Share your favorite tips, tricks, workflows, and secrets in 3ds Max.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to make a thread about sharing your favorite tips, tricks, or secrets found within 3ds Max.  From awesome hotkey combos to those really essential tools that everyone may not know about, this is the place to share!  I've started the ball rolling below with some really cool tidbits on the particle flow presets that people may not be aware of.  

Please, share yours too! 

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to make a thread about sharing your favorite tips, tricks, or secrets found within 3ds Max.  From awesome hotkey combos to those really essential tools that everyone may not know about, this is the place to share!  I've started the ball rolling below with some really cool tidbits on the particle flow presets that people may not be aware of.  

Please, share yours too! 

Best Regards,

[RGhost77]

I found that using Lazy Nezumi Pro with new Freehand spline in 3ds max 2018.2 I can greatly improve quality of drawings line. I'm using LN with Photoshop and can't live without it.

[RGhost77]

I found that using Lazy Nezumi Pro with new Freehand spline in 3ds max 2018.2 I can greatly improve quality of drawings line. I'm using LN with Photoshop and can't live without it.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @RGhost77,

I am a huge fan of Lazy Nazumi, excellent post and usage.  I also use it in photoshop to create quick and dirty storyboards.  The perspective tool in LN is great.  Thanks for posting that.  Combining this with the new Spline Relax in 2018.2 is a formidable combo.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @RGhost77,

I am a huge fan of Lazy Nazumi, excellent post and usage.  I also use it in photoshop to create quick and dirty storyboards.  The perspective tool in LN is great.  Thanks for posting that.  Combining this with the new Spline Relax in 2018.2 is a formidable combo.  

Best Regards,

[Swordslayer]

You can use Edit Poly modifier as a dynamic modifier using Animate mode and Use Stack Selection. That way, the operation doesn't get commited, you can return to it and change the settings anytime, and changing the underlying topology or selection will work without issues and update the end result:

[Swordslayer]

You can use Edit Poly modifier as a dynamic modifier using Animate mode and Use Stack Selection. That way, the operation doesn't get commited, you can return to it and change the settings anytime, and changing the underlying topology or selection will work without issues and update the end result:

[Isaac_Zuniga]

No kidding? I'm going to have to try that out one of these days, thank you for posting that, 'cause now I can save a lot of time from a whole list of modifiers down to what you just said.

[Isaac_Zuniga]

No kidding? I'm going to have to try that out one of these days, thank you for posting that, 'cause now I can save a lot of time from a whole list of modifiers down to what you just said.

[Anonymous]

I only mention this tip because I don't see many others doing this, even though I'm sure this is not an original idea.

Regarding Scanline...which I think gets a bad wrap because if you know how light works, you can make some very realistic looking scenes with fast render time.

Anyway, my tip is if you want to create soft shadows in Scanline, DON'T USE AREA SHADOWS.  The render time is insane.

Instead, use a bank of lights much like you would see in a soft light on a movie set.  I've used as much as 24 Omni lights in the form of a rectangle to create soft light.  It works really well and you can keep your shadow map size set high for best quality without the blotchiness of low map sizes that can create soft shadows but look terrible if you have to zoom in at all.

Anyway, I've attached an example.  This was all done with standard lights, standard materials, physical materials, and arc-design materials.  No photometric.  No Area shadows. I kind of like Scanline because of it's predictability, speed and control...you can "paint with lights."

In all honesty, though, I am moving to Arnold.

[Anonymous]

I only mention this tip because I don't see many others doing this, even though I'm sure this is not an original idea.

Regarding Scanline...which I think gets a bad wrap because if you know how light works, you can make some very realistic looking scenes with fast render time.

Anyway, my tip is if you want to create soft shadows in Scanline, DON'T USE AREA SHADOWS.  The render time is insane.

Instead, use a bank of lights much like you would see in a soft light on a movie set.  I've used as much as 24 Omni lights in the form of a rectangle to create soft light.  It works really well and you can keep your shadow map size set high for best quality without the blotchiness of low map sizes that can create soft shadows but look terrible if you have to zoom in at all.

Anyway, I've attached an example.  This was all done with standard lights, standard materials, physical materials, and arc-design materials.  No photometric.  No Area shadows. I kind of like Scanline because of it's predictability, speed and control...you can "paint with lights."

In all honesty, though, I am moving to Arnold.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @Anonymous for your recommendation! would you mind posting a shot of how you have your omni lights positioned?

I have been using Quicksilver for its fast render times and predictability but i may try scanline with  now.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @Anonymous for your recommendation! would you mind posting a shot of how you have your omni lights positioned?

I have been using Quicksilver for its fast render times and predictability but i may try scanline with  now.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Before final gather and GI were available, there used to be a script for Max called GI Joe which created a dome of lights similar to what you are describing @Anonymous.  I often use scanline for zdepth and ID passes even if I'm using a more current renderer for everything else.  Scanline remains in my pipeline as well on some level.  Good post.  

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Before final gather and GI were available, there used to be a script for Max called GI Joe which created a dome of lights similar to what you are describing @Anonymous.  I often use scanline for zdepth and ID passes even if I'm using a more current renderer for everything else.  Scanline remains in my pipeline as well on some level.  Good post.  

[Anonymous]

I don't know if you can tell by looking at these.

The door has spots spread as far as they will go.  One spot for each window of the door.  Of course there is attenuation to make this leaking light from the door look like it is bounced from the outdoors.

The window just has omnis shooting into our eyes.

There is a bank of lights right next to the camera.

You may see those black splines levitating in the middle of the room.  Those are "rigs" with those floating omni lights linked to them.

Even those ambient fills have shows turned ON.  When you have a lot with the shadows on, this creates the Ambeint Occlusion effect.

I also don't use a sky dome light...again for scanline, this takes a lot of render time.  Instead I use multiple direct lights in a sphere shape...you can find a lot of tutorials online showing this.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if you can tell by looking at these.

The door has spots spread as far as they will go.  One spot for each window of the door.  Of course there is attenuation to make this leaking light from the door look like it is bounced from the outdoors.

The window just has omnis shooting into our eyes.

There is a bank of lights right next to the camera.

You may see those black splines levitating in the middle of the room.  Those are "rigs" with those floating omni lights linked to them.

Even those ambient fills have shows turned ON.  When you have a lot with the shadows on, this creates the Ambeint Occlusion effect.

I also don't use a sky dome light...again for scanline, this takes a lot of render time.  Instead I use multiple direct lights in a sphere shape...you can find a lot of tutorials online showing this.

[Anonymous]

Thanks good info

[Anonymous]

Thanks good info

[Anonymous]

These tips and tricks should help!

[Anonymous]

These tips and tricks should help!

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous 

If you do not use area shadows what do you select in this area?

thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous 

If you do not use area shadows what do you select in this area?

thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi  I am trying to test your suggestion however have a question 

If you do not use area shadows what do you select in this area?

thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi  I am trying to test your suggestion however have a question 

If you do not use area shadows what do you select in this area?

thanks

[Anonymous]

Just Shadow maps.

I haven't officially tested render times but I believe this will reduce render time and experimentation time (tweaking area shadow samples, bias, quality, etc.) and still give you the same effect.

You can create a "rig" of light that are linked to a non-renderable rectangle, sphere, or whatever.  Just move the rig to move all of your lights at once.

[Anonymous]

Just Shadow maps.

I haven't officially tested render times but I believe this will reduce render time and experimentation time (tweaking area shadow samples, bias, quality, etc.) and still give you the same effect.

You can create a "rig" of light that are linked to a non-renderable rectangle, sphere, or whatever.  Just move the rig to move all of your lights at once.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @Anonymous

[Anonymous]

Thanks @Anonymous

[marksman123]

The "place highlight" is a hidden gem 🙂

[marksman123]

The "place highlight" is a hidden gem 🙂

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

I couldn't agree more @marksman123!  What a cool tool.  A lot of people don't realize it but it works with any type of object.  I used to use it to place reflection cards for car windows so that they hit exactly where I needed them too.  The IOR can make it necessary to try a few times on occasion, but that's one of my favorite tools especially for placing razor thin rim lights.  

EDIT: Spelling.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

I couldn't agree more @marksman123!  What a cool tool.  A lot of people don't realize it but it works with any type of object.  I used to use it to place reflection cards for car windows so that they hit exactly where I needed them too.  The IOR can make it necessary to try a few times on occasion, but that's one of my favorite tools especially for placing razor thin rim lights.  

EDIT: Spelling.  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

You'd have a ball with the Logitech Gaming Mouse - It has around 18 programmable buttons all with their own shifted version via a G-Key allowing for some crazy number of custom actions all on the mouse.

[Anonymous]

You'd have a ball with the Logitech Gaming Mouse - It has around 18 programmable buttons all with their own shifted version via a G-Key allowing for some crazy number of custom actions all on the mouse.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello all,

Here's an interesting way to use the Track View to extract the modifier stack from the primary object in a boolean in 3ds Max 2018.  It's an old school trick made possible with the persistent stack for operands in the new booleans.  It was made for another thread (so is slightly out of context) but I got some decent feedback about it and though it made sense to share here.  Thanks!

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello all,

Here's an interesting way to use the Track View to extract the modifier stack from the primary object in a boolean in 3ds Max 2018.  It's an old school trick made possible with the persistent stack for operands in the new booleans.  It was made for another thread (so is slightly out of context) but I got some decent feedback about it and though it made sense to share here.  Thanks!

Best Regards,

[Isaac_Zuniga]

"Place highlight"? Sounds interesting, what is that? Is that a new stack modifier that I'm unaware of?

[Isaac_Zuniga]

"Place highlight"? Sounds interesting, what is that? Is that a new stack modifier that I'm unaware of?

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IA-viLMElM&t=65s

I had to google it myself

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IA-viLMElM&t=65s

I had to google it myself