#MAX Questions
It looks like MAX is going to set new standards in PC based animation! I have
developed quite an interest in this product, I'm only sad we'll have to wait a
few months to see it.
Here are a few questions about the features of MAX I never got to ask at
SIGGRAPH, but are very important. There are more I have thought of, but these
are on the top of my head. Please answer whatever you don't deem as classified
details.
(in no particular order)
1. Will MAX be able to import AutoCAD .dwg files directly, thus being able to
use 2D shapes in the shaper w/o having to DXF them, and also make 3D faces more
accurately translated?
2. If MAX can, indeed, read AutoCAD 13+ files, will it be able to read Acad
solids directly into parametric meshes? This would be VERY important to those
who must reply on AutoCAD to create complex solid objects.
3. There was talk about being able to boolean parametric objects without
destroying their parametric nature. Is this for certain? Again, this would be
very important, and not that hard to accomplish, either.
4. Will you be able to convert earlier non-parametric or otherwise converted
meshes to parametric objects? Naturally, not all data of the structure would
be made parametric, but they could be wrapped in a parametric envelope, and
likewise adjusted for mesh detail, and altered in all the typical ways.
5. Will there be a means of making "blocks", like in autocad? That way, you
can make one mesh (or array of meshes) as a prototype, then alter the prototype
and have the changes applied to all blocks.
6. Gary said there would be a user-definable mapping system. Just how does
that work? What will it take to automatically apply mapping coordinates? I
assume no more having to detatch faces into new objects to apply new mapping
coordinates to those faces.
7. What about the rumor of allowing TWO sets of mapping coordinates to a given
object (i.e. applying a single decal on top of an otherwise already mapped
object)?
8. Will each object be able to contain sound properties? In other words, as
an object emitting a certain sound gets closer to the camera, the sound level
increases as distance decreases? Stereo effects? This would be VERY handy.
9. Will there be any ray-tracing options built into the renderer?
10. Since the shaper and 3D editor will be integrated, will we be able to use
2D shapes as guildlines we can "snap" objects to, etc?
11. Will the shaper allow primitive parametric shapes like AutoCAD does for
arcs, circles, rectangles, etc? Right now, for example, once an arc is
created, there's no way to adjust its radius except to alter each vertex.
12. We know that IK will now have bspline links, BUT, will there be a way to
adjust the DISTORTION of a mesh using bspline "skeletons", much as a spline
version of bones? If so, will this work on all meshes, just not parametric
primitives?
13. What about "magnet" like stretching, like wavefront and I believe
lightwave have, so that you could non-linearly distort a mesh by pulling on one
or a few verticies (like strecthing silly putty)?
14. What about input/export filters for other CAD/drawing packages on the
market like microstation, lightwave, wavefront, cadkey, and many others?
15. Will automatic reflection maps work better?
16. I understand everything to develop plug-ins, aside from the C complier,
will be part of the package? Will any complier work or do you need Watcom or
the like?
OK, that should be a good start. There are others, but I don't want to get TOO
overboard. Many others were aswered at the show, and many will be asked and
answered by others. I appreciate whatever you can answer.
What can I say but keep up the good work. This program can blaze new trails
towards bridging the gap between wealthy production companies and serious
individuals with talent.
-jk