3ds Max 2017 New Features

Discover what's new in 3ds Max 2017. Get a review of the best new features, including the ART renderer, TextPlus, and Curve Editor keyframe tools.

What's new in 3ds Max 2017? The new user interface is key: flatter and faster than before. 3ds Max 2017 also introduces the Autodesk Raytracer (ART), a physically based renderer for photorealistic stills. Aaron F. Ross covers these features plus many others, explaining what to expect and how to use the new asset management, modeling, animation, materials, and rendering tools.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. The New 3ds Max Interface

• Appreciating the new UI
• Scaling the interface
• Choosing shading modes in viewports
• Defining per-view settings and preferences

2. Assets and Interoperability

• Accessing the Creative Market
• Downloading from the Asset Library
• Using Asset Library filters
• Importing and replacing from the Asset Library
• Visualizing computational fluid dynamics
• Visualizing CFD as a gradient
• Sending to Print Studio
• Saving a model with Game Exporter
• Saving animation with Game Exporter

3. Modeling and Animation

• Creating compound objects with new Booleans
• Managing operands with the Boolean Explorer
• Modeling with the updated Bevel Profile
• Creating type with TextPlus
• Navigating updated Track Views
• Navigating the updated Curve Editor
• Introducing keys-only tools
• Using Buffer Curves
• Skin Voxel and Heat Map solvers

4. Materials and Mapping

• Applying vector text decals with TextMap
• Vector textures with ShapeMap
• Placing maps with Texture Object Mask
• Editing UVs with Unwrap UVW brushes
• Shading with the Physical Material

5. Rendering

• Introducing the ART renderer
• Daylighting with ART Sun Positioner
• Adjust ART Physical Sun and Sky
• Switching renderers with a scene converter
• A360 cloud rendering

Conclusion

• Next steps