With 3ds Max adopting open standards for materials and file types, wouldn't it be nice if it were to have a built-in send to Blender with a material converter for cycles materials? Sending files over is doable with the Blender to Max addon for Blender & script for 3ds Max, but it is not automated for materials. Regardless of which program is used to model/ unwrap or texture, 3ds Max should allow artists to easily convert materials to render in Max.
Since Mudbox is no longer actively developed, sculpting in Blender could be a more viable workflow if sending data over becomes available with the click of a button.
Proprietary software and file formats are overdue, unlike paying for quality products that are easily adopted in whatever workflow/ pipeline and that's what 3ds Max is and should strive to be. Perhaps, eventually adopting importing and exporting .blend files would help for interoperability, just like how Sketchbook pro can save .PSD, which is native Photoshop.
