Autodesk 3ds Max was formerly known as 3D Studio Max and 3D Studio. The software is a must have for professionals in design and modelling field. Basically, it is a graphics program for making 3d models, 3D animations, images, and games. Autodesk Media and Entertainment own the rights to this beast in design and modelling as the developers. If you are a professional in the development and creativity field, the software is not an option for you. 3ds Max is renowned among experts in graphics design and modelling. Most graphic designers prefer to work as freelancers; however, there are some who are part of a CG Company in their respective regions.
Nevertheless, whichever position you are in as a graphic designer and modeling expert, deadlines are a part of your work. Once in a while you have to come across strict deadlines that almost blow your mind. 3ds Max has produced several editions of the software since it featured in the market few years ago. Autodesk Media and Entertainment has recently launched 3ds Max 2018 with additional features to enhance your products’ quality. The recent components added on the software also help to reduce time for modeling and designing your projects.
However, when on tight deadlines, it takes more than components on the software and the RAM level on your computer. Mastery and experience in using the software is the ultimate in beating tight deadlines. How you maneuver with your mouse to change various components determine how fast your project will be ready. Here are some tips on how you can increase your working speed when using the 3ds Max software.
Customize the user interface
3ds Max comes with defined controls, which beginners can use to learn as they develop skills in modelling and design. However, as you progress in the field you will realize speed is crucial to your boss and client depending on your work structure and environment. In as much as the software manufacturer, Autodesk Media and Entertainment strive to make the user interface as pleasant as possible and easy for you. Everyone has their unique preferences thus the need to customize to match your liking. Customizing the interface in this case is not only to correspond with your liking, but to increase efficiency in completion of projects. Assuming you have already adjusted brightness of your monitor, first change theme colors to either dark or bright depending on your color preference. Secondly, focus on the hot keys and change keyboard shot cuts to keys that you are well familiar with. Using shortcuts on your keyboard is the number one efficiency technique for anyone in the app development, graphic designing, and modeling.
Full size view ports
Quick selection of elements on your project for editing improves your speed in modeling and design. 3ds Max comes with various toggle options that determine how you view your model. Either you choose to view the model from all the four sides or maximize it to focus on one side. The toggle button with this option is usually on the bottom right side of the 3ds Max interface. Familiarizing with the interface and available setting is crucial to adjusting certain components to match your needs. Look up for the ‘maximum viewport toggle’ at the right bottom of your interface and activate it to have full view of the model. Large viewport enables you to select polygons, edges, and vertices much easier and faster because they are magnified. This automatically increases your modeling speed.
Render region
Sometimes, only small parts of your model require editing and enhancements. Once you have identified this region, you do not want you mouse to mistakenly select any other unnecessary edge or vertices on the model. 3ds Max has allows marking and focusing on a given region through its rendering region tool. The tool ensures only the selected region is highlighted and affected by the hot keys and keyboard shortcuts commands. This is crucial in saving you time. Typically, your get anxious when in tight deadlines hence a high likelihood of making small mistakes that will cost you much time to correct in the long run. You should learn how to effectively use the render tool to increase your speed when you need to submit your model urgently.
Quick selection
Chamfering and extruding involves polygons and edges. Selection of these two components on an interface can be pretty boring especially if you are in a hurry. Editable poly modifier the main modeling tool used in 3ds Max. Selection is inseparable from modeling. There is no way around it you have to master the skill. Thus, if in a hurry, selecting the edges and polygons can be a pretty annoying. For instance, you make consecutive wrong selections. However, you can beat this by using rings and loops. Besides, you can toggle between ‘window/crossing’ as an option of making multiple selection on your 3d model.
Preview
3ds Max has introduced a new feature that enables you to check the render before integrating the edited region to the whole model. This tool helps you to confirm every aspect on the render region other than waiting for processing of the final piece. Noticing you made a mistake on the final piece after hours of modeling is depressing. Make sure you get the new version of this software, 3ds Max and utilize the preview feature.
