Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 29, 2012. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Support Bonus
According to Autodesk, the range of new support types has been expanded considerably. Starting with Revit Architecture 2013, 3DS Max 2013 and 3DS Max Design 2013 are able to link/import complete datasets from Revit into the two packages. Even if lighting installations or Daylight have already been set, these can also be imported. If the datasets are changed in Revit, a reload in 3DS Max and 3DS Max Design 2013 is sufficient, and the data are up to date.
Autodesk DirectConnect support was added. Users who created their data with CAD programs such as SolidWorks, Catia, and many others can therefore exchange them with 3DS Max 2013 and 3DS Max Design 2013 without problems. The objects are imported as native primitives and can be adjusted as desired to the required precision. This produces magnificent images for marketing in no time.
The existing Autodesk AutoCAD support was improved considerably. Autodesk says that all lights and Daylight systems can now be imported, although they are reinterpreted in the process. As a solution, there is another feature on the long list. Exposure control allows the lighting information to be adjusted quickly after import.
Tab Layouts & Workspaces
For the first time, it is also possible to set up custom workspaces and name them freely. Users can position or remove their tools together with toolbars according to their wishes so that only the tools needed for the respective work phase are present.
Tab layouts differ from workspaces by changing the viewports. If the user calls up the Animation layout, for example, the Hierarchy View and Perspective View open independently of the tools and toolbars. This allows rapid response to particular workflow jumps
Compositing & Motion Graphics
State Sets is the new render-pass manager, making it possible to create a wide variety of render passes for objects, lights, or materials, not only at scene level but also individually at object level.
The Slate Comositing Editor controls and organizes the previously created render passes using a node-based system. All passes can thus be prepared using layers, which in turn can be exported, for example, to Adobe After Effects. Autodesk 3DS Max 2013 is also able to establish a direct link to After Effects, and alongside exchanging pass layers, lights and cameras can also be exchanged. The previously mentioned pass layers can, however, also be exported directly as PSD files for Adobe Photoshop.
Iray 2.0
The Active Shade rendering mode was expanded with Iray 2.0. Users can activate the viewport accordingly and receive the Iray-rendered image. Iray now also supports motion blur and received a Background Environment switch with the inputs of an LDR background image and an HDR reflection image.
Animation
Retiming an animation is carried out in 3DS Max 2013 by setting special markers in the Animation Curve Editor. Multiple curves can thus be retimed in one go. Any number of markers can be set, including within those already set. After positioning, they can also be moved manually again.
MassFX
MassFX itself received the ability to provide one-click ragdoll support for bipeds. Another stroke lies in MassFX. MCloth is a dynamic cloth-physics modifier in 3DS Max 2013 that is used under the MassFX module. The setting parameters almost match those of MassFX rigid-body dynamics. However, effects such as balloon-pressure behavior are possible, where a force acts on the fabric from within.
Here are the details: http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/features/
