Autodesk 3ds Max 2011

Graphite Modeling Tools
3ds Max 2010 takes the renowned 3ds Max polygon modeling tools to a whole new level. With over 100 new tools for advanced polygonal modeling and freeform design, the Graphite modeling tools facilitate creativity and artistic freedom.

Additionally, the Graphite tools are displayed in one central location, making it easy to find the tool you need for the job. Moreover, users can customize the tool display or hide the command panel and model in Expert Mode.

In addition to the modeling and mapping tools available in previous versions of the software, the Graphite toolkit also includes a number of completely new tools for such operations as:

• Quick re-topologizing
• Granular poly editing
• Sculpting with assorted brushes
• Locking transforms to any surface
• Freeform creation of vertices
• Modifying and creating smart selections
• Quick drawing of surfaces and shapes
• Quick transformations

Material Explorer Manage scene complexity with ease using the new Material Explorer.
The productivity-enhancing Material Explorer revolutionizes the way artists interact with objects and materials in 3ds Max. Users can now quickly browse all materials in the scene, replace materials, and view material properties and relationships.

xView Mesh Analyzer
Validate your 3D models prior to export or rendering using the new xView mesh analyzer technology. Get an interactive view of where problems may lie to help you make crucial decisions. This key new tool makes testing of models and maps significantly faster and more efficient. Users can test or query for flipped faces, overlapping faces and unwelded vertices. They can also add their own specific tests and queries.

ProOptimizer
The new 3ds Max ProOptimizer technology is ideal for quickly and intelligently optimizing high-poly count 3D models from digital sculpting applications such as Autodesk Mudbox. It enables users to precisely control the number of faces or points their scene/model has: useful faces are removed last, so that a selection can be reduced up to 75% without loss of detail. Scenes can be optimized in real time, or batch optimized. ProOptimizer technology maintains UV texture channel information and vertex color channel information, respects the symmetry of symmetrical models, preserves explicit normals, and gives users the option to protect or exclude object borders.

Viewport Canvas
New in 3ds Max 2010 is the ability for artists to paint on a 3D model directly in the Viewport. This means artists will be able to quickly create new maps or extend existing maps using brushes, blend modes, fill, clone and erase. The Viewport also provides quick updates for changes to textures made in Adobe® Photoshop® software.

ProBooleans Enhancements
A new Quadify modifier has been added to the 3ds Max ProBooleans toolset that enables modelers to clean up triangles in model for better subdivision and smoothing. A new Merge Boolean operation has also been added which lets them attach an object (or multiple objects) to another while maintaining the transforms, topology and modifier stacks of each object.

UVW Unwrap Enhancements
Manipulating UV maps in the Viewport is now as easy as modeling in the Viewport thanks to a significantly expanded 3ds Max UVW Unwrap toolset. New features include such UV Selection tools as Growing/Shrinking Rings and Loops, and quick editing tools for aligning, spacing, and stitching UVs.