3ds Max 8 Books

Caldenfor

Hello,
I am new to the forums and as a brief intro I have been working with 3ds Max 8 for the past week and I have learned many of the basics. I decided in order to learn it best I should purchase some books and there are a few I would like opinions on if anyone is familiar with them. The three I found are from B&N.com; There is 3ds Max 8 Essentials, 3ds Max 8 Bible and Autodesk 3ds Max 8 Revealed. I really don't have enough funds to just buy all three, but I was curious if anyone know which would be the one to buy over the others. I am teaching myself at home and the tutorials I find randomly on the web usually aren't written well as they are people doing it in their free time.

Thanks for the help,
Dave

Neo_God

actually I think in order to learn it the best, is to play around with everything. But I do understand, because there are some things that playing around with just won't do it. If you want to go with a book, judging from titles, I think the 3dsmax bible might be your best bet. But before you go off buying books, this messageboard actually has a pretty vast knowledge regarding any 3d package. I would suggest asking around the 2d&3d Board for any questions. I'm sure someone can answer you with a nicely explained way of going about whatever you ask.

Caldenfor

Yea, I have been teaching myself, but I love tutorials with good descriptions of what each thing does. I have read some reviews and people have said that the 3ds Max 8 Essentials is just the previous Max 7 book renamed. I am leaning towards the 3ds Max 8 Bible, just like to get some good reviews from people in this community. Gonna be a while, but I hope to take this class all the way (never really self taught anything on such a large scale).

Dave

thomasp

you might want to look up books for older max versions if you're still learning the basics. it's not like there's really that much changing between releases and you can usually get the outdated books for much less.
max6 and up should be good to go to be on the safe side, many functions can just as well be learnt with much much older books.

it's been a while since i bothered with those printed dust collectors but new riders inside... books usually were among the better ones. still, a book that tries to cover the entire range of functionality will be more or less just a collection of short overviews, nothing in-depth, really.

Caldenfor

The only real reason I am buying a book is because I find it easier to go on in a line of projects rather than jumping to random ones, I guess it is because I am so used to linear style learning. I also hate to pester people with minor things that I could learn easily on my own if I would just pony up the cash. The tutorials I have been doing on the internet are poorly written and sometimes skipped to things I hadn't learned yet. The biggest thing I have made was a Corner of a room scene with a wine shelf, wine bottle, wine glass, two wine bottle holders and a Mirror on the wall. The wall/floor textures were just plain colors because I haven't found access to premade materials for the items yet. I have also made a button and animated it to being pressed and I made a nut with a bolt on it.

Dave

TomDunne

If you're a motivated learner, I'd say skip the Essentials book. I used one while teaching a course in Max5 and it was useful with a room full newbies, but a serious student will outgrow that one pretty quick. I'd look for anything that's more reference oriented, something more oriented to tools than projects. I haven't seen the 'Revealed' book, but the various entries in the 'Bible' series are almost always very good. I still get by with my Photoshop 6 Bible, very handy for looking up random tidbits that come up with my various projects.

AstroZombie

I have found that most of the books I have bought in the past end up sitting on my bookshelf, untouched. The best info and tutorials I have found have been via the internet or my peers. Just my .02

Caldenfor

I have a hard time staying self motivated, so if I have a solid list of things to do, ala a book or one website, I can go through it. If I am left to my own devices I often get sidetracked.... could be A.A.D.D or some such.

Dave

Ryno

The "Inside 3ds Max" series is usually pretty good. (especially the ones where I was a contributing author.)

Scott Ruggels

I learn from books and videos, but mostly books, and tend to but tutorial books. So far there aren't a lot of Max8 books out yet, and I needed one as the new company I am working for is making me go back to Max after a couple of years with Maya.

Of the ones I ran across at Border's Books, the only one that seems good ( that I actually spent money on) was Autodesk 3Ds Max Revealed, by Max Dutton and Rob Doran, published by Thomson Course Technology. It covers things fairly well, but the largest omission is that it has nothing at all on Biped or Character Studio. Only Skin and Bones, but otherwise it is fairly complete.

Scott

Caldenfor

Thanks for the further input, any help is greatly appreciated. I just got my tax money back so I was able to pick up the 3ds Max 8 Bible and will see how that works out, it was the most purchased book by like 15-20% on amazon.com so I hope it is the best lol. I found a downloadable pdf that was for 3d, but it had too much on web design and 3d for the web so I stopped reading through it.

Dave

sledgy

I think once you get familiar with Skin and Max bones, making your own IK/FK joints / wiring / playing with the controllers, using Biped is a piece of cake. I glanced over the 3dsmax v6 Bible and I wasn't that impressed. Maybe it's improved since then. Always keep the Max help files and tutorials in mind - they are much better than they used to be.

sledgy

[ QUOTE ]
The "Inside 3ds Max" series is usually pretty good. (especially the ones where I was a contributing author.)

[/ QUOTE ]

That kicks ass! That's my favorite series of Max books but I haven't been able to find anything past v3

Caldenfor

Well I didn't have money to buy 3dsMax and it came with nothing other than the .exe no textures no tutorials, nothing =/ That is why I am in a pickle for finding some good source of straight through tutorials.

Dave