About the Author -- Acknowledgments -- Contents at a Glance -- Contents -- Preface -- The Growth of 3ds Max? -- About This Book -- Part I: Getting Started with Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 -- Quick Start: Adding a Crowd to the City Center -- Planning the Production -- Setting Up the Scene -- Adding Materials and Lights -- Adding the Crowds -- Summary -- Chapter 1: Exploring the Interface -- Learning the Interface Elements -- Using the Menus -- Using the Toolbars -- Using the Viewports -- Using the Command Panel -- Using the Lower Interface Bar Controls -- Interacting with the Interface -- Using Workspaces -- Getting Help -- Summary -- Chapter 2: Controlling and Configuring the Viewports -- Understanding 3D Space -- Using the Navigation Gizmos -- Controlling Viewports with a Scroll Wheel Mouse -- Using the Viewport Navigation Controls -- Changing the Viewport Display -- Enhancing the Viewport -- Displaying Materials, Lighting, and Shadows in the Viewport -- Working with Viewport Backgrounds -- Setting Viewport Visual Style and Appearance -- Configuring the Viewport Background -- Altering the Viewport Layout -- Using Safe Frames -- Setting Display Performance -- Defining Regions -- Viewing Statistics -- Configuring the ViewCube and SteeringWheels -- Summary -- Chapter 3: Working with Files, Importing, and Exporting -- Working with 3ds Max Scene Files -- Importing and Exporting -- Using the File Utilities -- Accessing File Information -- Summary -- Chapter 4: Setting Preferences -- Setting General Preferences -- Setting File Preferences -- Configuring Paths -- Setting Interaction Mode -- Setting Gamma and Look-Up Table (LUT) Preferences -- Setting Rendering and Radiosity Preferences -- Setting Animation Preferences -- Setting Inverse Kinematics Preferences -- Setting Gizmo Preferences -- Accessing mental ray Preferences.

Setting Global Container Preferences -- Setting Help Preferences -- Summary -- Part II: Manipulating Objects -- Chapter 5: Creating and Editing Primitive Objects -- Selecting System Units -- Creating Primitive Objects -- Exploring the Primitive Object Types -- Using Architecture Primitives -- Using Modeling Helpers -- Summary -- Chapter 6: Selecting Objects and Using Layers -- Selecting Objects -- Setting Object Properties -- Hiding and Freezing Objects -- Using Layers -- Using the Scene Explorer -- Setting Object Properties -- Setting Display Properties -- Summary -- Chapter 7: Transforming Objects, Pivoting, Aligning, and Snapping -- Translating, Rotating, and Scaling Objects -- Working with the Transformation Tools -- Using Pivot Points -- Using the Align Commands -- Using Grids -- Using Snap Options -- Summary -- Chapter 8: Cloning Objects and Creating Object Arrays -- Cloning Objects -- Understanding Cloning Options -- Mirroring Objects -- Cloning over Time -- Spacing Cloned Objects -- Using the Clone and Align Tool -- Creating Arrays of Objects -- Summary -- Chapter 9: Grouping, Linking, and Parenting Objects -- Working with Groups -- Understanding Parent, Child, and Root Relationships -- Building Links between Objects -- Displaying Links and Hierarchies -- Working with Linked Objects -- Summary -- Chapter 10: Organizing Scenes with Containers, XRefs, and the Schematic View -- Working with Containers -- Referencing External Objects -- Using the File Link Manager -- Using the Schematic View Window -- Working with Hierarchies -- Setting Schematic View Preferences -- Using List Views -- Summary -- Part III: Modeling 3D Assets -- Chapter 11: Accessing Subobjects and Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack -- Exploring the Model Types -- Understanding Normals -- Working with Subobjects -- Introducing Modifiers -- Exploring the Modifier Stack.

Summary -- Chapter 12: Drawing and Editing 2D Splines and Shapes -- Drawing in 2D -- Editing Splines -- Summary -- Chapter 13: Modeling with Polygons -- Understanding Poly Objects -- Creating Editable Poly Objects -- Editing Poly Objects -- Summary -- Chapter 14: Using the Graphite Modeling Tools and Painting with Objects -- Working with the Graphite Modeling Tools -- Using the Freeform Tools -- Using the Selection Tools -- Using the Object Paint Tools -- Summary -- Chapter 15: Working with Compound Objects -- Understanding Compound Object Types -- Morphing Objects -- Creating a Terrain Object -- Working with BlobMesh Objects -- Working with ProBoolean and ProCutter Objects -- Summary -- Chapter 16: Deforming Surfaces and Using the Mesh Modifiers -- Using Selection Modifiers -- Using Primitive Maintenance Modifiers -- Using Spline Modifiers -- Using Edit Geometry Modifiers -- Using Parametric Deformer Modifiers -- Using Free Form Deformer Modifiers -- Miscellaneous Modifiers -- Subdivision Surface Modifiers -- The Basics of Deformation Painting -- Using the Deformation Brushes -- Setting Painter Options -- Summary -- Part IV: Applying Materials and Textures -- Chapter 17: Creating and Applying Standard Materials with the Slate Material Editor -- Understanding Material Properties -- Working with the Slate Material Editor -- Using the Standard Material -- Using Shading Types -- Accessing Other Parameters -- Using the Material/Map Browser -- Using the Material Explorer -- Summary -- Chapter 18: Adding Material Details with Maps -- Understanding Maps -- Working with Maps -- Exploring the Various Map Types -- Creating Textures with External Tools -- Summary -- Chapter 19: Using Specialized Material Types -- Using the Ink 'n Paint Material -- Using Architectural Materials -- Using the DirectX and MetaSL Shader Material.

Selecting and Applying Substance Textures -- Randomizing Substance Textures -- Tutorial: Applying Substance Textures to a Scene -- Summary -- Chapter 20: Creating Compound Materials and Using Material Modifiers -- Using Compound Materials -- Applying Multiple Materials -- Using the Matte/Shadow Material -- Material Modifiers -- Summary -- Chapter 21: Unwrapping UVs and Mapping Textures -- Mapping Modifiers -- Using the Unwrap UVW Modifier -- Using the Edit UVWs Interface -- Summary -- Chapter 22: Painting in the Viewport Canvas and Rendering Surface Maps -- Using the Viewport Canvas -- Using Vertex Colors -- Rendering Surface Maps -- Using Surface Maps -- Tutorial: Generating and Applying Surface Maps -- Summary -- Chapter 23: Creating Baked Textures and Normal Maps -- Using Channels -- Rendering to a Texture -- Creating Normal Maps -- Summary -- Part V: Working with Backgrounds, Cameras, and Lighting -- Chapter 24: Configuring and Aiming Cameras -- Learning to Work with Cameras -- Setting Camera Parameters -- Summary -- Chapter 25: Matching Perspective to Background Images -- Loading a Background Image and Camera -- Perspective Matching the Background Image -- Tutorial: Perspective Matching a Background -- Summary -- Chapter 26: Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques -- Understanding the Basics of Lighting -- Getting to Know the Light Types -- Creating and Positioning Light Objects -- Viewing a Scene from a Light -- Altering Light Parameters -- Summary -- Chapter 27: Using the Sunlight and Daylight Systems -- Using the Sunlight and Daylight Systems -- Summary -- Chapter 28: Working with Advanced Lighting, Light Tracing, and Radiosity -- Selecting Advanced Lighting -- Using Local Advanced Lighting Settings -- Tutorial: Excluding Objects from Light Tracing -- Understanding Radiosity -- Working with Advanced Lighting Materials.

Using Lighting Analysis -- Summary -- Part VI: Rendering a Scene -- Chapter 29: Rendering a Scene and Enabling Quicksilver -- Working with Render Parameters -- Using the Rendered Frame Window -- Summary -- Chapter 30: Managing Render States -- Using State Sets -- Summary -- Chapter 31: Batch and Network Rendering -- Batch Rendering Scenes -- Understanding Network Rendering -- Setting Up a Network Rendering System -- Starting the Network Rendering System -- Configuring the Network Manager and Servers -- Logging Errors -- Using the Monitor -- Summary -- Chapter 32: Rendering with mental ray and iray -- Enabling mental ray and iray -- Working with iray -- Tutorial: Starting iray -- Working with mental ray -- Summary -- Chapter 33: Compositing with Render Elements and the Video Post Interface -- Using External Compositing Packages -- Using Render Elements -- Completing Post-Production with the Video Post Interface -- Working with Sequences -- Adding and Editing Events -- Working with Ranges -- Summary -- Part VII: Animating Objects and Scenes -- Chapter 34: Understanding Animation and Keyframes -- Using the Time Controls -- Working with Keys -- Using the Track Bar -- Viewing and Editing Key Values -- Using the Motion Panel -- Using Ghosting -- Animating Objects -- Working with Previews -- Using the RAM Player -- Tutorial: Using the RAM Player to Combine Rendered Images into a Video File -- Summary -- Chapter 35: Animating with Constraints and Simple Controllers -- Restricting Movement with Constraints -- Understanding Controller Types -- Assigning Controllers -- Examining Some Simple Controllers -- Summary -- Chapter 36: Exploring the Complex Controllers -- Examining Complex Controllers -- Working with Expressions in Spinners -- Understanding the Expression Controller Interface -- Using Expression Controllers -- Summary.

Chapter 37: Using Animation Layers and Animation Modifiers.