Item: Autodesk 3ds Max
Rating: 8
Author: Kevin Wolff

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Incredibly powerful tools with a very user-friendly UI. Get industry standard results for mograph, camera tracking, 3D modeling for product design, or VFX production with rapid render times to meet deadlines. Maya may be great for animating, but 3ds Max is my go-to for hard surface modeling.

Pros and Cons

Artist friendly interface.
Fast render times.
Low latency and crash count.

Rather expensive licensing.
Limited animation tools.
Outdated physics system.

Return on Investment

Allows us to meet deadlines quickly - render times are minutes, not days.
Digs into profits due to licensing fees - just a single seat can set us back thousands.

Key Insights

Do you think Autodesk 3ds Max delivers good value for the price?

Are you happy with Autodesk 3ds Max's feature set?

Yes

Did Autodesk 3ds Max live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Autodesk 3ds Max go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Autodesk 3ds Max again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Autodesk Maya, Blender

Likelihood to Recommend

3DS Max is really the best tool for those looking to create mograph designs, 3D models for video games, VFX composites and virtual sets, or just to quickly mock up some product designs with rapid rendering that still looks good. It really starts to fall behind though when you get into animation tools like rigging or smooth surface models or higher end ray tracing renders. If you need something for full-on animated films or final pass production physics effects, then use Maya instead.

The best hard surface modeler, but for a price.

Overall Satisfaction with Autodesk 3ds Max