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Coffee Break

Posted by Jamie Gwilliam on Wednesday 1st July 2009 at 9:00am  | Comments (0)

Theme-tastic

So what’s the latest theme?.... (Add drum roll here)... Well it’s dedicated to my best friend, who’s stuck by me when times have been tough - COFFEE.

Coffee has played an important role in my daily life - without caffeine many of my projects would never have got done (which may be a good thing). Thank you my dark beverage friend.

Before we get stuck-in to this latest beauty, I just wanted to point out the brief online survey found at the bottom of this newsletter. This new section is designed to provide a brief snapshot of 3ds Max/Design usage. Use this as an area to see how others are using 3ds Max. This starter question is an easy one….

Correct Ingredients

This is a great script that will help you concentrate and stay focused on composition. Much of this is already possible by customising the safe frame, but This script helps you more control, and speeds up the process. Great for anyone who wanst to ensure they set-up a great composition. To download this, please click here. Thanks to Paulo Kiefe for pointing this one out.

Viewports with an extra shot

For those of you who have seen me at recent events, you will of noticed a script I have used for playing with the viewport shading features. The script can be found in your help files (viewport_shading_explorer.mcr). Simply run the macroscript file inside of 3ds Max/Design using either the MAXScript utility or the MAXScript menu header (alternatively you can just drag into the viewport). Then, hey presto - job done.

Please note that the DOF and Indirect illumination features are not officially supported by Autodesk.

Hot, Hot, Hot

There is a new Hotfix for 3ds Max/Design 2010. To download this latest offering, please follow the relevant links below. As always with 3ds Max, these hotfixes are cumulative and therefore include all previous hotfixes.

3ds Max DESIGN 2010- 32 and 64 installers - click here.
3ds Max 2010 - 32 and 64 installers - click here.

This hotfix addresses the following issues:

  • Localized Versions - When running the English version of 3ds Max / 3ds Max Design on a Japanese OS, or the English version of 3ds Max on an English OS with Language for non-Unicode programs set to Japanese, the mouse pointer now works correctly when using the ParticleFlow Particle View window. The pointer is no longer offset from the cursor when you drag an item onto a node.
  • Materials - When creating a new material that uses bitmaps, the bitmaps did not save with the material when saved to a library. Now when saving to a custom library, the bitmap and its full path are saved correctly.
  • Maxscript - When encrypting a Maxscript file (encryptscript YourMaxScript.ms), the file would generate an error when executing the resulting encrypted file (YourMaxScript.mse). This error would also occur when reading from an encrypted MaxScript file. These issues are resolved.
  • Parameter Wiring - When Resetting a Scene Parameter, Wire Sub-Controllers would be removed due to the Maxscript Garbage Collection clean-up process. This only occurred when the scene was Reset or an XRef tree was deleted. It did not occur when exiting with a scene Open. This clean-up procedure was fixed for all instances of scene change states.
  • Undo - Various instances where an action would not appear in the Undo Stack have been resolved. There is no longer an issue when:
    • Loading the Render To Texture (RTT) dialog by pressing a keyboard shortcut while in the middle of a mouse operation in the viewport, where the mouse operation has started a hold, but not yet accepted or cancelled the hold.
    • Switching focus away from 3ds Max/3ds Max Design and then back while in the middle of a mouse operation in Trackview, where the mouse operation has started a hold, but not yet accepted or cancelled the hold.
    • Performing any actions after opening the Time Configuration dialog and clicking OK. New actions would not appear in the Undo stack. This was not a problem if you made changes in the Time Configuration dialog.
    • Performing a file reset by pressing a keyboard shortcut while in the middle of a mouse operation in the viewport, where the mouse operation has started a hold, but not yet accepted or cancelled the hold.
    • Switching focus away from 3ds max and then back while in the middle of a mouse operation in the viewport, where the mouse operation has started a hold, but not yet accepted or cancelled the hold.

Script To Use A Script

This script is great for searching scriptspot.com by running a script - confused? Then click here.

Script for all flavours

This script is designed to quickly render those passes that many people commonly use. To download then click here. Claims to support Scanline, mentalray and vray.

Free Instant Sample

The FBX plugin range has been updated for the 2010 suite. To sample the latest offerings then please click here. Don’t forget you can download the 2010 plugin for some prior versions of 3ds Max/Design.

Instant and Satisfying

To view all of the standard shortcut keys available in 3ds Max/Design then click here.

IE 8

In case you didn’t know IE 8 is now available. To download the latest build then fclick here.

Is that to go?

After an open public beta, Ozone4 is now released. This looks set to be a great tool to use for creating realistic skies. These tools are built on the popular Vue technology. To view what this software can do please click here.

Free re-fill

cebas Computer, maker of finalRender(r), have announced the release of scalpelMAX(tm) for 3ds Max 2010 and 3ds Max 2009. All registered users of scalpelMAX for 3ds Max 9 and higher will get this update for free. Click here for more info.

Sweetener

Vray has been updated. Here’s the official info from Chaosgroup - the newest build,  V-Ray 1.5 Service Pack 3, is available from the download section of the Chaos Software site. The upgrade is free of charge for all current V-Ray customers of Chaos Software.

The V-Ray 1.5 Service Pack 3 is compatible with Autodesk 3ds Max 8, 3ds Max 9, 3ds Max 2008, 3ds Max 2009 and Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2009.  The new V-Ray build supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of 3ds Max.

It includes several new features: Linear Workflow, Mesh-based lights, V-Ray light material as direct light, V-Ray Fog environmental effect, Vector Displacement, Import Proxy as mesh, Support for Max Arch & Design materials, Region Rendering directly in VFB, VRayFastSSS2 material for accurate sub-surface scattering.Improved features include Irradiance map - further reduction in flicker in animations, Camera Overrides now work with Physical Cam, Render Elements - MultiMatte, VRayExtraTex and VRayZDepth work with transperancy, DR Improvements - support for the incremental modes of the irradiance map.

The complete list with the improvements of the existing features can be found in the changelog file, which is a part of the installation.

Support Round-up

3ds Max fails to start up properly after installation - View article…
Suppressing Learning Movies dialog box on startup in 3ds Max 2010 - View article…
Hotfix - Autodesk 3ds Max 2008 - 2009.03.24 - View article…
Hotfix - Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 - 2009.03.16 - View article…

Well my coffee’s now gone cold, so until next time - Happy Max’ing….

Posted by Jamie Gwilliam on Wednesday 1st July 2009 at 9:00am

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