Any ideas for a mobile tool?

[s.ign]

Hi Guys,

I just started using 3Ds Max for my interior designing business. Its been pretty useful for workflow visualization but I'm just wondering if there are any tools to move .3d files onto the iPad or a similar kind of device?

This would help well especially when I can get to show my clients how their space is going to look like. I just hate lugging my laptop around.

Any ideas?

[Steve_Curley]

Have a look at FBX Review (read the FAQ).

[dgorsman]

Might also want to consider putting the content in Navisworks NWD format, for which there are a few online options.  There's also AutoDesk Remote for connecting to a remote computer with the appropriate software.  Regardless, you're probably going to need a rock-solid wireless connection first.

[s.ign]

Can't use Fbx Review since it supports windows platform only. I have an iPad.

I'll take a look at Navisworks. Thanks for the headsup.

Came across a solution called Cairnsmith. Not sure if anyone has used it before but it seems to work with .max files. I'll sign up and try it too.

[Steve_Curley]

http://area.autodesk.com/products/features/fbx
Note the bit about MacOS X and IOS 7.0...

[jfincher]

It's another software to learn, and might take you some time to get it up and running the way you want - ie. it's not just export and show it off - but I would highly suggest looking into the Unity game engine.

You will literally be walking your clients through the environment with a game controller, or, in your case, the iPad touch screen.

I've used it myself for walkthroughs, and it's so impressive, especially for clients - it's a real big "wow" type tool.

The great thing about Unity is that it reads .MAX files and converts them into FBX in the background for you.  I tend to try to break my scenes up into a few different import files, just so that I can make updates go a little faster; there's no need to re-import the entire file if, for example, the building isn't changing much, but perhaps the furniture layout is in a constant state of flux.

There are a few housekeeping type things in Max that you should figure out in order to make the process into Unity easier, but overall it's an easy process.

Depending on your business, you might even be able to use the free version of the software, assuming that you get the features you need:  http://unity3d.com/unity/licenses

The other great thing is that you have multiple platforms that you can export to in case you ever want to branch out beyond your iPad - Windows, Mac & Linux standalone files, a web-based player, iOS, Windows Phone & Blackberry.

[s.ign]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. The only thing I found about unity is that it still looks alittle cartoonish for my clients. I did manage to check out cairnsmith.com and its a cloud solution that helps on rendering resources and editing of .max files on the iPad. They offer a free to try so we might have to pay for this, that's the downside. I just submitted a .max file of my clients house, will post up results after they complete.

The other solution I'll try is FBX review, it seems pretty good too, not sure about polygonal budget.