A couple of stupid/noob Max 8 questions.

[sam]

We are about to get a couple of copies of Max 8 and I have a few queries about it that I think could be best answered by users. At present we use Accurender to render AutoCAD models (and have done for a long time).

 

How good is it at importing AutoCAD drawings/models? I know it can do it, but long ago, when I had a go of Max 2, it was painfully slow at this. Has this improved?

 

Since we are starting from scratch with Max, is there anything I should know about rendering? Is the render engine it comes with good enough, or should I be looking at a plug in?

 

We are based in Glasgow, in the UK. Does anyone know who does training nearby that they could recommend?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

Sam

[BobM]

Yes it is much improved and so has the file linking between AutoCAD and Max

 

The renderers with max are fine, but the Mental Ray takes a bit or getting use to and working around.

 

I would reccommend it.

 

The tutorials are very good as is a book called Max bible and hundreds of tutorials you can get on line although for a quick start a course is a good idea.

 

Pity your are so far away from Colchester or I could offer you something

[Ricardo Eloy]

I think Max is the way to go when it comes to Vis. It can use dwg files just as easy as you would expect and has so many third party plugins developed for it that you simply can't go wrong. Either Mental Ray and scanline/radiosity can deliver very high quality images, and if you are not happy with them there's like a dozen choices out there.

[sam]

Thanks guys. I'll try to get a copy of the Max 8 bible as soon as I can. Colchester is a little too far away for us to travel for a course. I think we will probably try the render engines it comes with, then once we are comfortable in Max, perhaps shell out the extra cash for Vray or Brazil.

 

Cheers

Sam

[Jeff Mottle]

This book was just released last week.

 

Unfourtunately we aren't able to offer this internationally yet, but we should in about a month. Becuase the shipping costs are so high and we use a flat rate shipping system we are not equiped to pass the direct shipping cost along yet. You might be able to find this elsewhere.

 

http://cgarchitect.vismasters.com/catalog/viewproduct.aspx?product=4207

[sam]

Cool, thanks. I'll have a look to see if I can find that book (and the max 8 bible) somewhere that delivers here first. Although, depending on the price I might just wait. It will probably be about £40 here, and $47 is about £26? Plus shipping it will still be cheaper.