Recommendation of 3ds max books

[cameroon95]

Hi guys,
]
Im wondering if anyone can recommend me some 3ds max books for learning. I'v been trying to learn for approx six months now but I'm still very much a beginner. I think the 3ds max bible would be a wise purchese but I would like advice on which other books/software I should buy.


Thanks for your time


Cameroon

[olblue]

the 3ds Max bible is only useful if you run out of toilet paper. Buy Pete Draper's Deconstructing the Elements as a good book for particles and if you want the benefit of the 3ds Max Bible just read the manual as thats pretty much all that their bible is.

[Ajial01]

This is good once you get an ideaof how stuff works, it's a booked filled with very short tutorials (if you're a reader of 3d world it's basically a book of those kind of tips) Some people don't like it but ive found use for it quite often, if nothing else you may get a few tips that may help you here and there

[senor-cojones]

I have to agree with Cris... I purchased the 3DS Max Bible a while ago, and whilst its a good book its not really too much different to going into Max and pressing F1. At least with the Max help files you can search and filter for what you are looking for as well, and its free!

[dmacb]

Hi man!

It really depends a bit of what you want to learn or why... characters, particles, modelling...

the 3ds max bible is only good for references... but you have them on f1.

So:
A general book with lot's of tutorials is the one ajial01 pointed. It has a problem dough... the cd is missing some maps for one of the tutorials and no one answers back when you complain (I bought it!) It's supposed to exist a support website but for now it only has info on the book and how to buy it...

Lighting
Essential CG lighting techniques with 3ds max - darren brooker - focal press

shorts...

Professional short films with autodesk 3ds max - chris neuhahn & josh book - autodesk certified learning materials - charles river media

Particles
follow olblue tip!

Modelling
depending on your skills (beginner/intermediate) and for mechanical modelling
3ds max modeling bots, mechs and droids - jon weimer - wordware (or see 3d palace tutorials!!!)

there's also good dvd's out there (a bit costly but...) like in CG Academy...

Good learning

[Tsukiyono]

Figured I would resurect this thread instead of starting a new one. I was curious if anyone knew of some good book materials for Architecture and/or mental ray as well? Now at least offr right now, I need to be able to get this book from Barnes and noble as I will be getting a 40% discount there.

Right now the two I am looking to get are the at least new releast of the paper back -

essential cg lighting techniques with 3ds max
Deconstructing the elements with 3ds max

I have also been downloading not only the videos from this site, but I have also been getting many of the videos from the mentalboutmax website as well. which I must say are quite amazing.

Is there any other suggestions for the aforementioned area that I could get?

[sandmanninja]

3D Architectural Training, 3ds Max Training, VRay Training, AutoCAD Training in Sarasota Florida - 3DATS
their most recent book is all about Max 2009 Design, which is mainly the lighting and the textures (ProMaterials and A&D Materials).

Like you said, those Mentalboutmax - Video Training & Tutorials for 3Ds Max & Mental Ray tutorials are great (and affordable).
I'm trying to work my way through them again.
It's so easy to miss something the first time through, especially when it's all new to you.

[dmacb]

I bought one or 2 of their (Mental about max) tutorials... don't recall exactly what area they where... but they explained very in-depth Mental Ray...but they didn't posted the Max files of the image they were discussing so I couldn't remake their tutorial... is it the same nowadays or they post all? Because I'm willing to buy some more modules of those guys!!!

[sandmanninja]

I left that feedback to the mentalboutmax guys and they now give you pretty much everything.
I have ALL of their tutorials and highly encourage others to get 'em.
I take notes as I work through them and their stuff is good.

They've expanded to V-Ray and Maxwell now, too.

[Tsukiyono]

Originally Posted by dmacb

I bought one or 2 of their (Mental about max) tutorials... don't recall exactly what area they where... but they explained very in-depth Mental Ray...but they didn't posted the Max files of the image they were discussing so I couldn't remake their tutorial... is it the same nowadays or they post all? Because I'm willing to buy some more modules of those guys!!!

I had asked them about this as well. They told me that pretty much if they feel what they are going over would benift from the person needing to use the max files, then they send them as well. I know the videos for the overview section dont have them, but then that section is mostly talking about theory. I have downloaded one of the project series as well, and they do give you the starting max file here. So at least some of the files are there, but as sandman said, the information that you get from these videos, especially for the price, is extreme.

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Deconstructing 3ds max and eventually other animations
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