Wiley 3ds Max 9 Bible 978-0-470-10089-9 Manuale Utente

W

ell, here we are again with a new version of Max, and the first ques-
tion on the minds of existing users is “Did the interface change?”
The answer is a happy “very little.” Most serious users would rather

go through root canal surgery than have their user interface (UI) change, and
Autodesk has learned and respected this valued opinion by keeping the interface
changes to a minimum.

As you look around the new interface, you’ll see that everything is still there but
that Max has a few new additions. You may find yourself saying, as you navigate
the interface, “where did that come from?” But, just like encountering a new
house in your neighborhood, over time you’ll become accustomed to the addi-
tion and may even meet some new friends.

Why is the software interface so important? Well, consider this: The interface is
the set of controls that enable you to access the program’s features. Without a
good interface, you may never use many of the best features of the software or
spend a frustrating bit of time locating those features. A piece of software can
have all the greatest features, but if the user can’t find or access them, then the
software won’t be used to its full potential. Max is a powerful piece of software
with some amazing features, and luckily the interface makes these amazing fea-
tures easy to find and use.

The interface’s purpose is to make the software features accessible, and in Max
you have many different ways to access the features. Some of these access meth-
ods are faster than others. This design is intentional because it gives beginning
users an intuitive command and advanced users direct access. For example, to
undo a command, you can choose Edit ➪ Undo (requiring two mouse clicks),
but as you gain more experience, you can simply click the Undo icon on the
toolbar (only one click); an expert with his hands on the keyboard can press
Ctrl+Z without having to reach for the mouse at all. All three of these methods
have the same result, but you can use the one that is easiest for you.

Exploring the 

Max Interface

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