Autodesk 3ds Max


Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities and a flexible plugin architecture and must be used on the Microsoft Windows platform. It is frequently used by video game developers, many TV commercial studios, and architectural visualization studios. It is also used for movie effects and movie pre-visualization. 3ds Max features shaders, dynamic simulation, particle systems, radiosity, normal map creation and rendering, global illumination, a customizable user interface, and its own scripting language.
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History

The original 3D Studio product was created for the DOS platform by the Yost Group, and published by Autodesk. The release of 3D Studio made Autodesk's previous 3D rendering package AutoShade obsolete. After 3D Studio DOS Release 4, the product was rewritten for the Windows NT platform, and renamed "3D Studio MAX." This version was also originally created by the Yost Group. It was released by Kinetix, which was at that time Autodesk's division of media and entertainment.
Autodesk purchased the product at the second release update of the 3D Studio MAX version and internalized development entirely over the next two releases. Later, the product name was changed to "3ds max" to better comply with the naming conventions of Discreet, a Montreal-based software company which Autodesk had purchased.
When it was re-released, the product was again branded with the Autodesk logo, and the short name was again changed to "3ds Max", while the formal product name became the current "Autodesk 3ds Max."

Version history

VersionCodenameInternal version numberYearOperating systemHardware platformVisual Studio version
3D Studio PrototypeTHUD1988MS-DOS16-bit x86 originally
32-bit x86 using DOS extender
3D Studio Release 1.0THUD1990MS-DOS16-bit x86 originally
32-bit x86 using DOS extender
3D Studio Release 2.01992MS-DOS16-bit x86 originally
32-bit x86 using DOS extender
3D Studio Release 3.01993MS-DOS16-bit x86 originally
32-bit x86 using DOS extender
3D Studio Release 4.01994MS-DOS16-bit x86 originally
32-bit x86 using DOS extender
3D Studio MAX 1.0Jaguar11996Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0IA-32
3D Studio MAX R2Athena21997Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0IA-32
3D Studio MAX R3Shiva31999Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0IA-32
Discreet 3dsmax 4Magma42000Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000IA-32
Discreet 3dsmax 5Luna52002Windows 98, Windows 2000 and Windows XPIA-32
Discreet 3dsmax 6Granite62003Windows 2000 and Windows XPIA-32
Discreet 3dsmax 7Catalyst72004Windows 2000 and Windows XPIA-32
Autodesk 3ds Max 8Vesper82005Windows 2000 and Windows XPIA-32VS 2002
Autodesk 3ds Max 9Makalu92006Windows 2000 and Windows XPIA-32 and x64VS 2005
Autodesk 3ds Max 2008Gouda102007Windows XP and Windows VistaIA-32 and x64VS 2005
Autodesk 3ds Max 2009Johnson112008Windows XP and Windows VistaIA-32 and x64VS 2005
Autodesk 3ds Max 2010Renoir122009Windows XP and Windows VistaIA-32 and x64VS 2008
Autodesk 3ds Max 2011Zelda132010Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7IA-32 and x64VS 2008
Autodesk 3ds Max 2012Excalibur / Rampage142011Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7IA-32 and x64VS 2008
Autodesk 3ds Max 2013SimCity152012Windows XP and Windows 7IA-32 and x64VS 2010
Autodesk 3ds Max 2014Tekken162013Windows 7x64VS 2010
Autodesk 3ds Max 2015Elwood172014Windows 7 and Windows 8x64VS 2012
Autodesk 3ds Max 2016Phoenix182015Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1x64VS 2012
Autodesk 3ds Max 2017Kirin192016Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10x64VS 2015
Autodesk 3ds Max 2018Imoogi202017Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10x64VS 2015
Autodesk 3ds Max 2019Neptune212018Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10x64VS 2015
Autodesk 3ds Max 2020Athena222019Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10x64VS 2017
Autodesk 3ds Max 2021Theseus232020Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2017
Autodesk 3ds Max 2022Heimdall242021Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2017
Autodesk 3ds Max 2023Vesta252022Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2019
Autodesk 3ds Max 2024Olympus262023Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2019
Autodesk 3ds Max 2025Midgard272024Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2022
Autodesk 3ds Max 2026Devi282025Windows 10 and Windows 11x64VS 2022

Features

Constrained animation

Adoption

Many films have made use of 3ds Max, or previous versions of the program under previous names, in CGI animation, such as Avatar and 2012, which contain computer generated graphics from 3ds Max alongside live-action acting. Mudbox was also used in the final texturing of the set and characters in Avatar, with 3ds Max and Mudbox being closely related.
3ds Max has been used in the development of 3D computer graphics for a number of video games.
Architectural and engineering design firms use 3ds Max for developing concept art and previsualization.
Educational programs at secondary and tertiary level use 3ds Max in their courses on 3D computer graphics and computer animation. Students in the FIRST competition for 3d animation are known to use 3ds Max.

Modeling techniques

Polygon modeling

Polygon modeling is more common with game design than any other modeling technique as the very specific control over individual polygons allows for extreme optimization. Usually, the modeler begins with one of the 3ds max primitives, and using such tools as bevel and extrude, adds detail to and refines the model. Versions 4 and up feature the Editable Polygon object, which simplifies most mesh editing operations, and provides subdivision smoothing at customizable levels.
Version 7 introduced the edit poly modifier, which allows the use of the tools available in the editable polygon object to be used higher in the modifier stack.
NURBS in 3ds Max is a legacy feature. None of the features have been updated since version 4 and have been ignored by the development teams over the past decade. For example, the updated path deform and the updated normalize spline modifiers in version 2018 do not work on NURBS curves anymore as they did in previous versions.

NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational Based-Splines)

An alternative to polygons, it gives a smoothed out surface that eliminates the straight edges of a polygon model. NURBS is a mathematically exact representation of freeform surfaces like those used for car bodies and ship hulls, which can be exactly reproduced at any resolution whenever needed. With NURBS, a smooth sphere can be created with only one face.
The non-uniform property of NURBS brings up an important point. Because they are generated mathematically, NURBS objects have a parameter space in addition to the 3D geometric space in which they are displayed. Specifically, an array of values called knots specifies the extent of influence of each control vertex on the curve or surface. Knots are invisible in 3D space and can't be manipulated directly, but occasionally their behavior affects the visible appearance of the NURBS object. Parameter space is one-dimensional for curves, which have only a single U dimension topologically, even though they exist geometrically in 3D space. Surfaces have two dimensions in parameter space, called U and V.
NURBS curves and surfaces have the important properties of not changing under the standard geometric affine transformations, or under perspective projections. The CVs have local control of the object: moving a CV or changing its weight does not affect any part of the object beyond the neighboring CVs.. Also, the control lattice that connects CVs surrounds the surface. This is known as the convex hull property.

Surface tool/editable patch object

Surface tool was originally a 3rd party plugin, but Kinetix acquired and included this feature since version 3.0. The surface tool is for creating common 3ds Max splines, and then applying a modifier called "surface." This modifier makes a surface from every three or four vertices in a grid. It is often seen as an alternative to "mesh" or "nurbs" modeling, as it enables a user to interpolate curved sections with straight geometry. Although the surface tool is a useful way to generate parametrically accurate geometry, it lacks the "surface properties" found in the similar Edit Patch modifier, which enables a user to maintain the original parametric geometry whilst being able to adjust "smoothing groups" between faces.

Predefined primitives

This is a basic method, in which one models something using only boxes, spheres, cones, cylinders and other predefined objects from the list of Predefined Standard Primitives or a list of Predefined Extended Primitives. One may also apply Boolean operations, including subtract, cut and connect. For example, one can make two spheres which will work as blobs that will connect with each other. These are called metaballs.

Rendering

; Scanline rendering
; ART Renderer
; Redshift
; Mental Ray
; RenderMan
; V-Ray
; Brazil R/S
; Arion
; Indigo Renderer
; Maxwell Render
; Octane Render
; Luxrender
; Arnold
;Corona Renderer
; Fstorm Renderer

Licensing

Earlier versions required a special copy protection device to be plugged into the parallel port while the program was run, but later versions incorporated software-based copy prevention methods instead. Current versions require online registration.
Due to the high price of the commercial version of the program, Autodesk also offers a free student version, which explicitly states that it is to be used for "educational purposes only". The student version has identical features to the full version, but is only for single use and cannot be installed on a network. The student license expires after three years, at which time the user, if they are still a student, may download the latest version, thus renewing the license for another three years.
In 2020, Autodesk had since reduced the free student version limit to one year only, as opposed to three years previously. In addition, all customers seeking free access to Autodesk educational products and services are required to provide proof of enrollment, employment, or contractor status at a qualified educational institution.