New User Observations

[pauljordan]

OK, not a new user to Autodesk products but, a new user to 3DS Max.

I'm going through the videos on startup and I'm noticing a few things.

Initial observations include:

The Arc Rotate command - Alt and Middle mouse button?? Why can't this be consistent with other Autodesk products and be the Shift and middle mouse button?

Command Panels - Aren't these the same as tool palettes?? They're laid out differently but, why not stick with one format across the board.

Create Objects - Most of this can be done with basic Autocad. Is it really necessary to have a complete different layout than the command/tool palette we already use in Autocad based products? The up and down arrows to change the height is nice but, most people want to put a distance. They're nice to have to just throw your design out there I guess. Why not put these arrows in the properties tool palette on autocad based products?

Wow, by the 5th video, you're working with modifiers and gizmos! :O

OK, that's a start, more to come I'm sure..

[Steve_Bennett]

OK, not a new user to Autodesk products but, a new user to 3DS Max.

I'm going through the videos on startup and I'm noticing a few things.

Initial observations include:

The Arc Rotate command - Alt and Middle mouse button?? Why can't this be consistent with other Autodesk products and be the Shift and middle mouse button?

Command Panels - Aren't these the same as tool palettes?? They're laid out differently but, why not stick with one format across the board.

Create Objects - Most of this can be done with basic Autocad. Is it really necessary to have a complete different layout than the command/tool palette we already use in Autocad based products? The up and down arrows to change the height is nice but, most people want to put a distance. They're nice to have to just throw your design out there I guess. Why not put these arrows in the properties tool palette on autocad based products?

Wow, by the 5th video, you're working with modifiers and gizmos! :O

OK, that's a start, more to come I'm sure..

these tools out date ALL autodesk products. Alt plus middle button has been around since max v2. thats not gonna change and if it did youd have the entire gaming comunity up in arms. i wish other autodesk apps would match max since it had that first.

Command panels have been there since the first windows version of max. i actually prefer the layout in max as opposed to acad. i think you might be looking at this the wrong way. you are looking at this from the perspective that this is and always has been an autodesk product - which is not the case. max used to be owned by discreet which was bought by autodesk. So i guess you should look at this like the revit vs acad lot. when someone who has been using acad for a long time switches to revit, you have to tell them to start over with the interface and try not to make it fit the acad mold and accept the layout in revit or in this case max.

[stusic]

these tools out date ALL autodesk products. Alt plus middle button has been around since max v2. thats not gonna change and if it did youd have the entire gaming comunity up in arms. i wish other autodesk apps would match max since it had that first.

Command panels have been there since the first windows version of max. i actually prefer the layout in max as opposed to acad. i think you might be looking at this the wrong way. you are looking at this from the perspective that this is and always has been an autodesk product - which is not the case. max used to be owned by discreet which was bought by autodesk. So i guess you should look at this like the revit vs acad lot. when someone who has been using acad for a long time switches to revit, you have to tell them to start over with the interface and try not to make it fit the acad mold and accept the layout in revit or in this case max.

Haha, I had a reaction that was reminiscent of Office Space's Bob Slydell and his reaction to Bill Lumbergh when he said Peter wasn't "upper-management material"...

I actually prefer the way Max made their approach to interaction and their user interface...

The only thing I have to add is that I highly recommend and advise getting some sort of 3d navigation device, like the Space Navigator. I couldn't live without one. It completely replaces Arc Rotate, zoom, pan, etc... If you use ANY 3d program, it's a must.

[pauljordan]

More observations...

LOVE the fact the layer manager box can stay open!! Man, Autocad DEFINITELY needs to do that one. I've already moved it to my second monitor.. Too sweet.

Now lookin at the Select Highlighted Objects and Layers tool... VERY nice..

I sure wish those guys and gals at Autodesk would talk to each other sometimes..

Alt-W in 3DS Max maximizes the viewport you're in, Alt-W in Autocad takes you to the window toolbar.. Hmmm.. Autocad also has the maximize viewport button on the bottom of the command line.

OK, that's enough for now, my tutorial is freakin out on me..

Fun stuff..

[pauljordan]

The only thing I have to add is that I highly recommend and advise getting some sort of 3d navigation device, like the Space Navigator. I couldn't live without one. It completely replaces Arc Rotate, zoom, pan, etc... If you use ANY 3d program, it's a must.

I saw those at the Autodesk Techie Camp in Orlando this past April, guess what, they aren't working with Revit Architecture yet. Can you imagine??

Perhaps when that happens, I'll move up to one.

[Steve_Bennett]

Haha, I had a reaction that was reminiscent of Office Space's Bob Slydell and his reaction to Bill Lumbergh when he said Peter wasn't "upper-management material"...

I actually prefer the way Max made their approach to interaction and their user interface...

The only thing I have to add is that I highly recommend and advise getting some sort of 3d navigation device, like the Space Navigator. I couldn't live without one. It completely replaces Arc Rotate, zoom, pan, etc... If you use ANY 3d program, it's a must.

Yup. I have one and man I love it. hahaha OS is great anyway you slice it...

More observations...

LOVE the fact the layer manager box can stay open!! Man, Autocad DEFINITELY needs to do that one. I've already moved it to my second monitor.. Too sweet.

Now lookin at the Select Highlighted Objects and Layers tool... VERY nice..

I sure wish those guys and gals at Autodesk would talk to each other sometimes..

Alt-W in 3DS Max maximizes the viewport you're in, Alt-W in Autocad takes you to the window toolbar.. Hmmm.. Autocad also has the maximize viewport button on the bottom of the command line.

OK, that's enough for now, my tutorial is freakin out on me..

Fun stuff..

alt+w is one of my favs too.

just watch out for getting z enter, e enter mixed up from acad and max. thats no fun.

I saw those at the Autodesk Techie Camp in Orlando this past April, guess what, they aren't working with Revit Architecture yet. Can you imagine??

Perhaps when that happens, I'll move up to one.

why wait? buy one and complain up a storm! they will probably listen more to someone who bought as opposed to someone who hasn't.

One thing I will warn is that it will add a menu file to all applicable apps so if you are building cutomizations on your system remotely for someone you will have to disable it from the cui before continuing on or they will get error messages saying they dont have the 3d connection menus...

[dellis]

Your going to love some of the things that MAX can do...that other Autodesk products can't. A couple things to look for, in my opinion, are:

-the power of the modifier stack for modeling/animating
-the sweep modifier is great.
-the shell modifier
-the preview mode withing the array tool
-the spacing tool
-the clone and align tool

Man...i could go on forever. Keep us updated as to how you're making out!!

[Jeff Tamagini]

I saw those at the Autodesk Techie Camp in Orlando this past April, guess what, they aren't working with Revit Architecture yet. Can you imagine??

Perhaps when that happens, I'll move up to one.

You can pick up the 3dConnexion devices at AU for dirt cheap. Even cheaper if you tell them its for personal use


And you will love Max. Just make sure you clear your mind before you start it up if you have been using ACAD for a while that day! REMEMBER THE KEYBOARD IS ALWAYS LIVE!!!

[Zoltan]

... you are looking at this from the perspective that this is and always has been an autodesk product - which is not the case. max used to be owned by discreet which was bought by autodesk. .

I may have my history a little foggy, but I thought that Autodesk has always owned Max ever since back when it ran in DOS and was not called Max at all, but 3D Studio. After the 4th release, they wrote Max for Windows NT and briefly branched off a division called Kinetix. When Autodesk bought Discreet, they pretty much gave that department MAX to fit in with all of the video editing tools. i think it even briefly got a dark-grey, Discreet-looking interface.

[stusic]

just watch out for getting z enter, e enter mixed up from acad and max. thats no fun.

Lemme tell ya, that's messed me up more than once. You're right, no fun.