Facebook, breaking down the barrier between play on consoles and at the hot online social network. Read more...
PC World – New Web browser market share stats are out. This past month has seen a decline in the overall market share of the Internet Explorer franchise, but breaking things down by version shows that more users are adopting the latest generation of Web browsers whether it’s Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome. Read more...
Reuters – Facebook, the world’s No. 1 Internet social network, is splitting its stock, as shares in the privately held company have surged roughly seven-fold in the past 15 months. Read more...
AP – Facebook, the world’s largest online social network, said Friday it is splitting its shares five for one, so that it can give larger stock grants to current and prospective employees. Read more...
Mashable – Two titans of the web 1.0 era are trying to find their footing in the world of the social web. Will Yahoo or AOL be able to regain their former glory? Read more...
AP – The FBI and law enforcement agencies in Ukraine, the Netherlands and Britain are tracking down international cyber criminals who stole $70 million by using malware that captured passwords and account numbers to log onto online bank accounts. Read more...
