Is 3ds Max Interactive as good as it looks?

[Anonymous]

I was pleasantly surprised after discovering this:

    Playing in the VR 3ds Max Interactive Museum Demo   [20K views already!]

and have about 1 million questions.

How come there is no forum named "3ds Max Interactive"?

That product seems to be the answer to my prayers. I would like to place all these models:

     http://www.dealey-plaza.org/This Government, as Promised

in this website:

    http://www.dealey-plaza.org/

and have the users have an experience similar to this:

    Interactive 3D Dealey Plaza

Is there a web based version of 3ds Max Interactive? If so, does it run on Linux?

How about running my "product" in a Playstation?

-Ramon F Herrera

JFK Numbers

[Anonymous]

For the record, that "product" has been, is and will forever be:

 - Free Open Source (*)

 - Not for Profit

and last, but not least:

 - Based on Science

-Ramon

JFK Numbers

(*) As demanded by Richard M. Stallman

[Anonymous]

Folks, I really, really much rather dedicate my time to technical, numerical matters, specially the 3D world which I find fascinating (I wish I could go back to college 😞

However, needless to say, a project of this nature can be controversial. It is known as "The Subject That Never Dies".

With that in mind, and to take non-technical distractions out of the way, I am pasting below a clarifying e-mail that I just sent to a reader.

One more time, congratulations and thanks to Autodesk for their unparalleled products and support.

You guys rock.

Cheers,

-Ramon

JFK Numbers

============================================================

From: [email protected]

To: Forum Participant

Subject: The purpose of the Free Open Source 3D Model of Dealey Plaza

Hi xxx:

The eventual purpose of this project is to donate the 3D model to leading universities and schools of 3D design and when it is "complete" to the National Archives. The person who has been designated as my contact for this project  at the National Archives, Eugene Morris, informed me that this would be a first and encouraged me to continue.

Every single so-called "scientific" study since 1964 has something in common: They have kept their files locked up. After years of working solo, I was lucky that this company:

    Scientific Analysis Team

decided to donate to "my cause" (their words) the raw laser files from this program:  

   PBS NOVA Cold Case JFK: Laser Scanning and Models

The point cloud files are in the project's site.

     Point Cloud Files Donated to JFK Numbers

As I tell everybody: "Those files are yours, not mine."

You can see our benefactor, Mike McCormick in the PBS program.

PBS Nova has been very supportive as well, of the idea to have an Open Source project. They helped me locate Mike McCormick.

Cheers,

-Ramon

JFK Numbers

ps: I can provide the e-mail messages and addresses, phones from all mentioned above.

[hagen.deloss · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

This is great! I'm so happy that the project is getting folks that believe and support the idea. I'm curious, where you able to ever import the point cloud files into Max in an acceptable format? I remember this thread from a few months ago.

In regards to 3DS Max Interactive, it's a product that is no longer officially supported by Autodesk, it's a product that is no longer being developed by Autodesk, though there is still a forum for it over here...it's kind of a wasteland. You are welcome to post your 3DS Max Interactive questions here on this forum!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Bummer, really thought you guys had a shot overtaking Lumion with 3ds Max Interactive. But thanks, after many people asking finally we have got the answer that it isn't supported by Autodesk anymore. Shame really, I thought it had a shot in real time visualisation rather than as a game engine. I use Unity and Unreal but Stingray/3ds Max Interactive workflow for visualisations/walk through is much much better.

Answering the OP, yes 3ds Max Interactive is fantastic, shame Autodesk does not agree.

[hagen.deloss]

@Anonymous @Anonymous

I misspoke, i apologize, I edited my previous post to reflect that 3DS Max is still supported by Autodesk.

[Anonymous]

There is not much difference between not being supported to not being developed I am afraid....

I wonder if 3ds Max Interactive is gathering new users now that is bundled with 3ds Max and is shown at the Max 2019 welcome screen? I really hope it doesn't die as there is literally no Autodesk alternative for it.

[Anonymous]

gressel, hagen .. anybody:

I have to confess: I am a total newbie on the market covered by 3ds Max Interactive. However, I know about software development and client-server division of labor. I am told that 3ds Max Interactive runs on a local workstation? In that case it is a client-only solution?

I would like to deploy heavy 3D models on the web, make them as widely available as possible. A browser -plus perhaps a plugin- should be the only requirement.

Is there such thing? The sketchfab site has something functional, but due to the large number of users, they tell me that they have to limit the size of the 3D models. In my website, there would be only one user offering 3D services.

More questions: Did I misunderstand or is 3ds Max Interactive an Open Source Software?

TIA

-Ramon

JFK Numbers

[hagen.deloss · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

I must have overlooked your follow up question, sorry!

When creating an experience in 3DS Max Interactive, yes the software is local to the machine, but you can build an executable file to host on a website. Here is some documentation for the deploying capabilities of Interactive 😄

Here is a gif example of all the platforms 3DS Max Interactive can be built to using the deployer. 

So as long as you have a website, you would be able to host a web build of whatever experience you make on that website. I hope this helps answer your question!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

That is great, Hagen. But I have another two questions:

 - Is or was at some point 3ds Max Interactive Open Source? I don't know where I got that impression

 - That animated GIF that you added is really great. What app do you use for that?

TIA

-Ramon

JFK Numbers

[hagen.deloss]

@Anonymous

I don't believe that Interactive was open source no.

I use Screen2gif, it's pretty great!

feel free to mention me @hagen.deloss in any other threads if you have further questions about 3DS Max or max Interactive! 

Always great to hear from you Raymond 😄