topic Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review in 3ds Max Modeling Forum

Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:07:34 GMT

I wish to model some simple parts in order to show all the plane projection to the students. I intend to use in my classes.

So I draw some simple parts in 3Ds Max then export them to FBX format because the viewer is free.

There is a problem with FBX Review because there is no Parallel Projection available. F3D which can be an alternative but got the same issue of Parallel Projection. At least I cannot find where to set this from.

Try to explain it in the images attached.

Is there another free viewer for this?

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

leeminardi — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:35:57 GMT

Try the Orthographic camera option for 3dviewer.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

A娘 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:38:27 GMT

you can try blender , it is free software , with sun light you can get parallel projection

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:21:25 GMT

Yes indeed. What I forgot to say is that I'm looking for a standalone solution because the online way depends on the producer: today it is tomorrow is not.

And I am making this both for today and tomorrow ...

But yes I am using the online viewer to show assembly design and the components inside.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:32:57 GMT

The whole package is destinated not only for my students but for another kids from another schools (age of 14-15). It will be difficult for them to run Blender. Even to install it.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:36:35 GMT

More: my dream 🙂 is to find a standalone viewer which can be set automatic to one or another ortographic projection.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

MartinBeh — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:23:26 GMT

I have not tried this yet, but according to the github pages, F3D already supports orthographic projection.

Here it says the hotkey is "5" on the numpad, and here it says the command-line option is "--camera-orthographic"

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

A娘 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:34:53 GMT

F3D didn't support directional light , so it can't achieve parallel projection

same as fbx review , it will change directional light to omni while F3D remove it

orthographic view has no meaning with projection

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

MartinBeh — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:40:26 GMT

Not sure actually. Does "Parallel Projection" mean in this context the projection of the scene into the camera (i.e. perspective or orthographic), or the projection of the scene geometry onto the floor by a light source (infinite light)?

The attached images seem to suggest an orthographic camera, but maybe I am missing something here

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

A娘 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 17:30:10 GMT

if he means orthographic view , he should has noticed fbx review can change perspective to top/front/left , of course he may missing it and not explain clearly

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:08:23 GMT

I mean orthographic view ...

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:08:44 GMT

Yes indeed orthographic view

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:13:30 GMT

Hi Martin, yes indeed there is part of solution: hotkeys. I will study this. Kindly regards and thank you!

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:14:09 GMT

Don't need lights there.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:24:49 GMT

So he means that ortographic view it is the same with parallel projection.

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:28:53 GMT

Yes indeed but I can see that there are available only 3 views in F3D with the proper shortcuts. I need 6 ...

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:05:24 GMT

It is difficult to rotate - orbit arround one certain axis, it rotates it random ...

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

MartinBeh — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:59:11 GMT

@mariustipa wrote:

It is difficult to rotate - orbit arround one certain axis, it rotates it random ...

Not sure what is going on, but for me it works perfectly: I start the app, load the FBX, hit "5" to switch to orthographic view and use LMB to rotate. I can hit "1" for front view, "3" for right view, or "7" for top view. See https://f3d.app/docs/user/INTERACTIONS

Maybe your scene is far from the origin, or has some unusual orientation?

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

mariustipa — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:51:53 GMT

it can be achieved in F3D by pressing F6 as one can see here in answers.

No link between lighting mode and parallel projection but it could be one indeed

Re: Searching for a better Autodesk FBX Review

leeminardi — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:22:30 GMT

@mariustipa since you are a teacher perhaps we should backtrack and clarify the definition of a few terms.

Parallel projection - a projection of a 3D object to a plane in which the projection lines are parallel.
Axonometric projection - a parallel projection where the projection lines are perpendicular to the viewing plane.
Oblique, cabinte, and cavalier projections - parallel projections where the projection lines are parallel but NOT perpendicular to the viewing plane.
Orthographic projection - an axonometric projection where the object is oriented such a manner that one of its six principal views(front, top, right, back, bottom, left) are perpendicular to the viewing plane.

A search via wikipedia can provide some graphical examples of these projections.

It sounds line you want the abiity to dynamically show the tranisition from one orthographic view to another. Is this correct?