Harnessing 3ds max 5 is a book designed for quick and easy learning of 3ds max 5, in and out of the classroom. It is packed with 130 tutorials and over 1,000 screen captures and illustrations. You'll get up to speed in no time, and soon you'll be building your own worlds and characters with this powerful software!

There are many 3ds max books to choose from, but this one is different. We have taken our experience as college instructors and applied that knowledge to this book. Harnessing 3ds max 5 follows a logical learning sequence, unlike other books. The readings and tutorials build on one another, so you gain confidence with each page. You simply won't find a book that is more thorough and solidly constructed.

TUTORIALS

The book is jam-packed with tutorials. Some are short exercises that take just a few minutes to familiarize you with a tool or technique. Others are longer projects that immerse you in the creation process. Our tutorials are designed to reflect the importance of the specific tools covered: we concentrate our energies on the most powerful techniques in 3ds max. In this way, you'll become fluent in the areas where 3ds max really shines, such as polygon modeling.

This is not just an update of Harnessing 3D Studio MAX Release 3, written by my co-author, Michele Bousquet. We have re-written the book, adding many new sections and tutorials. New features of the software, such as the character animation and advanced lighting tools, are covered in depth. Important techniques, such as low-polygon and subdivision surface modeling, are given more emphasis.

CD-ROM

Harnessing 3ds max 5 also includes a CD-ROM packed with files. Every one of the 130 tutorials in the book is accompanied by at least one scene file. You'll be able to see exactly what the scene should look like, both before and after the tutorial is done. Examples of rendered images and animation are also included.

The CD-ROM features video demonstrations that lead you through the steps of working in 3ds max. These video demos are very valuable for getting up to speed quickly in this complex application. It's almost like taking a 3ds max class in person!

GOALS

When you finish the book, you'll be able to:
· Understand concepts of computer graphics and 3D space
· Navigate effortlessly through the 3ds max user interface
· Use powerful modeling techniques
· Design natural-looking materials
· Use lighting to design the look of your scene
· Control virtual cameras effectively
· Animate with forward and Inverse Kinematics (IK)
· Create special effects with Particle Systems, Atmospheres, and Render Effects

NEW FEATURES

Some of the new 3ds max features covered in this book include:
· Incredible modeling tools within the Editable Poly object
· Set Key interface for greater animation control
· Better animation editing with the Dope Sheet and Curve Editor
· Improved character setup with Skin and Bones
· Photometric lights
· Advanced Lighting with Light Tracer and Radiosity
· Ink 'n Paint material for cartoons and line drawings

User Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Approx. 900 pages
CD-ROM includes scene files, sample images and animations, plus video demonstrations of 3ds max techniques

A complete Table of Contents is available for download in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format. It is 500KB in size, so you might want to right-click the link and choose "Save Target As..." to save the file to your hard drive.

You can also order the book directly from Autodesk Press / Delmar Learning.
ISBN 1-4018-2755-1

For educators:

Harnessing 3ds max 5 is designed to be used as either a course text, or as a learning tool for the student working on his/her own. One of our primary goals is to make it easier for educators to teach classes in 3ds max. This book is written by instructors, for instructors and students. It's the only textbook you'll need to teach two entire semesters in modeling and animation. We have included more exercises than you'll need, so you can pick and choose among them. Each section of the book progresses in a logical pedagogy, so your students build on their knowledge easily. Chapters are preceded by stated Objectives, and followed by Review Questions that can be used as quizzes.

In addition, we have developed a CD-ROM to assist teachers in planning and implementing their instructional programs for the most efficient use of time and other resources. The Harnessing 3ds max 5 e.resource CD-ROM contains tools and instructional materials that enrich the classroom experience and shorten instructors’ preparation time. The elements of the e.resource link directly to the textbook to provide a unified instructional system. The e.resource helps you to spend your time teaching, not preparing to teach.

The e.resource is available to instructors only. It includes the following materials:

· Sample syllabi and lesson plans that can be adapted to your existing course outline. We provide syllabi for 15-week semester courses as well as accelerated daily and weekly courses.

· Answers to Review Questions enable you to quickly evaluate end-of-chapter quizzes.

· Supplemental instructional movies explore concepts and techniques more deeply. Special attention is given to common problems and complex procedures. These additional .AVI movies are designed to augment those on the CD that comes with the textbook.

To order the Harnessing 3ds max 5 e.resource CD-ROM, contact Autodesk Press at (800) 477-3692.
Use the following ISBN number when ordering:
ISBN 1-4108-2757-8