Archive notice: This article was originally published on August 1, 2006. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
As with the update to Maya 8, Autodesk is also focusing the update to 3ds Max 9 on speed optimization, expansion of the tool palette and better integration of the two 3D packages. The higher speed is achieved on the one hand through 64-bit and on the other through the expansion of DirectX support, which allows significantly faster display and modeling of complex meshes.
The expansion of multithreading as in Maya is missing. Proxies for textures and a new XML-based animation parser make the workflow easier. The revised XRef system and asset management that, for example, also communicates with Photoshop, provide more room for complex projects.
Autodesk is adding a simpler layer system to animation, and both Track View and Biped receive detail improvements. Biped now supports all Max tangent types, for example. Exchange with Maya caches and expanded FBX helps combine the advantages of both platforms.
Mental Ray 3.5 is integrated in the rendering area. New shaders (Car Paint, Architectural), functions (sky/sun system) and compatibility with max Radiosity make it easier to get started and to create sophisticated visualizations.
The number of improvements to former third-party plug-ins such as Hair (better integration) or Cloth and Reactor (both optimized and more precise) is astonishing. On the other hand, some obvious problems from the previous versions, such as the Material Editor, remained unchanged. MaxScript and DirectX shaders are more powerful than ever, while the revised SDK requires the plug-ins to be recompiled.
According to Autodesk, the finished product will be available from October, as will a 30-day demo version. The price remains unchanged at 4,250 euros.
You can find a detailed preview of 3ds Max 9 in DIGITAL PRODUCTION 05:06.
Further links:
- Videos on 3ds Max 9
