Max6 and File Linking

[Vince Paske]

I just read that Max6 will not support DWG file linking, and that it may re-appear later this year. As a full time in-house Architectural Visualization specialist, I work with designers who are constantly changing the design and want study images. The file link manager has been an indespensible tool for me, and loosing that connection will cost me hours of time re-assigning materials every time I need to update the design.

Yes, I have had problems with geometry being misplaced and memory consumption issues. I've worked around these by selecting the misplaced geometry and choosing "reload selected" and it would come in correctly. As for the memory issue, just closing Max and re-opening would clear it out.

These are minor inconveniences comapred to the effort of re-mapping UVW coordinates every time the design changes, re-assigning materials and also including/exclding geometry from lights.

Perhaps there is a work around for this that someone can enlighten me upon, but my initial reaction is that Discreet is temporarily crippling Max 6 as a design tool for those designers and visualizers who model in AutoCad and render in Max.

[Chad Warner]

I just read the same article, and am going to have the same problem. I hope that the "beefed up" file import has some sort of feature that works similarly as the linking. Otherwise, I will be using Viz for awhile.

 

-Chad

[MegaPixel]

I think you guys should voice your concerns over in the Discreet Forums where you'd have a better chance of being heard by developers who can make a difference. I'm not so sure that this isn't just another rumor anyway.

[schmoron13]

or you could do the unthinkable and NOT upgrade for the sake of upgrading

[Jeff Mottle]

I'm not so sure that this isn't just another rumor anyway.

http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/newsfeed.asp?nid=1416

[Vince Paske]

or you could do the unthinkable and NOT upgrade for the sake of upgrading

Schmron13,

The new architectural material shaders, mental ray, improved layer manager, ADT support, etc.... make upgrading to Max6 more than just a "for the sake of" discussion.

The feature list for Max6, and the statements by Discreet postering themselves as catering to the architectural community are dead in the water unless they continue to include the tool that ables designers to actually use the software in a true design environment - not just the pretty picture at the end of the deign process. It's incredibly ironic.

[MegaPixel]

I stand corrected about the "Rumor" comment.