NEWS:MAX NEWS

Catch up on all the late breaking news concerning 3DS Max. Upgrades, compatiblity issues, etc.
Also, find out who's using the application and for what. Cinematic visual effects, high end console
and computer games, forensic science. We'll research it all.

Past News 02/20/04
Discreet Introduces File Link Extension for 3ds max 6 Software

Subscription Members to Benefit from New File Link Extension that Adds Workflow and File Support for Autodesk AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop

San Francisco, Calif.—February 20, 2004— Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc., today announced that its 3ds max® 6 software subscription members will soon receive a File Link Extension that will enable workflow and file support between Discreet 3ds max software and Autodesk's AutoCAD® and Autodesk® Architectural Desktop.

The new File Link Extension will be made available exclusively to 3ds max subscription members later this quarter. Designed to streamline compatibility between 3ds max and Autodesk's leading CAD applications, the File Link Extension enables 3ds max users to open AutoCAD or Architectural Desktop files in 3ds max 6 to visualize the results with the highest visual fidelity. As changes are made to the original AutoCAD or Architectural Desktop file, 3ds max will reload these changes and update the scene accordingly—removing the need to continually export changes from the Autodesk products for import back into 3ds max .

Select feature highlights of the 3ds max File Link Extension include:
    File Reload: Maintain modifications made in 3ds max when changes are made to original objects built in AutoCAD or Architectural Desktop. Changes to original models can be modified many times without having to recreate work in 3ds max .
        o Selective reloading is also available enabling designers to focus on improving parts of a file rather than having to reload an entire scene.

        o File Reload Presets give designers a simple method to ensure consistency when importing multiple files into 3ds max .
    Scene organization: Multiple scene organization options enable greater control and flexibility. Scenes can be imported as a single object or broken down in detail depending on need.
        o Supports Instanced Objects (Blocks and Nested Blocks) created in AutoCAD.
        o Supports Unit Detection and Rescaling.
        o Enables import by Entity, Layer or Color.
        o Shapes can be made renderable on import.
        o Supports Attached Drawing Xrefs.
        o Enables separation of Mesh and Shape data where needed.
    Auto-Extrude: Objects with “thickness” assigned in the .DWG file will inherently have 3D depth via the automatic application of the Extrude Modifier . No longer will artists have to add 3D-depth by hand. § Architectural Desktop 2004 Compatibility: Architectural Desktop Styles, Layers, Materials, UV Coordinates, and VIZRender Radiosity processing are fully supported. Supports all ObjectARX custom objects: ObjectARX objects that are available in many of the vertical products from Autodesk such as Architectural Desktop, Mechanical Desktop, and Map. The DWG reader (Importer and File Link Extension) can now read ObjectARX data created in these Autodesk products.

    Specialized support for Autodesk Civil Contour Objects: The Autodesk Civil Series can draw specialized Contour Objects for terrain, roads, etc. These objects can now be read by the 3ds max DWG Importer and File Link Extension. Supports Raster Images: A .jpg or a .bmp file can be inserted into AutoCAD and used as a template on which to draw. This Image Object is also translated by the 3ds max DWG reader.

    Support for Axonometric Named Views: Designers can define a viewpoint (either perspective or axonometric) and save it into a list. These views will now be translated as Cameras once the .DWG file is imported into 3ds max .