-
Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:
- Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
- Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
- Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
- Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
- Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
- Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.
Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.
By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.
3DS Max
- Thread starter Jonay1990
- Start date
hcornea
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 2,388
- Country
-
You cannot buy older copies that are compatible with the FSX toolset (unless someone offers one second hand)
Autodesk will not license one for you to use either, unfortunately.
Gmax is not bad, you know ... and has none of these problems.
The current release is Max 2012
Autodesk will not license one for you to use either, unfortunately.
Gmax is not bad, you know ... and has none of these problems.
The current release is Max 2012
- Messages
- 123
- Country
-
Jonay1990,
why dont you try ebay website.that were i got main.you can get it cheap "like the 3dmax bible 2012 or 2010".so you dont have to pay thousands for it.but say that i also got the gmax bible as well and of course i want back to gmax. as i found it alot batter to work with.
keith
why dont you try ebay website.that were i got main.you can get it cheap "like the 3dmax bible 2012 or 2010".so you dont have to pay thousands for it.but say that i also got the gmax bible as well and of course i want back to gmax. as i found it alot batter to work with.
keith
Hi thanks,
But I'm looking for the 3DSMax software.
I've already got the gMax bible - though I don't find it much use - it's for more character animation and creating full blown scenes for videos.
I looked on eBay aswell - only manuals available
n4gix
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 11,674
- Country
-
You cannot buy any legal version of Max on eBay (or anywhere else for that matter).
There are a number of so-called places on the web who claim to be resellers of Max (any version you want), but...
...they are mostly in the far east, and what they are selling are bootleg versions that cannot be registered, and will not be supported.
One of our esteemed colleagues here (who I will not name!) got burned this way...
...twice.
There are a number of so-called places on the web who claim to be resellers of Max (any version you want), but...
...they are mostly in the far east, and what they are selling are bootleg versions that cannot be registered, and will not be supported.
One of our esteemed colleagues here (who I will not name!) got burned this way...
...twice.
hairyspin
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 3,253
- Country
-
How badly do you want Max? I was looking for 18 months and finally got my copy of Max - an old version - from a user who had no more use for it: I presume because version 7 doesn't install on Windows 7. It didn't cost me very much, but I got the original media and the licence transferred to my machine. That's the only kosher way to do it afaik.
Occasionally a copy of Max comes up on eBay UK, still in the shrinkwrap, unregistered. You need to have sufficiently deep pockets and you need to be really quick with your bid, but beware of fakes as Bill said. I've seen winning bids from a hundred pounds to nine hundred or more - that's a lot if it's a fake... Or you might find an impoverished ex-student who's lost interest in Max.
For really good skins I pass the mapping to a really good texture artist! Texture baking (for the VC) is the reason I kept looking for Max: if I had the choice I'd have Max 2008, the last version to support the FSX tools, but after 4 years with gmax I know version 7 will keep me busy for years to come.
Occasionally a copy of Max comes up on eBay UK, still in the shrinkwrap, unregistered. You need to have sufficiently deep pockets and you need to be really quick with your bid, but beware of fakes as Bill said. I've seen winning bids from a hundred pounds to nine hundred or more - that's a lot if it's a fake... Or you might find an impoverished ex-student who's lost interest in Max.
For really good skins I pass the mapping to a really good texture artist! Texture baking (for the VC) is the reason I kept looking for Max: if I had the choice I'd have Max 2008, the last version to support the FSX tools, but after 4 years with gmax I know version 7 will keep me busy for years to come.
Last edited:
n4gix
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 11,674
- Country
-
Honestly, no. Despite their shiny and impressive website, they simply cannot be an "Authorized Reseller" for any number of reasons, beginning with the fact that Autodesk will not allow anyone to sell "old versions", much less offer "download only ISO files."
To find the real Authorized Resellers, look here. I've already selected the UK for you:
http://www.autodesk.co.uk/adsk/serv...1061242&id=901984&product=10299&country=10276
hcornea
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 2,388
- Country
-
I bought Max 2011 earlier this year, with a subscription -- which also enables you to use legacy versions (back 3 iterations)
With this I have a licensed copy of Max 2008 (which is the last version that works with the SDK)
I also have Max 2012 now (subscription update)
With Autodesk's international gouging policy, this cost over AU$5000 (currently US$5250)
With Max 2012 now released, this is probably not an option any more ... and Autodesk are IMMOVABLE on this.
With this I have a licensed copy of Max 2008 (which is the last version that works with the SDK)
I also have Max 2012 now (subscription update)
With Autodesk's international gouging policy, this cost over AU$5000 (currently US$5250)
With Max 2012 now released, this is probably not an option any more ... and Autodesk are IMMOVABLE on this.
hairyspin
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 3,253
- Country
-
One dead giveaway is that all the Microsoft, Verisign etc logos are not links to the companies in question, or mechanisms to verify that they're kosher. Not the first time I've seen that.
Thanks guys.
So what's the future for new devs on FSX/FS9? gmax only?
I haven't fully read through the 3DS>Gmax conversions in the SDK overview yet - but where do the FSX Tools come into it? Can you make a model and transfer it to gmax without using those tools (i think i read somewhere that it comes out inverted or similar to that) ?
I doubt a new SDK for Flight (if there is one) will have updated tools for newer versions on 3DSMax...
So what's the future for new devs on FSX/FS9? gmax only?
I haven't fully read through the 3DS>Gmax conversions in the SDK overview yet - but where do the FSX Tools come into it? Can you make a model and transfer it to gmax without using those tools (i think i read somewhere that it comes out inverted or similar to that) ?
I doubt a new SDK for Flight (if there is one) will have updated tools for newer versions on 3DSMax...
hcornea
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 2,388
- Country
-
You need to read the SDK, Jonas.
The tools are integrated into Max or into Gmax ... you need them to run the exporters, and to set materials properly.
Time to make things and learn on the job ... there is only so much that people can tell you. You need to learn some things by doing.
The tools are integrated into Max or into Gmax ... you need them to run the exporters, and to set materials properly.
Time to make things and learn on the job ... there is only so much that people can tell you. You need to learn some things by doing.
n4gix
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 11,674
- Country
-
Actually, it is most likely that there will be tools only for the latest versions of Max 2010 and above, since that's what MSGS is using...
...which will unfortunately leave those of us with older versions out in the cold!
hairyspin
Resource contributor
- Messages
- 3,253
- Country
-
...and you wouldn't get a full commercial licence either. Educational licences are specifically barred from commercial use. I believe some even watermark any renders to texture, which is going to look really nice on a good model.
- Messages
- 10,088
- Country
-
As goofed up as autodesk is, they had terminated the license with Microsoft FS group, while telling them to their face, it was still OK to run it with the new FSX SDK. But they had to do some things to it to make it unlockable for people to get a Gmax scene into another program, like Lightwave. So Gmax files are hard to get into OBJ format, etc.
I doubt that autodesk will do the Gmax thing again.
What movie groups and big companies do is create their own tools (scripts, compilers, etc) to get the model files out. This is with gaming companies, movie sets, etc. I think Rhino 3D just had a Japanese firm create compilers for many major game platforms. Rhino only costs $1,000.00 USD and they offer courses everywhere. Lightwave 3D is also as exotic as Rhino, and about the same price and much used in the model world.
I dont think Max is going anywhere. I think its like a mine that dried up. The rediculous EULA requirements (must be sold to one person, forever, no one else can have it, only up to 3 computers per person per lifetime, etc, etc, etc..) That is bogus and not worth it. Its 4 Times the cost of regular 3D design engines. It will not work with game SDK packs anymore as they change out their scripts often. They also do not sell the previous year Max version. So getting a 1, 2, or 3 year old pack, I was told, by Autodesk, is 'impossible', quote, from 2 different high up's at autodesk.
The future you ask? I would say it will be up to us. We will probably have to create something to work with the next sim. I wish I knew which Japanese group that made the compilers for Rhino.. Personally, I would like to use LW. Many real world designers of aircraft use Rhino. Rhino is also good for making planes for X-Plane. They have a compiler for it. X-Plane came out with their own design engine, and they also recommend Blender, a freeware opensource 3D engine for making planes, and it has a compiler as well. It can render. Its free. Using blender though is very very difficult, they say. But once you get the hang of it, they say you will stay with it. (Sounds like Gmax).
Bill
