A good book to learn 3D modeling with 3dsmax 4?

dcpsoguy

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2000
3,252
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0
I have absolutely no previous work with 3D modeling or 3D Studio Max. I need a good book that would START me off.
 

bleeb

Lifer
Feb 3, 2000
10,868
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Head to your local Barnes and Noble Bookstore and look at all the 3DMax4 Books... especially the tutorial books. Or look online.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
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these books are pretty good. I don't know if they have a MAX 4 edition out yet, but if you knew max 2, you knew 90% of max 3. I haven't used max 4.
 

eviltoon

Senior member
Jun 22, 2001
336
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I spent a week trying to learn this program through books. Then I realized that it's not really the program to learn through books. Then I thought about taking a course on this, and saw the cost. $7,000. Then I thought, do I really want to learn this program? and said no.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: eviltoon
I spent a week trying to learn this program through books. Then I realized that it's not really the program to learn through books. Then I thought about taking a course on this, and saw the cost. $7,000. Then I thought, do I really want to learn this program? and said no.

You can learn the program just fine through books. However, knowing the program and having the artistic and sculpting ability needed to create good models are two different things.
 

VBboy

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2000
5,793
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Ok, why not just read user feedback on Amazon and decide for yourself? It's not like every other ATOT member is a 3d renderer by profession ;). Seriously. Also, try AllBooks4Less.com
 

Phuz

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2000
4,349
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Originally posted by: dcpsoguy
Originally posted by: Czar
screw the books, to hell with them

nr1. Do this tutorial

nr2. Register on this page and download their fantastic video tutorials

ok.. no experiance... then I suggest you start with nr2.

Those tutorials don't help me. I don't even know where to start.

What is nr2?

They do help you - you have to help yourself.
3DSM is not an easy program to understand. I've had a hard time learning 3DSM. Its one thing to Photoshop... when you're dealing with 2 dimensions, but what about when you're dealing with 4? It gets confusing. Its a hard program to learn. The program is an industry standard, you'll feel intimidated by its size.

 

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
Do the tutorial that comes with 3DS Max. That's where I learned and it was great. They don't teach you the most advanced stuff, but it gets you off the ground.
 

Dudd

Platinum Member
Aug 3, 2001
2,865
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0
Originally posted by: Phuz
3DSM is not an easy program to understand. I've had a hard time learning 3DSM. Its one thing to Photoshop... when you're dealing with 2 dimensions, but what about when you're dealing with 4?

Whoa.. the fourth dimension. X, Y, Z, and ...? ;)
 

Phuz

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2000
4,349
0
0
Originally posted by: XZeroII
Do the tutorial that comes with 3DS Max. That's where I learned and it was great. They don't teach you the most advanced stuff, but it gets you off the ground.

IMO, thats the most important thing. Once you learn the fundamentals of any program you can teach yourself the rest. Its just that there are so many basics to learn in 3DSM. Modeling, Lighting, Rendering, etc.

edit:

Whoa.. the fourth dimension. X, Y, Z, and ...?

Whoopsie doodles... ;)
 

Czar

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
28,510
0
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Originally posted by: dcpsoguy
Originally posted by: Czar
screw the books, to hell with them

nr1. Do this tutorial

nr2. Register on this page and download their fantastic video tutorials

ok.. no experiance... then I suggest you start with nr2.

Those tutorials don't help me. I don't even know where to start.

What is nr2?
nr2 is what I said, a bunch of 3dsmax video tutorials for you to download, you basicly see 3dsmax running and two or three people talking about what they are doing. They go through the basics of 3dsmax and more, each tutorial is about 30-60mb and is about 30-60 minutes.