Title: 3ds Max at a Glance Author(s): George Maestri Pages: 225 Publisher: Sybex; Pap/Cdr edition Publication date: 2007 Language: English Format: PDF ISBN-10: 0470179848 ISBN-13: Description: From the Back Cover
Take a Closer Look at 3ds Max
One look and you'll see that this 3ds Max book is different from all the others. It presents the core 3ds Max features in pages packed with striking graphics that perfectly illustrate the concepts. Each page is loaded with vivid, detailed explanations on crucial components, such as the 3ds Max interface, modeling and animation tools, rendering settings, and more. Engaging step-by-step lessons and tasks provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. You'll create textures, learn rigging, bring biped characters to life-even create hair with this beautiful, full-color guide. It's the perfect introduction to 3ds Max 2008, but will serve you well for most versions of 3ds Max.
Reviews
Summary: Good Overview
Rating: 4
As a teacher of 3D Computer Graphics I have always enjoyed this author's books (his [digital] Character Animation text are great). I agree that the tutorials are tricky, as is the hippo and car in his Maya at a Glance book. But there are very few books out there that visually give a good general overview of the major concepts and tools of 3DS Max the way that this text does. The person who wrote the negative review about the book shouldn't have bought the text in the first place - everyone has a different learning style.
So if you want to not only read about, but see all the different things Max has to offer, and know that there is not an Art of 3DS Max as there is an Art of Maya that serves as a great reference, definitely consider adding this text to your library. I would recommend it for teachers, and newbies and novices who are still learning the basics of 3D.
Summary: Well... It is really what the title says...
Rating: 2
Indeed, this book is really just a Glance as the title of the book says.
You do model the Alien (in 3 pages tut) and Spaceship (in 2 pages tut) that shows in the cover, although it goes around literally "all" aspects of 3ds max, but again, it's simply a glance view only, with some examples pictured.
But really, is just a Glance. I personally don't recommend this book, as a beginner like me, I would have loved to see something more in depth with deeper projects. Online Tutorials serves a much better justice than this book.
Title: 3ds Max at a Glance