3ds Max, And Other Tools

[LHammonds]

I don't know if the 3 year license is a hard limit or specified based on the date you install/download the program.

When you download the program(s), they give you a Serial Key and a Product Key. Then you install the program. It will act like a 30-day trial unless you tell it to activate. Then feed it the Serial and Product Key. It then connects to the Internet and asks you to login / register. When you do that, you are presented with the associated product and when you click it, you get an activation code, plug this into your program and it then becomes fully registered and license. I assume it is at this point that the 3 year ticker begins....which is the act of associated the product key to your account to get the activation code.

 

It may also be the point in which you receive the serial / product key when you download the software. I don't know but I certainly would not wait around for AutoDesk to change their minds. If I did not qualify, I'd probably sign up to "audit" a class just to get registered with a school and get an email address just so I can have the opportunity to try out all these goodies. I've tried the 30 day trials before in the past but with my limited hobby time, it was never enough to actually get to a productive point. 3 years gives me a LOT more room to get familiar with their product(s).

 

LHammonds

[crossfirex]

Wow, Thanks for all this information. It will help a lot!

[DarkeWolf]

Wow, Thanks for all this information. It will help a lot!

 

Glad that we could be of some help (LH was a lot more helpful than I, so much kudos to him!).

Good luck with your work! :)

[sputnik421]

My advise would be to get G Max first and get comfortable with the UI it has and do at least 3 of the G Max tutorials. Beffore getting 3DS Max unless you have prior knowledge of 3D modelling software. The 3DS Max UI is packed with loads of things that will confuse the new user, the slate editor still confuses me and I have played with 3DS Max for a while. I started modeling with G Max before moving onto 3DS Max, I have also tried blender but did not like the UI. I have looked at google Sketchup, it is very easy to get a basic model together that can then be taken into a better modelling package. The 3DS Max tutorials are good you should be able to model quite well, by the time you are half way though them. My main problems have been getting my work from 3DS Max to the game, but others on the forum helped me sort out what I was doing wrong in Nifscope and the GECK. I have not been in the game for more than 3-4 mins at a time for a while now. I have just wanted to see if I got the conversion right, and then get on with another model.

 

Here are some youtube feeds that I found useful when I started with 3DS Max, the guy is doing WOW stuff but it is still applicable to our games.

 

iwkya.co.uk

Edited February 8, 2011 by sputnik421