Introducing 3ds Max® 2008

Chapter 1. Basic Concepts

Any way you cut it, everyone learns in different ways, especially when they are learning about Autodesk 3ds Max 10 or any other computer graphics (CG) package. You should realize that the best education you'll get is through months or even years of working with the software in different capacities. Ask any successful student, and they will tell you one thing: There is no such thing as book smarts when it comes to good CG production— it all comes down to what you can achieve.

Achievement comes only from practice. You can't avoid the many pitfalls of production work without falling into and climbing out of them. Some readers may find this idea frustrating, but it is an intractable truth. The more you work with 3ds Max, the better you will become with it. And the more you struggle, fail, and recover, the more you will learn.

This chapter introduces you to basic concepts in computer graphics production. Topics in this chapter include:

• How to Read This Book

• What Is CGI?

• Production Workflow

• Core Concepts for Animation

How to Read This Book

First and foremost, you don't need to read this book cover to cover and front to back to get the most from it. If you are the type who loves to jump right into the pool to learn to swim, then skip this chapter and jump into Chapter 2, "Your First 3ds Max Animation" to start working with the interface. If you already know how to navigate 3ds Max, you can begin with any of the other chapters. You can leave this chapter for bathroom reading ...